GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 5TH SEPTEMBER 2016
MONDAY OF THE 23RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
1ST READING: 1Corinthians 5:1-8
PSALM: Psalm 5:5-7, 12
GOSPEL: Luke 6:6-11
THEME: SCANDAL
In a literal sense, a scandal (“skandalon” in Greek) is something that trips somebody up; it is an impediment placed in the way, causing one to stumble or fall.
In a moral sense, a scandal is an “attitude or behaviour which leads another to do evil” (cf. CCC 2284); it is an act or omission, through a bad example, that has the potency of weakening or destroying the faith of others. A person who causes a scandal drags others with him into the mire of sin.
Our First Reading gives an example of an active scandal that rocked the Church in Corinth. Apparently, one of the church members, for whatever reason, had chosen to live in an amorous relationship with the wife of his father. It appears the act had a negative effect on the community and yet, not knowing how to handle it, they chose to accommodate the culprit (s). However, when Paul got wind of it he expressed his disgust and outrage in a letter addressed to the community. He writes, “For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord”(1Cor 5:3-6).
The words of Paul in his missive appear to be really harsh and rough. He did not mince words at all on the issue at stake, probably because of his knowledge of the destructive effect of a scandal. A scandal, when given full rein, has the ability to destroy in an instant that which took years to construct.
It is easier talking about the scandals of others than doing something to avert a scandal in our own personal lives. The first step in avoiding a scandal is to humbly acknowledge the fact that we are all potential candidates of this cankerworm, perhaps not the same as the Corinthian case but in an equally destructive manner. In fact Paul, in another chapter of that same letter, writes, “Everyone, no matter how firmly he thinks he is standing, must be careful he does not fall.” (1Cor 10:12).
The second step is to examine the choices we are making in the light of the truth of the Gospel, for the little wrong choices we make today are the stepping stones that may lead to a scandal tomorrow.
Thirdly, it is important that we soak ourselves daily in prayer, keeping in mind that without the grace of God we will fall flat on the grass.
May the Lord’s prayer – “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” – bring us strength from above in our quest to overcome sin in general and scandal in particular.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, pardon me for any act or omission of mine that has made someone to lose faith in you. I resolve with the help of your grace to make amends and be an instrument in your hands to srengthen the faith of those you have purchased with your precious blood
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).