Don't Let Law Prevent Love
by Fr. David M. Knight
Monday, September 9, 2024
Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest
Twenty-Third Week of the Year
Lectionary 437
1 Cor 5:1-8/Lk 6:6-11
1Corinthians 5:1-8 raises a problem. Paul is urging the Corinthians to live up to their baptismal consecration as “stewards of the mysteries of God.” Because we share in Christ’s kingship, we are responsible for noticing, addressing, and trying to remedy anything in the Church and in the world that is not according to his will. Paul blames the Corinthians for not taking action at the local level, as an “assembly” (church, congregation), to stop the scandal in their midst.
Problem: by urging the expulsion of the sinner, Paul seems to go against Jesus’ directive to let the “weeds and the wheat grow together until the harvest,” and his image of “a net thrown into the sea that caught fish of every kind,” in which the “evil” will not be separated from the “righteous” until the end of time. Also, the sin was one of sexual immorality, toward which Jesus, while condemning it, showed great tolerance. (Matthew 13:24-50; John 4:4-40; 8:3-11.)
The answer is that Paul was not responding to sexual sin, but to scandal; defined, not as that which shocks, but as that which causes a lowering of standards precisely because it doesn’t. Paul’s remark about pride (verse 2 and the reference to boasting (verse 5) “suggest that the Corinthians are proud of themselves [for being so liberal] despite the infection in their midst, tolerating and possibly even approving the situation.” Paul is addressing a present danger of doctrinal distortion, not a sin of weakness. He says the whole community should react against this. (New American Bible notes.)
Many parishes deny Communion to those whose marriages are not recognized by the Church, even though Canon Law does not require this. The presumption is that, if they don’t, people will begin to think sacramental marriage is not important. This pastoral judgment is not our focus here. What should concern us, however, are any official policies, preaching, protocol or ways of governing that give a false image of the Church. Because Catholics are so used to abuses in these areas, they are no longer shocked by them. This is the real “scandal,” and Paul would condemn our congregations because, instead of acting against it, they just watch people leave the Church or do so themselves.
In Luke 6:6-11 Jesus addresses a virus in Church ministry. It is the sin of the “scribes and Pharisees” who enforce laws without regard for consequences. Jesus tries to teach them to ask the all-important question: “I ask you, is it lawful to do good... rather than evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” The goal of the law is always to “do good,” to save people’s spiritual life, to “feed the sheep.” We need to observe it.
Initiative: What do you take for granted in the Church that you shouldn’t?
Reflections brought to you by the Immersed in Christ Ministry
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