The psalmist in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary
proclaims how fearfully and wonderfully we are made. This meditation on the
wonder and awe of our being should extend into the emotional and spiritual
gifts we use daily to experience life with others. Paul addressed the
Corinthians with the challenge to act in community in a manner which does not
scandalize others even if we have to give up our “rights” to express our
opinion, act according to knowledge or understanding foreign to others and do
our own thing. The focus that Paul extols Christians to have is to avoid any
action or presentation which may be interpreted by the other as improper or
immoral. Our conscience or sense of morality must give way to the sensibilities
of the other if we are to be examples of living in Christ. Friar Jude Winkler
notes that the Gospel from Luke calls for the compassion to see those who hurt
us as sinners not as evil people. In that light, we understand the separation
they are creating from God in their lives through their actions and we join
Christ, who died for sinners, in giving ourselves without expectation of return
to their needs. The Kingdom where compassion, mercy and freedom from judgement
reign is build upon these actions by believers in resonance with the Spirit of
Jesus.
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