Catechism of the Catholic Church · Part Three › Section Two › Chapter Two · Article 9 (§§2514–2533)
Paragraphs · 20
The Catechism's text is under copyright, so each paragraph is quoted briefly here with a link to the full text at vatican.va.
The Ninth Commandment
- §2514 — St. John distinguishes three kinds of covetousness or concupiscence: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life. In the Catholic catechetical tradition, the ninth commandment forbids carnal concupiscence; the tenth forbids coveting another's goods.vatican.va
- §2515 — Etymologically, "concupiscence" can refer to any intense form of human desire. Christian theology has given it a particular meaning: the movement of the sensitive appetite contrary to the operation of the human reason.vatican.va
- §2516 — Because man is a composite being, spirit and body, there already exists a certain tension in him; a certain struggle of tendencies between "spirit" and "flesh" develops.vatican.va
I. Purification of the Heart
- §2517 — The heart is the seat of moral personality: "Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication...." The struggle against carnal covetousness entails purifying the heart and practicing temperance:vatican.va
- §2518 — The sixth beatitude proclaims, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." "Pure in heart" refers to those who have attuned their intellects and wills to the demands of God's holiness, chiefly in three areas: charity; chastity or sexual rectitude; love of truth and orthodoxy of faith.vatican.va
- §2519 — The "pure in heart" are promised that they will see God face to face and be like him. Purity of heart is the precondition of the vision of God.vatican.va
II. The Battle for Purity
- §2520 — Baptism confers on its recipient the grace of purification from all sins. But the baptized must continue to struggle against concupiscence of the flesh and disordered desires.vatican.va
- §2521 — Purity requires modesty, an integral part of temperance. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden.vatican.va
- §2522 — Modesty protects the mystery of persons and their love. It encourages patience and moderation in loving relationships; it requires that the conditions for the definitive giving and commitment of man and woman to one another be fulfilled.vatican.va
- §2523 — There is a modesty of the feelings as well as of the body. It protests, for example, against the voyeuristic explorations of the human body in certain advertisements, or against the solicitations of certain media that go too far in the exhibition of intimate things.vatican.va
- §2524 — The forms taken by modesty vary from one culture to another. Everywhere, however, modesty exists as an intuition of the spiritual dignity proper to man.vatican.va
- §2525 — Christian purity requires a purification of the social climate. It requires of the communications media that their presentations show concern for respect and restraint. Purity of heart brings freedom from widespread eroticism and avoids entertainment inclined to voyeurism and illusion.vatican.va
- §2526 — So called moral permissiveness rests on an erroneous conception of human freedom; the necessary precondition for the development of true freedom is to let oneself be educated in the moral law.vatican.va
- §2527 — "The Good News of Christ continually renews the life and culture of fallen man; it combats and removes the error and evil which flow from the ever-present attraction of sin.vatican.va
In Brief
- §2528 — "Everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Mt 5:28).vatican.va
- §2529 — The ninth commandment warns against lust or carnal concupiscence.vatican.va
- §2530 — The struggle against carnal lust involves purifying the heart and practicing temperance.vatican.va
- §2531 — Purity of heart will enable us to see God: it enables us even now to see things according to God.vatican.va
- §2532 — Purification of the heart demands prayer, the practice of chastity, purity of intention and of vision.vatican.va
- §2533 — Purity of heart requires the modesty which is patience, decency, and discretion. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person.vatican.va
Scripture cited · 32 verses
Genesis 3:11 · Wisdom 15:5 · Matthew 5:8 · Matthew 15:19 · Romans 12:2 · 1 Corinthians 13:12 · Galatians 5:16 · Galatians 5:17 · Galatians 5:24 · Galatians 5:25 · Ephesians 2:3 · Ephesians 4:19 · Colossians 1:10 · Colossians 3:5 · 1 Thessalonians 4:7 · 1 Timothy 1:3 · 1 Timothy 1:4 · 1 Timothy 4:3 · 1 Timothy 4:4 · 1 Timothy 4:5 · 1 Timothy 4:6 · 1 Timothy 4:7 · 1 Timothy 4:8 · 1 Timothy 4:9 · 2 Timothy 2:22 · 2 Timothy 2:23 · 2 Timothy 2:24 · 2 Timothy 2:25 · 2 Timothy 2:26 · Titus 1:15 · 1 John 2:16 · 1 John 3:2