POPE FRANCIS - CATECHESIS ON THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Dear brothers and sisters: In our continuing catechesis on the Ten Commandments, we now turn to the sixth commandment: “You shall not commit adultery”.  The commandment, while inculcating marital fidelity, also speaks to the need for fidelity in every aspect of our affective lives.  Fidelity is the sign of a free, mature and responsible relationship which rejects selfishness and is marked by the generous gift of self.  Every heart longs for love, and all authentic love is a reflection of God’s eternal love.  Our vocation to love demands that we grow in the self-knowledge born of mastering our impulses and relating to others with honesty and integrity.  This is particularly true of the vocation to conjugal love, as a special participation in Christ’s undying love for the Church.  The promise of fidelity which spouses make to one another on the day of their marriage is the expression of their commitment to purify their hearts daily of all infidelity and untruth, and to grow in faithful and constant union with one another and with the Lord.