Word to the Wise
Thursday, September 11, 2014 - Thursday in the 23th Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Cor 8:1b-7, 11-13 and Luke 6:27-38]"Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone supposes he knows something; he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him." [1 Cor.]
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2014 THURSDAY IN THE TWENTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
[1 Corinthians 8:1b-7, 11-13 and Luke 6:27-38]
"Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone supposes he knows something; he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him." [1 Cor.]
Corinth was a place where East met West in many ways. It was a port and trading center. It was also a kind of religious marketplace! One could find quite a variety of idols to adore, depending on one's tastes and beliefs! Roman and Greek deities co-existed with Phoenician and Syrian and Persian deities. The Corinthians were accustomed to having this religious smorgasbord. After their conversion, some of the Corinthians in the community continued to attend the banquets that often accompanied certain religious festivals. Their reasoning was that it was good food and who cared what idol it had been offered to since that idol was not really God. This was the "knowledge" that Paul was referring to. However, not everyone in the community could accept this reasoning and were scandalized by the behavior. The response of the first group was, in essence, "That's YOUR problem. We know better." St. Paul's response is that the first group should be more sensitive and he goes as far as to say he would give up meat altogether if necessary to avoid the scandal. This is what he means about love building up the community.
This situation should be familiar to us! I have had folks in my office who were scandalized by others who thought their behavior was harmless, or vice versa. Even engaged couples could be caught in the dilemma: "I don't see what your problem is!" St. Paul's response challenges the one whose behavior is causing the difficulty. In our individualistic culture, the sacrifice of one's desires to please the scruples of someone else seems unreasonable! The question, however, is not one of reasonableness but of love for one's neighbor, which transcends cultural biases. It could be a useful exercise to imagine ourselves in the situation in our own "Corinth" and ask how we would respond! AMEN
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