adultery with her in his heart. So, if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and
throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body, than to have your whole
body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is
better for you to lose a part of your body, than to have your whole body thrown into hell.
It was also said: Anyone who divorces his wife, must give her a written notice of divorce.
But what I tell you is this: if a man divorces his wife, except in the case of unlawful union,
he causes her to commit adultery. And the man who marries a divorced woman commits
adultery.

Relfect

“Relationship with God.” Today’s Gospel appears to emphasize the Jesus’ teaching
on adultery found in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus taught the people by reminding
them of the Old Testament commandment concerning adultery (cf. Ex. 20:14; Dt. 5:18).
Clearly, adultery is wrong. It is prohibited by God’s commandment. Reaffirming
the value of the Law, Jesus also traced back the reason why people would fall into
the sin of adultery despite the clarity of the commandment. Jesus accentuated that the
root of evil actions are the evil desires like lust, which people allow to reside in their hearts.
The Gospel also challenges us to take away ourselves from whatever causes us to sin
(cf. Mk. 9:43-48). Whatever causes us to sin needs be rooted out and be thrown away
because these evil desires that occasion us to commit evil actions are what truly make us
less of a human person. As Christians, we can only be made complete by our relationship
with God. Only in keeping this kind of relationship with God can our hearts be made pure.
When we allow God to reside in our hearts, causes of sin will surely be rooted out.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2024