Sunday of Meat-fare
1 Cor. 8:8 - 9:2

A reading - from the First Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

Brothers and sisters: Now food does not bring us closer to God. We suffer no loss through failing to eat, and we gain no favor by | ea | ting.

Take care, however, lest in exercising your right you become an occasion of sin to the weak. If someone sees you, with your "knowledge," reclining at table in the temple of an idol, may not his conscience in its weak state be influenced to the point that he eats the idol-off | e | ring?

Because of your "knowledge" the weak one perishes, that brother for whom Christ died. When you sin thus against your brothers and wound their weak consciences, you are sinning ag | ainst | Christ.

Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin I will never eat meat again, so that I may not be an occasion of sin | to | him.

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our lord? And are you not my work in | the | lord?

Although I may not be an apostle for others, I certainly am one for you. You are the very seal of my apostolate in - the - Lord.