Catholic Homilies By Fr Linus Clovis

To say we are living in evil days is an understatement. For these are the days of great confusion not only in the world but also in the Church, especially in regard to the question of marriage. From the passage we have heard, this is at the very beginning of Our Lord’s ministry. It’s the mount of beatitudes. He has already delivered the 8 beatitudes, one of which is Blessed of the pure of heart for they shall see God. He expands on each one of the beatitudes, He develops it. And He develops in the Gospel passage we heard the beatitude that talks about purity of heart. He begins with the commandment given by Moses. ‘You have learnt how it is said, you must not commit adultery.’ That certainly is in the commandment, but also there is another commandment, the ninth, ‘Thou shall not covert thy neighbour’s wife.’ The law, human law can only regulate external actions. Divine law regulates internal dispositions, because what Our Lord is doing is building up the new man, so He is in fact rooting out the very cause