The Gospel for the memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, priest and doctor of the church, is taken from Matthew 5:27 32. Jesus said to his disciples, 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.

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. This is one of those passages that talk about the difference between the law and being one who follows the law, or being someone who has the integrity of the law within their heart. And they don’t have to worry about what the rules are, but they just simply know what they need to do.

They understand it. That’s the heart of this passage. I believe. If you have integrity, if you have the spirit in you animating you, you will do the right thing. Please reflect on these words and at the end of the music, I will close with a prayer. Foreign closing prayer.

Father, we tend to lean upon our logic or our own capacity to make ourselves do what we’re supposed to do. And that’s not in any way, shape or form what God has established as his kingdom. We’re transformed people. We’re different. We are awakened to a reality that is now the heart of who we are. Bless us with this gift, and we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.