When Desire Turns to Fire
June 13, 2025 - Friday, Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Matthew 5:27–32
We live in a world where love and sex are everywhere — but often without depth, without responsibility. Many people are encouraged to experiment, to keep things casual, to follow what feels good. But Jesus knows that desire without love, without commitment, can leave us emptier than before.
The tragic consequences of lust are clearly shown in a little-known story about the firstborn son of David. Amnon desperately lusts for Tamar, his beautiful half-sister. With the help of his shrewd friend, he devises a plan to get Tamar to his house. When she came — unaware of anything — he violated her and then threw her away. His lust turned into loathing for the object of his intense desire. If he could have foreseen the consequences of his deed, he would have rather torn out his right eye or cut off his right hand. If he had taken God’s word seriously, he might have followed the example of Job: “I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman” (Job 31:1). Tamar told her brother Absalom what had happened. Two years later, Amnon was killed by Absalom (see 2 Samuel 13:1–33).
Not every lust ends like that, of course. But Jesus wants us to understand how serious it is. The Bible doesn’t just forbid physical adultery; it also warns against coveting someone who doesn’t belong to you — even in your thoughts. Why? Because people aren’t objects. They’re not here to be used, consumed, or fantasized about. Lust turns a person into a thing, and love was never meant to do that.
This also connects to Jesus’ teaching on marriage. Divorce was allowed in the Law of Moses, but only because of human hardness of heart. From the beginning, God intended marriage to be lifelong and faithful — a reflection of His love for His people. Marriage is more than a contract. It’s a covenant. It mirrors the love between Christ and the Church: faithful, lasting, life-giving. Jesus goes back to the beginning of creation, to the original plan of God for every Adam and every Eve: to become one, until death sets us apart.
Jesus speaks with clarity and urgency, like a good doctor who sees the infection and knows what it takes to heal. His words may feel sharp, but they cut in order to save. He wants to free us from habits that harm us and lead us into a kind of love that truly restores and fulfills.
So what kind of love are you chasing?
What kind of love are you becoming?
It’s not too late to begin again.