Today's reading

[PeteZaHut]

What does this mean, especially the last part?

Brothers and sisters:
It is widely reported that there is immorality among you,
and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans–
a man living with his father’s wife.
And you are inflated with pride.
Should you not rather have been sorrowful?
The one who did this deed should be expelled from your midst.
I, for my part, although absent in body but present in spirit,
have already, as if present,
pronounced judgment on the one who has committed this deed,
in the name of our Lord Jesus:
when you have gathered together and I am with you in spirit
with the power of the Lord Jesus,
you are to deliver this man to Satan
for the destruction of his flesh,
so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

 

[bkayw]

A man’s son is having sex with his stepmother.

St. Paul is writing to the Church that they must excommunicate this man from the Church (and if they don’t do it) St. Paul would do it once he arrived at the Church.

 

[PeteZaHut]

what about giving the man’s flesh to satan so that his spirit can be saved?

 

[bkayw]

It’s a reference to excommunication, which in the Early Church it may have meant a physical removal of the person from worship services, from the Christian community and of course from the saving graces of the Eucharist.

Basically, the man’s unrepentant actions opened him up to the influences of Satan.

The man choose darkness, instead of the Light of Christ.

 

[Fidelis]

St. Paul tells the Corinthians that he has received reports of gross immorality going on among members of their church. What is worse, however, is that some of the Corinthians are not only are they not condemning this sinful activity, they are actually boasting about it! He tells them they should be grieved by the sin in their presence and take action to make it clear it is not conduct becoming Christians.

We need to ask ourselves: Do I treat lightly, tolerate or even condone by my silence the presence of sin in my life? In my household? In the culture? In the Church? Do I need to do penance for sins that offend God and offer fraternal correction when appropriate?

 

[Fidelis]

Gospel: Luke 6:6-11
On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up and stand before us.” And he rose and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Looking around at them all, he then said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

Last Saturday we heard about some Pharisees trying to trap Jesus in breaking the Sabbath work prohibition. Today’s reading also takes place on the Sabbath, this time in a synagogue, and again Jesus’ enemies are looking for reasons to accuse him. Jesus, fully aware of this, proceeds to heal an afflicted man in their midst. Rather than rejoice in the man’s healing, these Pharisees are instead enraged!

How do I react to the good fortune of others? To those whom God has gifted with those gifts (material and spiritual) I wish I could have? Am I envious, or to I praise God for his generosity and rejoice in the gifts that I do have?