“EVERYONE WHO LOOKS AT A WOMAN WITH LUST HAS ALREADY COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH HER IN HIS HEART.” MT 5:27-32
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
Jesus teaches us the second part of discipleship is having a pure heart and being loyal in relationships. First, Jesus said it is sinful to look at a woman with lust. This is a difficult teaching for us. It is not sinful if we look at a beautiful person and thank God for making such a beautiful person. Wow, I suck at this really bad! We are seeing in our culture today how people are not following this teaching.
The pornography industry is a multi-billion dollar business in our country. They are putting free porn out so young kids can get addicted to it early on and then become paying subscribers later on in their lives. The reason for divorce in many cases is pornography. This fantasy world and the abuse that takes place with the people involved in pornography is hurting God, themselves, and others.
It is warping the reality of true love and leading a lot of people to misery. It is important if we get caught up in this sin which is very easy to do, too fast, go to confession regularly, and desire holiness. Cut off ourselves from the computer, phone, or any other device that leads us to it. Get a filter. Fast. Find something healthy to do with your time. Live in reality with other people. Say a Hail Mary or several until the desire passes.
This is such a strong desire because it leads us to marriage and children. The marital act is the most sacred holy intimate act in which two people totally and completely give themselves to one another. It mirrors the Trinity because the result of the Father and Son’s love is the Holy Spirit. The result of a man and woman’s love for each other can result in a child or it creates a strong bond with each other.
We must pray, God’s grace is more powerful than sin and can conquer anything. Ask Mary to intercede for you, she will always bring her children to Jesus. Most importantly, we need to learn about how to deal with addiction and get counseling. It is difficult because it is such a shameful sin to get caught up in.
Read Theology of the Body by St. John Paul II and learn about the beauty of the body and what true love is. Education and changing the way you think is key to stopping the cycle of addiction. Pray for others who may be struggling with this sin. Pray for those who are treating their bodies like objects instead of what God created them for. Sin is easy and opening ourselves up to God’s graces to be holy is hard!
Avoid what is leading you to the temptation to view impure things. You may need to change where you go and develop new habits that are healthy. Once again it is all about love and relationships. Jesus loves you very much and He wants what is best for you. The sin of lust is like playing with fire and is very difficult to resist. God can conquer it, come to Him.
Second, Jesus teaches divorce is wrong. A life long commitment joined by God in vows said by a man and a woman cannot be divided by us because we want a divorce. When we don’t take this teaching serious it hurts a lot of people. As a teacher, I see the effects of divorce on children.
They are changed forever and need counseling. It is difficult for a child to understand why mom and dad do not love each other anymore. It goes against what they know is right and eats at them. As a child of divorce, it is important that you forgive your mom and dad. If you do not, it will eat at you forever.
Last, God does not want us to stay in an abusive relationship verbal or physical. It is not sinful to separate or seek an annulment because the “marriage was not lawful”, if abuse is taking place and a couple have worked on this situation with counseling and talking to priests.
“In temptations against chastity, the spiritual masters advise us, not so much to contend with the bad thought, as to turn the mind to some spiritual, or, at least, indifferent object. It is useful to combat other bad thoughts face to face, but not thoughts of impurity.”
— Saint Alphonsus Liguori
“Lust indulged became habit, and habit unresisted became necessity.”
— Saint Augustine
“More souls go to hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason.”
— Our Lady of Fatima
“A pure soul is like a fine pearl. As long as it is hidden in the shell, at the bottom of the sea, no one thinks of admiring it. But if you bring it into the sunshine, this pearl will shine and attract all eyes. Thus the pure soul, which is hidden from the eyes of the world, will one day shine before the Angels in the sunshine of eternity.”
— Saint John Vianney
“The pure soul is a beautiful rose, and the Three Divine Persons descend from Heaven to inhale its fragrance.”
— Saint John Vianney
Today’s challenge: Today is Friday. It is a day of fasting in the Catholic Church which is required, not optional. In light of the 1st reading and Gospel today, fast from saying anything impure, dress modestly, change your thoughts if you have an impure one to a spiritual one, and pray in the quietest place of your home or go to church and block all thoughts for 30 minutes allowing God to speak to you from your heart.
Be a servant, be a saint today!
#Christian YOLO
Mr. Dappermint
I think this is a great scripture reflection and a great reminder to keep our soul’s pure. We will always mess up but it’s a great reminder to never give up and to keep trying. It is also a great reminder that God is more important than anything else.