The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-07-15
SCANDAL.

The soul is the nobler part OF
man, consequently, when God said,
Thou shalt not KILL" He meant that
we should be extremely careful to
avoid everything that may cause
iuries our own souls it is a kind of
suicide, but when it has power to in
fluence others into sin it has the
added malice of spiritual murder and
is called scandal Woe to the world
said our divine Lord, because of it's
scandals. 1t were better that mill
stone be tied about a mans neck and
that he be plunged into the depths of
the sea than that he should live to
scandalize one of the souls for which
shed My blood
To incur the dreadful guilt of scan
dial it is enough to realize that our
conduct has power to influence an
other to SIM 1t is not necessary that
our attitude be wicked in itself but
if we persist in it after we know it
| is likely to injure another's soul, we
have sinned by scandal. 1t may even
result in the fall of another, yet we
must pay the penalty of scandal just
the same for we knowingly risked an
outrage against our Maker and that
is consent. Thus scandal is a moral
offense if we foresee that our example
| is likely to cause another to commit
| grievous sin.
A sad fact about scandal is that it
generally harms the souls of those
whom we love best on earth. The
young and innocent are upon their
guard against strangers, but they
share the human instinct to initiate
those they trust Moreover they are
commanded by the law of God to
honor their superiors, consequently
it is evident that those in positions
of authority should guard scrupulously
| over their conduct. From this we see
that it is always a grievous scandal
for mother to miss Mass or father
to be seen intoxicated by his children.
| Again, a child who willfully causes
| his parents to fly into anger commits
scandal The girl who dresses lewd-
ly and the author of vicious book
are also guilty of the sins they oc-
casion in others. An anarchist who
ly wish to destroy property, but if
he foresees that the occupants will
| be killed, he is responsible for their
blood. In like manner the vain girl
may dress wantonly to attract atten-
tion and the author may write sin
fully to earn money, but they are
guilty of as much injury as they
foresee their deprayed influence has
power to accomplish.
And who can measure the hor-
rible effects of scandal? Just as
single stone that rolls down the
mountain may precipitate an ava
lanche so an imprudent act may
loosen the morals of millions and for
ever draw immortal souls into the
endless fires of hell,-souls which our
Saviour loved even unto a death upon
| the cross. 1t is not difficult to under
stand then why He cried out in sor-
row, Woe to the world because of
its scandals. 1t were better than a
man never be born than to grow up
and scandalize one of My precious
souls"
II we have given scandal, we are
bound to do all in our power to re-
pair the injury We may do this by
offering Masses and prayers for the
outrages and we can lead them back
to justice by allowing the light of
grace to radiate from our every act.
Good example is as powerful for
virtue as scandal is for vice and thus
we can bind the wounds our sins have
inflicted upon the Crucified, for Christ
said, ''Inasmuch as you do anything to
help the least of My children, you do
it unto Me-"
Fear not those who can harm your
holy but beware of them that have
power to cast your soul into hell for
What will it profit if you gain the
whole world and suffer the loss of
your everlasting soul?" There is but
one way to escape the eternal punish.
ments that accompany scandal and
that is ito avoid evil and do good"