Jesus clearly said that the law of God didn’t just ask for pureness on the outside,

but also pureness in the soul.

God doesn’t just abhor sin on the outside, but even more so sin inside our hearts.

Jesus is making it clear again and again, that’s it not just the action that is sinful, but the thought also.

We must be careful about what we look at and what we think about. Lust will destroy us,

as will other sinful thoughts, as those sins will lead to even greater sins.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

1 Kings 19:9a, 11-16

On reaching the place,

He came to the cave and stayed in it. Then Yahweh said, "Go up and stand on the mount, waiting for Yahweh." And Yahweh passed by.

There was first a windstorm, wild wind which rent the mountains and broke the rocks into pieces before Yahweh, but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the storm, an earthquake, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire; after the fire, the murmur of a gentle breeze. When Elijah perceived it, he covered his face with his cloak, went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

 

Then he heard a voice addressing him again, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He answered, "I am burning with jealous love for Yahweh, the God of Hosts, because the Israelites have forsaken your Covenant, thrown down your altars and slain your prophets with the sword. No one is left but myself, yet they still seek my life to take it away."

 

Yahweh said to him, "Take the road back through the desert and go to Damascus, for you must anoint Hazael as king of Syria. You shall also anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king over Israel. And Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abel Meholah, you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

 

Ps 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14 I long to see your face, O Lord.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Matthew 5:27-32

You have heard that it was said: Do not commit adultery. But I tell you this: anyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent, has already committed 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.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

Reflection:

"Relationship with God."

Today's Gospel appears to emphasize 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 to 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.