You Shall Not Covet...

Transcript of the 9th Episode of "A Shepherd's Voice"

Let us begin in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thank you for joining me again for “A Shepherd’s Voice” as we begin the ninth episode. We have been looking at the Ten Commandments, and today we are going to discuss the Ninth and Tenth Commandments. The Ninth Commandment is “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife,” and the Tenth Commandment is “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.”

In the very beginning, God placed Adam and Eve in a garden of perfect beauty where they had everything they needed. They walked with God, lived in harmony, and lacked nothing. Yet, despite this abundance, their eyes turned to the one thing they were forbidden to eat – the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Why did they reach for it? It was not out of necessity. It was not hunger. It was desire – a desire stirred by the serpent’s lie that they could have more, be more, and take what was not theirs. This is the essence of coveting. It begins in the heart, a restless longing for what belongs to another.

The Ninth and Tenth Commandments – “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife,” and “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods” remind us that sin does not start with actions but with thoughts, desires, and discontentment. Just as Eve saw the forbidden fruit and desired it, we too can be tempted to long for things that do not rightfully belong to us.

In this talk, we will explore how these commandments call us to purity, gratitude, and trust in God’s providence. By understanding how coveting distorts our hearts, we can learn to resist temptation and find peace in what God has given us, rather than longing for what He has not.

Let us start with the Ninth Commandment, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.” This commandment goes beyond just external actions and addresses the internal disposition of the heart. It calls for purity in thought and desire, guarding against lust and disordered attraction. Here are a few ways this plays out in today’s world:

First of all, this plays out in the influence of media and technology. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook bombard people with unrealistic images of relationships and beauty. This can fuel discontent in marriages, leading some to covet another’s spouse or to romanticize an ideal that does not exist.

Also, easily accessible online pornography distorts love and intimacy, fosters lust and weakens marriages. It turns people into objects of desire rather than persons made in God’s image.

Second of all, this plays out in the rise of emotional affairs. Many today engage in emotional infidelity, where deep, intimate connections are formed outside marriage – often through texting, social media, or workplace relationships. Even if there is no physical act, it still violates the spirit of the Ninth Commandment by stirring desires that should belong only within marriage.

Third, this plays out in attacks on the sanctity of marriage. The world increasingly downplays the importance of fidelity, treating marriage as disposable. Shows, movies, and books often glorify affairs, making them seem exciting rather than sinful. Cohabitation and casual relationships are treated as normal, while lifelong, sacramental marriage is considered outdated.

The Ninth Commandment is a call to interior purity. Christ said, “Whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).

The Ninth Commandment calls for purity of heart, not just avoiding sinful acts but training our desires toward holiness. This means:

• Guarding our eyes and thoughts by limiting harmful media and avoiding temptation

• Strengthening marriages by prioritizing communication and praying together

• Fostering true love by seeing others as persons and not objects of desire

In a world that normalizes lust, keeping the Ninth Commandment is countercultural. But it leads to true love, respect and peace – in our hearts, marriages, and society.

Let us look at the story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12. King David, who had been a righteous and God-fearing ruler, stayed home in Jerusalem while his army was at war. One evening, as he walked on the roof of his palace, he saw a beautiful woman bathing. This woman was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s loyal soldiers. Instead of turning away and guarding his heart, David allowed his desire to grow. He inquired about her, sent for her, and committed adultery with her.

Later, Bathsheba sent word to David that she was pregnant. This put David in a difficult situation because Uriah, her husband, had been away fighting in battle, and people would realize the child was not his. To hide what he had done, David devised a plan. He summoned Uriah home from battle, hoping he would sleep with his wife and think the child was his. But Uriah, being a faithful soldier, refused to go home while his fellow soldiers were still at war. When this plan failed, David took an even darker step. He ordered Uriah to be sent to the front lines of battle and abandoned there to be killed. After Uriah died, David married Bathsheba, thinking he had covered up his sin.

The prophet Nathan confronted David with a parable: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had many sheep, but the poor man had only one little lamb that he loved dearly. One day, the rich man took the poor man’s lamb and killed it to feed a guest.”

David, angered by this injustice, declared, “That man deserves to die!” Nathan replied, “You are the man!” He revealed that David had stolen another man’s wife and committed murder to cover it up. Because of his sin, Nathan told David that the sword would never depart from his house (meaning his family would suffer conflict), and that the child conceived in sin would die as a consequence of David’s actions.

Realizing the gravity of his sin, David repented sincerely. He wrote Psalm 51, a prayer of deep sorrow and a plea for God’s mercy: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my iniquity” (Psalm 51:1). Although God forgave David, he still suffered the consequences of his sin. His family experienced turmoil, and his later years were filled with sorrow.

David’s lustful gaze led him down a path of adultery, deceit, and murder. This illustrates the truth of Matthew 5:28: “Whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” David’s initial sin of coveting his neighbor’s wife led him to commit adultery, deception, and even murder to cover it up. David tried to hide his sin, but nothing is hidden from God. David was forgiven, but he still faced earthly suffering because of his actions.

This story is a powerful reminder of why the Ninth Commandment matters. It teaches us to guard our thoughts and desires before they lead to sinful actions.

In I Thessalonians 4:3-5, we read, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from fornication; that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not God.” St. Paul urges believers to control their desires and to treat others with dignity, rather than acting on sinful passions.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2514, we read, “St. John distinguishes three kinds of covetousness or concupiscence: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life. In the Church’s moral tradition, the Ninth Commandment forbids carnal concupiscence; it enjoins purity of heart.” This shows how coveting a neighbor’s spouse falls under concupiscence (disordered desire), which we must resist.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2520, we read, “Baptism confers on its recipient the grace of purification from all sins. But the baptized must continue to struggle against the concupiscence of the flesh and disordered desires. With God’s grace, he will prevail –

• By the virtue and gift of chastity, which lets us love with upright and undivided heart;

• By purity of intention, which consists in seeking the true end of man: with a simple eye, the baptized person seeks to find and to fulfill God’s will in everything;

• By purity of vision, external and internal; by discipline of feelings and imagination;

• By prayer.”

The Ninth Commandment is especially relevant in today’s world, where we are bombarded with temptations. However, God’s grace is sufficient to help us live in purity. By guarding our hearts, practicing chastity and deepening our prayer life, we can overcome sinful desires and grow in holiness.

I must point out that there are certainly troubling trends within the Church today that relate to violations of the Ninth Commandment. Modernism, a major problem in the Church since at least the early 20^th century, has weakened moral teaching, leading to a relaxation of discipline on issues of chastity, purity, and marriage.

For decades, the Church consistently upheld its teachings on marriage, chastity, and purity. However, in recent years there have been confusing signals and ambiguities that have led to violations of the Ninth Commandment.

Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, in 2016 suggested that divorced and remarried couples (who are in adulterous unions) could, in some cases, receive Holy Communion. This undermines Christ’s teaching that “whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery” (Luke 16:18). The failure to clearly uphold the sanctity of marriage encourages moral laxity.

Fiducia Supplicans, a declaration issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) in 2023 indicated that the Vatican now approves blessings for same-sex couples, despite Catholic teaching that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered (CCC 2357). This creates confusion about purity and chastity, blurring the lines between sin and virtue.

Also, the sexual abuse crisis, which exploded into public view in the early 2000’s and again in 2018 with the McCarrick scandal, is a direct violation of the Ninth Commandment. Many clergy, instead of upholding purity, fell into grave sins of lust and preyed upon the innocent. Pope Francis refused to answer the accusations in the Vigano testimony, which alleged that he protected and promoted figures like McCarrick, despite knowing of his immoral behavior.

In the past, the Church promoted modest dress, purity, and chastity, but today, in many parishes, there is little to no teaching on these issues. The acceptance of immodesty (even in church) and a lack of concern for purity in thought and deed weakens the spiritual life of Catholics.

The Synod on Synodality has emphasized “listening” and “inclusion” at the expense of moral clarity. There are forces within the Church pushing to change moral teachings on issues related to the Ninth Commandment, particularly regarding:

• The acceptance of irregular unions (divorced and remarried, cohabiting couples).

• Greater acceptance of LGBTQ lifestyles, despite Catholic teaching on chastity.

While the Church cannot change divine law, the ambiguity and lack of strong leadership have led many to believe that impurity and lust are no longer serious sins. The Church is in a time of crisis where confusion reigns and many moral teachings are being undermined. But the truth does not change – the Ninth Commandment is still in effect, and the faithful must resist the modernist errors that downplay purity, chastity, and the sanctity of marriage.

Now let us turn our attention to the Tenth Commandment: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.” This commandment deals with disordered desires for material possessions. It goes beyond just stealing (which the Seventh Commandment forbids) and focuses on the interior attitude of the heart – specifically, the sins of envy and greed.

To covet means to have an inordinate desire for something that belongs to another. It does not mean simply wanting nice things – desiring to improve one’s life or to work hard for something is not sinful. But when desire turns into resentment, greed, or obsession, it becomes sinful.

The Tenth Commandment warns against the dangers of materialism and envy, which are rampant in the modern world. Envy is sorrow at another’s good fortune, leading to resentment or even a desire to see them lose what they have. For example, a person sees their neighbor succeed financially and instead of being happy for them, they feel bitterness and wish harm upon them.

Today’s society constantly pushes people to desire more – better cars, bigger houses, more expensive clothes – leading to discontent and greed. For example, someone may become obsessed with keeping up with the latest trends, leading to financial irresponsibility, debt, or even dishonesty to acquire wealth.

Some political ideologies stir envy by encouraging people to resent the wealthy, rather than work toward their own success. The Church teaches that private property is a right, but that wealth must be used justly (CCC 2401-2402).

Coveting often comes from not trusting that God will provide for our needs. Instead of being grateful for what we have, we fixate on what we do not have. For example, the Israelites in the desert constantly complained and coveted the comfort of Egypt, despite God providing for them.

In Luke 12:15, we read: “Take heed and beware of all covetousness: for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of things which he possesseth.” Jesus warns that true happiness is not found in wealth.

In Matthew 6:19-21 we read: “Lay not up to ourselves treasure on earth… But lay up to yourselves treasures in Heaven … For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.” Jesus calls us to seek eternal riches rather than earthly wealth.

As far as ways to overcome covetousness, we should:

• Practice gratitude by focusing on what we have, not what we lack.

• Be generous by giving to others, knowing that everything we have is from God.

• Trust in Divine Providence by believing that God will provide what we truly need.

• Detach from material things by using wealth for good, but not letting it control us.

The Tenth Commandment which warns against coveting other’s goods is directly related to many modern issues both in society and within the Church.

Today many political movements encourage envy by stirring resentment toward the wealthy or those who are successful. Socialism and communism promote the idea that the rich must be punished and wealth forcibly redistributed which contradicts Catholic teaching on private property (CCC 2401).

Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum in 1891 condemned socialism saying that it “violates the rights of lawful owners” and “creates discord” between social classes.

Instead of coveting what others have, Catholic social teaching emphasizes charity and justice, where the rich are called to give freely and the poor are called to work diligently.

The Vatican’s financial scandals, including the misuse of funds from Peter’s Pence, reveal greed and corruption within the hierarchy. Money meant for charity was used for luxurious investments (such as a London real estate deal) instead of helping the poor. Also, clerical greed has led to scandals where Church leaders amass wealth while neglecting the spiritual and sacramental needs of the faithful. When Church leaders become worldly, they lose sight of their mission. Instead of storing treasures in heaven, some seek power and luxury, betraying the Gospel message.

Furthermore, modernists in the Church often reduce Christianity to a political movement focused only on social justice, economics, and environmentalism. Pope Francis and many bishops talk constantly about poverty, migrants, and climate change, but rarely about sin, salvation, and eternal life. While Catholics must help the poor, the Church’s primary mission is the salvation of souls – not economic activism. The modernist Church encourages envy-based activism instead of personal virtue and detachment from wealth. True Christian poverty is voluntary detachment, not government-enforced redistribution.

There is truly a spirit of materialism and consumerism in the world today. Modern society promotes constant dissatisfaction – advertising fuels greed, envy, and covetousness by making people desire more than they need. Even many Churches today focus on worldly success – mega-churches preach the prosperity gospel, and even some Catholic parishes emphasize wealth and comfort rather than penance and sacrifice.

Covetousness leads to a culture of excess, where people idolize wealth instead of using it responsibly. Instead of focusing on humility and generosity, modernism promotes self-indulgence and entitlement.

The Tenth Commandment warns us against desiring what belongs to others, whether through greed, envy, or resentment. Modernism twists Catholic teaching by promoting class warfare, financial corruption, and a materialistic focus instead of spiritual detachment. The solution is to follow Christ’s example by:

• Rejecting envy and greed

• Practicing charity and generosity freely; and

• Focusing on spiritual riches rather than material wealth

As we have seen, the Ninth and Tenth Commandments are not just about external actions but about the desires of the heart. They call us to purity, self-control, gratitude, and trust in God’s providence, rather than being consumed by lust, envy, or greed.

In summary, we see clearly in today’s world – and even within the Church – that these two commandments are often ignored, distorted, or undermined. Modern society encourages impurity, materialism, and discontent, leading many to seek fulfillment in pleasure or possessions rather than in God. Even within the Church, modernism has weakened moral teachings, creating confusion about purity, chastity, and detachment from worldly goods. But as Catholics, we are called to be in the world but not of the world. We must reject the lies of modern culture and instead live with purity of heart and trust in God’s plan. This means:

• Guarding our hearts and minds against impurity, resisting temptations to lust and immodesty.

• Rejecting envy and materialism, finding joy in what we have, rather than coveting what others possess.

• Focusing on eternal treasures rather than earthly ones, knowing that only God can satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts.

Christ Himself gave us the remedy to these sins:

• Through prayer, fasting, and the sacraments, we can grow in purity and detachment.

• Through charity and generosity, we can overcome greed and envy.

• Through humility and trust, we can find true contentment in God’s Will.

Let us remember the words of St. John Vianney who warned: “A pure soul is like a fine pearl. As long as it is hidden in a shell at the bottom of the sea, no one thinks of admiring it. But if you bring it into the sunlight, it shines with a beauty that attracts all eyes. So it is with the pure soul, which is hidden from the eyes of the world, but which will one day shine before the angels in the glory of eternity.”

May we strive for purity of heart and detachment from earthly things, so that one day, we too may shine in the presence of God for all eternity.

And may we ask Our Lady, the model of purity and humility, to help us reject the spirit of the world and embrace the spirit of Christ.

Thank you for joining me for “A Shepherd’s Voice” once again. Let me conclude our reflection today – In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.