The Scandal of Love: Mercy Over Knowledge

1Cor 8:1b-7.11-13, Psalm: 138, Lk 6:27-38

My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

In a world obsessed with information, intelligence, and being right, the Word of God today presents us with a scandalous alternative. Saint Paul warns that knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Jesus commands us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, and to be merciful as the Father is merciful. These are not suggestions; they are the very heart of the Gospel.

In the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses a sensitive issue: eating meat sacrificed to idols. Knowledge tells us that idols are nothing, and so eating such meat is morally neutral. But Paul insists, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” The mature believer must consider the conscience of the weaker brother. If eating meat causes a brother to stumble, we should refrain. Love takes precedence over freedom. It is better to sacrifice our own comfort than to lead another into sin.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus gives us the most challenging teaching of all: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” This is the love that builds up—not a sentimental affection, but a deliberate choice of mercy. Jesus calls us to a love that does not seek retaliation, a generosity that gives without expecting return. He concludes, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Pope Francis has said, “Mercy is the beating heart of the Gospel.” Saint John Paul II, in his encyclical Dives in Misericordia, wrote, “The Church lives an authentic life when she professes and proclaims mercy.” And Saint Augustine, reflecting on the command to love enemies, said, “What seems impossible is made possible by the grace of God.”

This is the wisdom of the cross: to lay down our rights, to forgive when it is costly, to love when it is inconvenient. It is the wisdom of Saint Paul, who gave up his freedom for the sake of the weak. It is the wisdom of Christ, who loved His enemies to the point of death.

This week, let us examine our hearts. Where are we clinging to our “knowledge” at the expense of love? Where are we withholding mercy from someone we consider an enemy? Let us ask for the grace to love as Christ loves—without measure, without condition, and without end. Amen.

May God bless you all!