[17] For the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Spirit; [18] whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by others. [19] Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another. [20] For the sake of food, do not destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to become a stumbling block by eating; [21] it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
(CCC 1800) A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience. (CCC 1789) Some rules apply in every case: - One may never do evil so that good may result from it; - the Golden Rule: "Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them" (Mt 7:12; cf. Lk 6:31; Tob 4:15) - charity always proceeds by way of respect for one's neighbor and his conscience: "Thus sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience… you sin against Christ" (1 Cor 8:12). Therefore "it is right not to… do anything that makes your brother stumble" (Rom 14:21). (CCC 2819) "The kingdom of God [is] righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom 14:17). The end-time in which we live is the age of the outpouring of the Spirit. Ever since Pentecost, a decisive battle has been joined between "the flesh" and the Spirit (Cf. Gal 5:16-25). Only a pure soul can boldly say: "Thy kingdom come." One who has heard Paul say, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies," and has purified himself in action, thought, and word will say to God: "Thy kingdom come!" (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catech. myst. 5, 13: PG 33, 1120A; cf. Rom 6:12).
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