First Reading

Reading from the first letter of the Apostle Saint Paul to the Corinthians

1 Corinthians 8, 1-13

Dear brothers and sisters: I know that all of you are aware of what is permitted regarding meat sacrificed to idols. But be careful! For the mere fact of knowing fills one with pride; love, on the other hand, does good. And if anyone thinks that this knowledge is enough for them, they have no idea what true knowledge is. But the one who loves God is truly known by God.

Now, regarding eating meat offered to idols, we know that an idol represents nothing real and that there is only one God. For even though there is talk of gods in heaven and on earth, as if there were many gods and many lords, nevertheless, for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom all things come and to whom we are destined, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist and through whom we also exist.

But not everyone knows this. For some, accustomed to idolatry until recently, continue to eat the meat as if it were consecrated to idols, and since their conscience is poorly formed, they sin. It is certainly not food that will make us pleasing to God, nor will we be better or worse for eating or not eating. But be careful that your freedom does not become an occasion of sin for those whose conscience is poorly formed. For if someone sees you, who know these things, sitting at table in a temple of idols, will they not feel authorized by their poorly formed conscience to eat what has been sacrificed to idols?

Then, because of your knowledge, you cause the brother whose conscience is poorly formed to be lost, for whom Christ died. In this way, by sinning against your brothers, harming their poorly formed conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is an occasion of sin for my brother, I will never eat meat so as not to give him an occasion of sin.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke

Luke 6, 27-38

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who slander you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other also; if someone takes your cloak, let them take your tunic as well. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what is yours, do not demand it back.

Treat others as you would like them to treat you; for if you love only those who love you, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good only to those who do good to you, what is extraordinary about that? Sinners do the same. If you lend only when you expect to be repaid, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Even sinners lend to other sinners, intending to be repaid.

But you, love your enemies, do good, and lend without expecting repayment. Then you will have a great reward and will be children of the Most High, for he is good even to the wicked and the ungrateful. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: you will receive a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over in the folds of your tunic. For with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you.”