During the General Audience, Pope Francis continued his weekly catechisis on the ten commandments. This week he focused on the final commandments “You shall not covet your neighbor's wife… You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.”
He said that these commandments in some way sum up the Decalogue. This is because all sin is 'born of covetousness: the evil desires that lurk in the human heart.'
The pope stated that the Ten Commandments teaches one how to 'live rightly with one another and with God.' It shows the need for a 'liberating change of heart' which can 'only be received through the gift of the Holy Spirit.'
Pope Francis further added the need to abandon being self-seeking and the illusion of self-sufficiency. He said in acknowledging one's spiritual poverty and need for salvation it opens the heart to God; as well as to learn to show mercy to others as 'ourselves have received in Christ.'
SUMMARY OF POPE'S CATECHISIS IN ENGLISH
Dear brothers and sisters,
In our continuing catechesis on the Ten Commandments, we now turn to the final commandments: “You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife… You shall not covet your neighbour’s goods”.
These last commandments in some sense sum up the entire content of the Decalogue. For all sin, as Jesus teaches (cf. Mk 7:23), is ultimately born of covetousness: the evil desires that lurk in the human heart.
The Ten Commandments, by teaching us how to live rightly with one another and with God, show us our need for a liberating change of heart that can only be received through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
They invite us to abandon our self-seeking and the illusion of our self-sufficiency, and to acknowledge our need for salvation.
The humble recognition of our spiritual poverty thus opens our hearts to God’s mercy, which transforms and renews us, enabling us to live righteous lives in the sight of the Father, redeemed by the Son and taught by the Holy Spirit. In this way, we learn to show to others the mercy that we ourselves have received in Christ.
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those from England, Ireland, Nigeria, Israel, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Canada and the United States of America. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the Lord’s blessings of joy and peace. God bless you!
