Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! There are nine (9) “In Brief” articles in the Catechism of the Catholic Church addressing the Sixth Commandment of the Decalogue, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ The following is a reflection on CCC 2393.
When Mother Church considers the Sixth Commandment, ‘You shall not commit adultery’ she encounters much opposition. While the world denies that there is any such thing as sin, let alone sexual sins, the Lord Jesus has come to save us from all our sins, including sins against chastity. The Lord Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit as advocate and helper, to convict us of our sins that we might repent and have life (cf. John 10:10; 14:16; 16:8;). All of the Commandments of God address our human nature and our response to God. Two errors prevalent in our day are challenged here, namely gender ideology and machismo.
While “gender ideology” seems prevalent, given the treatment in the news and television (think of the treatment of “gay marriage”, Ellen DeGeneres, Glee…), Mother Church reminds us that God has made us male and female, not bisexual, not transgender… The hermaphrodite condition is rare in humans (cf. Gilbert, Scott F. Developmental Biology (tenth edition), Sunderland, MA: Sinauer, 2013). Boys are boys, girls are girls, men are men and women are women. Each human being is to recognize and accept their sexual identity and act accordingly. In light of the Sixth Commandment we are reminded that sexual intercourse is the exclusive right of a husband and wife united in holy Marriage. Any other sexual gratification, alone or with others, is contrary to the virtue of chastity and is vicious. Heterosexual promiscuity is no less sinful than other forms of deviancy.
The Lord God Almighty has made each of us in the Divine Image, primarily due to that spiritual part of our nature, namely our soul. Each human person, male and female, have an equal share in human dignity based on the image of God in us. The “machismo” culture, prevalent in many parts of the world would have the woman be beautiful (not a sin), cook (not a sin), clean house (not a sin) and make babies (again not a sin when realized in modo humano (in a human manner) without petri dish or other interventions beyond the husband and wife and their nuptial union). But the “machismo” attitude stops there and continues with a certain attitude of domestic slavery. I had always been taught that ladies were the better half of the race, due especially to the role they play as wives and mothers in bringing us to birth. The “Nuptial Blessing” given by Mother Church to the bride and groom at their wedding asks God’s assistance for the husband to recognize the dignity of his bride and that she is his equal and a co – heir to the life of grace. May God’s grace be at work in all of us to keep all of His Commandments.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr