In his heart

The Gospel highlights the Matthean teaching on adultery as part of the teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus has reminded His disciples of the commandment in the Old Testament concerning adultery (cf Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18). Adultery is wrong, prohibited by the commandment. Jesus reaffirms the value of the law by rooting out the reason why people fall into adultery despite the clarity of the commandment. Jesus points to evil desires, such as lust, that people tend to harbor in their hearts and lead them to evil acts.

Jesus challenges His listeners to take away whatever brings them to sin (cf Mk 9:43-48). The causes of sins must be rooted out and discarded because these evil desires leading people to sin are what make them incomplete.

Do we want to experience the completeness that only God can provide? Are we aware that when we begin entertaining evil desires, we become spiritually blind and crippled? Do we pray to God to cleanse our hearts?

Gospel • MATTHEW 5:27-32

Jesus said to His disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

“It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

SOURCE: “366 Days with the Lord 2020,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: publishing@ stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.