Gospel: Matthew 5:17-37
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least
of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the
kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be
called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of
heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife - unless the marriage is unlawful - causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”
When we look at people who succeed in life, we often see the visible results. But long before success becomes visible, the seeds of perseverance, discipline, hope, and purpose were already planted in their hearts and minds. In the same way, when we drift toward sin, it rarely happens suddenly.
It often begins when we allow wrong thoughts to linger within us. When we keep entertaining these thoughts, they slowly take root in our hearts. If left unchecked, they can eventually lead us to actions that are immoral, harmful, or even destructive.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus warns us not only about the act of killing but also about the anger that grows within us. He reminds us that whoever is angry with a brother or sister will be liable to judgment. This shows us that sin often begins long before the outward action. It begins quietly, in the hidden places of our hearts and minds.
Anger itself is not always sinful. There are moments when righteous anger is justified, especially when it is directed toward injustice or wrongdoing. But when our anger is rooted in pride, wounded ego, or selfishness, it can easily lead us toward actions and words that hurt others and damage relationships. When we begin to think too highly of ourselves, we may become easily offended, resistant to correction, and quick to judge others. Instead of building unity, we create division.
Jesus also warns us about adultery, reminding us that unfaithfulness often begins with what we allow our eyes to see and our minds to dwell on. In our world today, temptations are everywhere. It can be easy for anyone to be drawn into emotional or physical unfaithfulness.
But Jesus teaches us that sin often begins with a single thought, a single glance, or a single moment of entertaining what we know is not right. If we are not careful, these small beginnings can grow into choices that hurt not only ourselves but also the people we love.
There may be moments when temptation seems strong or appealing. But we must remember that every temptation carries consequences. When we face temptation, we are called to confront it with courage and then choose to turn away from it. When we stand firm, temptation begins to lose its power over us, because it recognizes that our hearts are anchored in what is good, true, and holy.
There is always a price to pay when we give in to sin. Sometimes we experience the consequences here in our earthly life. Other times, we may not fully realize them until we stand before God. Our earthly journey is temporary, but the choices we make carry eternal weight.
That is why we are called to listen deeply to the voice of Jesus in the Gospel. His words are not meant to burden us, but to guide us, protect us, and lead us toward true life, true freedom, and true peace.
Let us examine what we are allowing to grow in our hearts and minds. Are we planting seeds of love, humility, faithfulness, and mercy? Or are we allowing seeds of anger, pride, lust, and selfishness to take root within us?
What are we nurturing in the deepest
places of our hearts today—and is it leading us closer to God, or slowly
drawing us away from Him?— Marino J. Dasmarinas
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