DAILY HOMILIES #scandal

Jesus condemned Moses’ Law on divorce but excused Moses by saying he responded to the people’s hardness of heart. Today, the choice is up to us: whether to remain hardened in the heart (follow Moses’ instruction; obtain a certificate of divorce from the court) or to embrace Jesus’ stance on Marriage (take the path of sacrifice, remain with our spouses through thick and thin, remove divorce an option). Anyone who still wants to go with Moses today is not yet a Christian.

By saying we should cut off our hands and feet and pluck our eyes, Jesus wants us to realise that we have power over sin and that the causes of sin are right within us. Stop blaming the devil for your sinful actions. It is what is inside you, not what is outside you, that is making you fall into sin. Jesus is not asking us to cut our bodies physically; rather, he wants us to cut off those bad thoughts, imaginations and desires within us that lead us to sin.

Do not be scandalised by any bad Christian. Rather, be inspired by the good ones and strive to be good yourself. Do not allow another person’s sinfulness to become your standard of judging good and bad. Just as there are different kinds of fish in God’s kingdom, we also have elements of good and evil within us

St. James tells us it is better to be poor than to enjoy stolen riches. We steal by refusing to pay our workers their just wages or by living in luxury (wastefulness) while millions suffer extreme poverty. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus highlights the danger of scandal by saying it is better to be dead than to be the source of scandal for little ones (innocent minds).

Just as the Father was merciful to the prodigal son, he showed mercy to the elder brother by stepping out of the banquet to reason with him. What kind of a parent am I? Do I pitch my children against themselves by indirectly (or directly) showing preference?

The biggest temptation faced by persons who stand daily to preach (or address the public) is the attraction of living a double life. The scribes and Pharisees fell into this temptation; they thought their deeds were hidden, that no one would know what they did in secret. They were shocked that Jesus knew everything.

From a spiritual perspective, we may define leprosy as a sin, given that it is not only deadly but also highly contagious. Hence, Jesus warned: "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!"

Today, Jesus warns that even if I did not sin, I would be punished for leading others into sin. This is serious. It is not enough that I avoid sin; I must go the extra mile to ensure that I am not a source of another person’s downfall.

Last Sunday, we read how the issue of circumcision brought a debate in the church at Antioch between Paul and the men who had come from Judea. Unfortunately, one of the principal sources of disunity among Christians today is arguments over matters of doctrine. In his prayer for unity, Jesus said: “that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:21) Disunity among Christians is truly a scandal to non-Christians. One may wonder: Why is it that all Christians are using the same bible yet they never agree among themselves?

The first thing we must do to avoid becoming guilty of scandalizing anyone is to remind ourselves constantly that innocent minds and hearts still exist.

Before stepping out of your house, ask yourself: “Is my dressing a source of temptation to others?” Before beginning a conversation with a friend or colleague, ask yourself: “Are my choice of words a source of temptation?” As a parent or an adult, before telling a lie, ask yourself: “What would be the fate of this child when he or she gets to know the truth?”

Am I simply a signboard that points to a particular direction but never goes there? On the other hand, have I become a stumbling block preventing others from going to heaven through my scandalous actions?