1 Corinthians 5
When you heard the first reading today, you might have wanted to check what you just heard. St Paul tells the Corinthian community “to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.” To hand a man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh?
According to St Paul’s letter, this man lives with his father’s wife. Probably his father’s concubine. And the Roman law at that time prohibited this kind of relationship. This is why St Paul laments that this kind of sexual immorality is not found even among pagans. Now, we can presume that this man did not want to denounce this immoral relationship or to change his life, as we read in the letter, “Your boasting is not a good thing.”
Then, what was the meaning of St Paul’s resolution or recommendation to hand the man over to Satan?
When a man does not repent his sin and becomes obstinate in sin, particularly in sins publicly known, St Paul urges the community to remove him from the community as we heard in today’s reading. In other words, an unrepentant notorious sinner should not be allowed to participate in the sacraments, particularly in Communion. This is a kind of excommunication. Removed from the faithful and now in the secular world, this person, in his obstinacy, will be governed by the rule of the world, which is in the hand of Satan. This is what it means “to hand this man over to Satan.”
However, this excommunication is not only punitive but also remedial. We read, “for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” This person will suffer the deprivation of the sacraments, which means no sanctification of his flesh through the grace of the sacraments. This deprivation and his wretched state may awake him from his pride and lead into repentance so that his soul may be saved at the judgment. St Paul hopes that excommunication may become a remedy for this man’s soul as a bitter pill.
We all know punishments can be medicinal. Sometimes a punishment is the only effective means for correction. Let us remember the Lord punishes those whom he loves, as loving parents do not save corrections to their children.
