Committed adultery with her in his heart

Gospel: Mt 5:27-32 ESUS

Jsaid 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.”

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Jesus criticizes further the mechanical manner of the Jews in observing the law. Here, he tries to recover its original spirit by making a critique on the law against adultery and divorce. He proposes a lofty moral ideal, albeit not an impossible one.

Jesus wants to root out all evil from our hearts so we can experience freedom as children of his heavenly Father. He warns us against giving free rein to our innermost drives to sin since this can lead us to moral ruin and can bring catastrophic harm to ourselves and to others.

It is not enough that married people avoid committing adultery, Jesus points out. It is also necessary that we guard our hearts and avoid harboring lustful thoughts. Infidelity in the heart violates the marriage vow as surely as physical infidelity.

Jesus revokes the right of a man to marry more than one woman. He defends the right of women who have fallen victims in a patriarchal world where women play a secondary role. Jesus restores the original world in which man and woman are equal.

Lord, help us to live with pure hearts. Unleash the power of the Holy Spirit in us, so we can follow you with courage and strength.

* * * SOURCE: “365 Days with the

Lord,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.