My dear Parishioners,
Peace! There are thirteen (13) “In Brief” articles in the Catechism of the Catholic Church addressing the Fifth Commandment of the Decalogue, ‘You shall not kill.’ The following is a reflection on CCC 2326.
The Fifth Commandment of God, ‘You shall not kill’ extends even into the spiritual realm. We are not to kill the other person, allow the other person to kill us, or kill ourselves. Likewise we are not to give scandal or lead others to sin. To lead another to sin is akin to a sort of spiritual murder.
The origin of the word ‘scandal’ comes from the Latin scandalum meaning ‘cause of offense’ and the Greek skandalon meaning ‘snare, stumbling block.’ In the New Testament there are several references to scandal. When Saint Peter tried to dissuade the Lord from going to Jerusalem, Jesus Christ rebuked him as a scandal, thinking not as God thinks but according to human thought (cf. Matthew 16:23). The Lord Jesus Christ actually gives a warning against giving scandal: scandals must come; but nevertheless woe to that man by whom scandal comes (Matthew 18:7). Saint Paul, similarly teaches us to not put a stumbling block or a scandal in the way of our neighbors (cf. Romans 14:13). Saint Paul does identify the Cross as a scandal as does Saint Peter, for those who do not believe (cf. Galatians 5:11; 1 Peter 2:8). If we are in a state of grace and abide in the light of the Lord there is no scandal in us (cf. 1 John 2:10). Saint Thomas Aquinas addresses scandal in his Summa Theolgiae II-II Q. 43, A. 1–8, identifying it as ‘something less rightly done or said, that occasions another’s spiritual downfall.’
We might lead others to sin, and thereby commit the sin of scandal, by our passive sins of omission. Sins of omission are committed when we fail to do the good that we should do. If parents do not take their children to Holy Mass on Sunday, their omission impacts their children, the neighbors…
We might lead others to sin, and thereby commit the sin of scandal, by our active sins of commission. Sins of commission are committed when we do the evil we should not do. If we are gluttons or drunkards, idolaters or greedy thieves, fornicators, adulterers, effeminate or homosexuals we are committing sins, which if unrepented will lead to exclusion from the Kingdom of God (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:10; Galatians 5:19–21). These sins, unrepented are not only bad for us should we commit them, they also set a bad example for those who observe or know of our misconduct. If others find themselves tripped up because of our bad example they too are responsible for allowing themselves to be tripped up, our bad behavior only aggravates. Those who are surrounded by wickedly sinful folk but don’t follow the path which leads to Hell are thereby all the more heroic (cf. Proverbs 5:5).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr