Knowledge and Charity: The Balance in Christian Love. Homily, 10th September

Saint Paul begins with a sentence which should make every clever person slightly nervous:

“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

He is not attacking knowledge. The faith must be known. Truth matters. Error matters.

The problem is what knowledge can do to pride.

The Corinthians know that an idol is nothing and that there is only one true God. In itself, meat offered to an idol has no spiritual power over them.

They are correct.

But Saint Paul tells them that being correct is not enough.

Some Christians have only recently escaped pagan worship. Their consciences are still weak. If they see another Christian eating food connected with an idol, they may be drawn back towards the very worship from which Christ has rescued them.

So Paul says, in effect: you may have the right answer, but if the way you use your freedom damages another soul, you have failed in charity.

That is a very important Catholic principle.

Charity never requires us to pretend that falsehood is true. But truth must be used for the good of souls.

Our Lord takes that much further in the Gospel.

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you.”

That is impossible if love simply means affection.

Christ is commanding something deeper: to will the true good even of someone who has wronged us.

That does not mean calling evil good.

It does not mean refusing justice.

It does not mean allowing another person to continue doing harm.

It means that even when we must oppose what someone does, we must never desire their damnation.

The Christian wants even an enemy to repent, receive grace, and reach Heaven.

That is how God has loved us.

“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

God’s mercy does not deny our sins.

He sees them more clearly than we do.

But He acts to save the sinner.

That is the pattern for us.

We can be right and still be proud.

We can defend the truth and still enjoy humiliating someone.

We can insist upon our rights and forget that there is an immortal soul in front of us.

Saint Paul asks: will your knowledge build up your neighbour?

Christ asks something even harder: can your charity reach even the person who does not deserve it?

That is supernatural love.

Not softness.

Not indifference.

Truth without pride.

Justice without hatred.

Mercy without pretending sin does not matter.

And that is how Christ Himself has dealt with us.