20200912 PARTICIPATING IN NON-CHRISTIAN WORSHIP AND SACRIFICES
12 September, 2020, Saturday, 23rd Week, Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.
First reading |
1 Corinthians 10:14-22 © |
We are a single body because we all share the one bread
My dear brothers, you must keep clear of idolatry. I say to you as sensible people: judge for yourselves what I am saying. The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf. Look at the other Israel, the race, where those who eat the sacrifices are in communion with the altar.
Does this mean that the food sacrificed to idols has a real value, or that the idol itself is real? Not at all. It simply means that the sacrifices that they offer they sacrifice to demons who are not God. I have no desire to see you in communion with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot take your share at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons. Do we want to make the Lord angry; are we stronger than he is?
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 115(116):12-13,17-18 © |
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
How can I repay the Lord
for his goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise;
I will call on the Lord’s name.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I will call on the Lord’s name.
My vows to the Lord I will fulfil
before all his people.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn14:6 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!
Or: | Jn14:23 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 6:43-49 © |
Whoever hears me builds his house on a rock
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.
‘Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord” and not do what I say?
‘Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them – I will show you what he is like. He is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!’
PARTICIPATING IN NON-CHRISTIAN WORSHIP AND SACRIFICES
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 CORINTHIANS 10:14-22; LUKE 6:43-49 ]
The unity of the Church with Christ and with each other is what the Eucharist symbolizes. St Paul wrote, “The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all share in this one loaf.” Indeed, receiving communion is to be in union with the Church, which is the body of Christ. This unity with Christ and the Church is so real that St Paul warns the Christians not to mix up their communion with the Lord and His Church at the Eucharistic sacrifice with that of the pagan forms of the communion sacrifice.
It is within this context that St Paul raised up the sensitive matter of eating food offered to idols, a question that continues to affect us even in our days because of inter-religious activities. Particularly so in many of our families today, when members of the same family are from different religions; and also, because we have so many friends, colleagues, and business partners of other religions. On one hand, we do not want to show disrespect for the beliefs of others. On the other hand, we are also careful that in our desire to be courteous and respectful, it unsettles our conscience. So, we are in a dilemma.
Like the early Christians, we feel guilty participating in their festivals and their ceremonies and worse still, sharing the food that is used for worship and sacrifice. As St Paul said, “I have no desire to see you in communion with demons. You cannot take your share at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons. Do we want to make the Lord angry; are we stronger than he is?” These are very strong words from St Paul indeed about sharing in the communion sacrifice of non-Christian religions. Any form of real participation in the worship of other religions, especially when these are given to idols and spirits, are taboo for Christians. This contradicts our faith because we believe in the One God that is revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. However, this does not forbid us to be present in such celebrations so long as we are not participating in a real sense of the word, that is, believing what they believe in the idols or in the spirits they worship. If our presence is but a symbol of our respect for their beliefs, it is an act of charity.
Why is St Paul so harsh when it comes to participating in pagan worship and sacrifices? Did he not say earlier that one is permitted to eat the food offered to idols? In Chapter 8 of this letter, he said that food offered to idols is offered to nothing. “Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘no idol in the world really exists,’ and that ‘there is no God but one.'” (1 Cor 8:4) On this basis, Christians are permitted to eat food offered to idols, especially in those days when such food was sold at the market place after being offered to their pagan gods. Well and good for those who have strong faith in the One God of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well and good for those who hold fast firmly to the belief that “even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth–as in fact there are many gods and many lords – yet for us, there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (1 Cor 8:5f)
However, in today’s text, St Paul was not just speaking about consuming food offered to idols, he was speaking about participating in the sacrificial worship of the pagans. This is quite a different matter because participation not merely by being present but by joining them in worship, prayers, and in their rituals, one is acknowledging the presence of their gods and rendering them homage. This would be wrong and unacceptable. The reason is because even though the food is offered to idols and idols are nothing, just only a statue, yet the truth is that some spirits, which could be evil spirits, could dwell in such idols. So by worshipping the idols, although they are illusions, yet they could be used by the demons for themselves. By participating in the rituals and eating the sacrificial food, we establish communion with the demons. This of course is just a possibility because we are never too sure. Regardless, St Paul acknowledges the presence of principalities and powers in this world. “For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12)
Otherwise, St Paul seems to permit us to eat food offered in pagan worship so long as we are not participating in the rituals. However, even then, St Paul once again urges us to put the unity of the Body of Christ before doing something which is permissible. If our consumption of food offered to idols and such action causes the weaker Christians to lose faith, then we would be sinning against the Body of Christ in another way, namely, the lack of charity. “For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.” (1 Cor 8:10-13) So out of charity, we must not demand for our rights. As St Paul exhorts us, “We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor.” (Rom 15:1f)
Going beyond the question of worshipping in the pagan sacrifices and at the same time worshipping at the Eucharistic service, this however would be irreconcilable. We can also appreciate why the Church does not allow non-Catholics and those who are in serious sins to receive communion as well. This is because our communion is both with the Lord and with the Body of Christ, the Church. When we are not one in worship, one in doctrinal belief, one in leadership, one in fellowship, receiving communion would be a sign of contradiction. So even if we have faith in the real presence of our Lord in the Eucharist but we are not in union with our brothers and sisters in the faith, receiving communion becomes a sign of contradiction. This explains why when one is in serious sin and receives communion, he is not truly in communion with the Lord or with the Church because his sins alienate him from Christ and His Church. Hence, our communion must be a real communion, not just an external empty sign. What we receive must express our spiritual union with Christ and His Church. In saying, “Amen”, we are saying “Yes” to the fact that we are the Body of Christ and the bread we receive is truly Christ’s body as well.
So regardless whether we consume food offered to idols or when we are in serious sin, we must ask whether we are giving glory to God in what we do. St Paul reminds us to do all things for the greater glory of God and for the good of the Church. “All things are lawful but not all things are beneficial. All things are lawful, but not all things build up. Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other. For why should my liberty be subject to the judgment of someone else’s conscience? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, so that they may be saved.” (cf 1 Cor 10:23-32)
What is even more important is to make sure that our faith is properly founded in truth and on the Word of God so that we will not be easily shaken by the scandals of our fellow Christians or compromise our faith when we are involved in inter-religious activities. We must know our faith well so that we can have a proper dialogue with people of other faith. The Lord warns us to base our faith on Himself, the rock so that nothing can weaken our faith. In the final analysis, our faith is manifested in the fruits we bear, especially the fruit of charity, compassion and unity with our fellowmen and respect for people of other faiths as well.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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