I have really enjoyed hearing the readings from the first letter to the Corinthians these past few weeks in our daily masses. Today, we have a very interesting selection that poses a very curious dilemma for the Corinthians: Should they eat food that has been given as an offering to a foreign idol? Could they accept an invitation to each such food in a pagan household or temple? Would they be compromising their Christian faith by taking such food?
Some followers of Jesus in the community of Corinth, especially those who had converted to the faith from a pagan way of life, felt that by eating this meat that had been offered to pagan idols, that they were taking part in a form of idol worship and were compromising their beliefs. Others, however, such as Paul, and those who had come to Christianity from a Jewish background, did not feel the same way.
Paul tells the Corinthians that there is not need to worry about food offered to idols, because the idols do not represent anything. There is only one God. Those idols are not God. In the ancient world, there were many false gods and pagan idols, but the followers of Jesus know that they did not have any real existence.
But although Paul has no problems himself eating such meat, he resolves to not such meat offered to idols ever again so it would not be a source of scandal to other members of the community, especially those who are faced with temptations. It all comes down to love. That is to be at the center of our faith, the overriding principle.
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