June 7, 2011 – Romans 13:8 – 14:23

Here again we have examples of what can be described as scandal. A situation in which something you do maybe completely innocent, yet because someone sees it and acts in a way that is sinful, you are called to avoid doing that thing, even if there is nothing wrong with it. This isn’t a complete definition of scandal, because it is not only innocent things that can be done, but also sinful things that are swept under the rug or seen as supported, can cause scandal. But here Paul is talking about things that are completely innocent, eating certain foods, that are clean, but if someone who is not as strong in their faith witnesses it and therefore it causes them to sin, you are called to avoid it for their sake. Trying to think of an example to relate this and the two I come up with might not be the best.

If two people live together, say they are male and female, many will think they are sexually active and may think or be influenced by that action. It may be completely innocent, but the appearance is enough reason to not do it. In this day in age, I wonder, if this has gone even further. With the culture shoving homosexual relationship and their acceptance down our throat, will we come to a time when having roommates while single will always be scandalous, where people will think anyone living together are in a relationship, regardless of gender.

The second is somebody that voted for Obama. I don’t want to go into too much on this because, like I said, I don’t know if it is the best example. But Obama is a strident supporter of abortions. Voting for him is a vote in support of what he supports. Catholics are obligated not too support abortions. The fact that over half of all Catholics voted for Obama gives people outside the Catholic faith a mixed message about the Church’s position, which is not wavering. Something like voting, which is not on its own something that is wrong, and even voting for Obama itself may not be a sin, but its effect is that it may cause someone who sees that to sin, to feel abortion is ok or encourage a person to seek that as an option. So, even if voting for Obama is not a sin by itself, a Catholic should avoid doing it because doing so may cause scandal or the sin of another, which Paul is saying here should be avoided.