Why does Jesus speak so strongly about adultery?

Good News ReflectionFriday of the 10th Week in Ordinary TimeJune 12, 2009
Today's Readings:2 Cor 4:7-15Ps 116:10-18Matt 5:27-32http://www.usccb.org/nab/061209.shtmlAudio: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_06_12.mp3
Why does Jesus speak so strongly about adultery?
Today's Gospel reading contains a really tough message: Anything in your life that plays upon your vulnerabilities and contributes to sin should be gotten rid of, cut off, tossed away, ended, stopped, with no room for "Well maybe this time it's okay."
Attached to this message, like a top priority and a bottom line, is a warning about adultery. If we even just look at someone with lust, we commit adultery. If we have a valid marriage but divorce and remarry, we commit adultery (which is why the Church requires people to first prove it was not valid before allowing remarriage).
Whatever contributes to adultery should be cut off, tossed away, ended, stopped, with no room for "Well ...."
Why is adultery so hugely significant as a sin? Why does Jesus speak so strongly about it? Why does he attach it to this particular teaching? Because relationships are the most important part of life. We can't get to heaven without them!
The Father wants to — really really longingly wants to — spend eternity in wonderful relationships with his children. Jesus cared to the point of enduring a painful death to secure our future in heaven. The Holy Spirit works to make sure we have a good relationship with him here and now and forever more. And Jesus made it clear that the road to heaven is paved with love for one another.
Lust destroys relationships. When people are in lust (instead of in love), their relationship with God is ignored or — worse — broken. When one person inflicts his/her lust upon another, a wounded victim emerges.
We still remember all too well the scandal of representatives of Christ violating children with their lust, and we rightfully mourn because Christ himself has been violated by such terrible representation. But no less adulterous is lust toward an adult. It's not illegal, and perhaps that's why Church officials often ignore this sin in the priesthood. After all, we live in a world where lust between consenting adults is considered "just" a human expression of love and an important physical need; it's dismissed as normal and even as healthy! No one's a victim, it seems, and therefore, why bother making a fuss about it, especially when there's a decreasing number of priests to handle the growing number of Catholics.
And yet, there IS a victim. The priest's bride is his parish, and lust is adultery against her. More than that, again, lust is a violation of the image of Christ. It destroys the message of God's fidelity. Lust in any form toward anyone is anti-evangelization.
We're earthen vessels, as it says in today's first reading, vulnerable to sin, belonging too much to the world, easily cracked. Nonetheless, we hold an important treasure within: God. With the help of God's holy Spirit, we can conquer our sinful desires and develop a pure love for God and empower a faithful, holy witness of love for others that helps more people embrace the pure love of Christ and reach heaven.
© 2009 by Terry A. ModicaFor PERMISSION to copy any of my reflections, go to:http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm
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