Adultery at Work May be More Common Than You Think
We look now at the sin of adultery at work as Our Lord sees it. Workplace "affairs" aren't unheard of. I've personally witnessed - sadly - a number of them. And at times they've involved people who appear to be good Catholics, or at least people who would consider themselves to be good Catholics.
(We're going to fore-go what should be the obvious lunacy of having office affairs. For now, we'll just assume you have the sense to understand the always-bad consequences of such behavior. If not, wise up.)
I hope you've not given in to the temptation to commit the sin of adultery (or fornication for that matter) with someone in the workplace, or in the course of your business dealings if you, for example, deal a lot with customers or, most especially, if you travel for work.
But if we read what Our Lord has to say that's not all we should be concerned about here when it comes to the sin of adultery:
First of all, many of us men are subject to the tendency to impure thoughts (not that woman aren't, but I'm not really in position to comment about that). And, depending on your work environment, work can frequently be a place that not only brings that particular temptation to fruition, but makes it possible to move beyond mere temptation to action. It's one thing to see a pretty woman in passing; another to see that same woman on a regular basis and be in a position to engage with her. And it's this ongoing and personal contact that can challenge a man's chastity.
It's right here that it's really important to take Our Lord's words to heart - for two reasons. First, read the words again; if you have adulterous thoughts, you are committing the sin of adultery. I don't think this leaves much room for interpretation, do you?
Second, if we don't stop the temptation in its tracks, we'll wind up acting in a way that we'll surely regret. In this light, Our Lord's words can be now be seen in a different light. I'm not saying He isn't warning us that impure thoughts are sinful. They are, when we give in to them and dwell on them. But by telling us what we need to hear, even if we don't necessarily want to hear it, I think Our Lord does us a huge favor here. By understanding that even a lustful look is a sin - if we take His words to heart - He helps us to stop the temptation in its tracks, which prevents us from taking things to the "next level."
I'm being delicate here on purpose, because if you've ever had such thoughts or temptations, you know where they can lead and don't need any more specifics from me. (And if you haven't, count yourself especially blessed.) But I hope you can understand Our Lord's clear and direct teaching here and that you take it to heart. He's speaking to us men as a Man who knows what being a man is all about. When He speaks this way, we do well to listen, to think about, even meditate, on His words until they really sink in to guide us the way He intended: not as an impossible burden, but as the wise and caring counsel from someone who loves us more than we can possibly imagine.
(We're going to fore-go what should be the obvious lunacy of having office affairs. For now, we'll just assume you have the sense to understand the always-bad consequences of such behavior. If not, wise up.)
I hope you've not given in to the temptation to commit the sin of adultery (or fornication for that matter) with someone in the workplace, or in the course of your business dealings if you, for example, deal a lot with customers or, most especially, if you travel for work.
But if we read what Our Lord has to say that's not all we should be concerned about here when it comes to the sin of adultery:
You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Mat 5:27)Okay, so we've all heard or read this passage multiple times. Indeed, some of us may have thought that He's being unrealistic, too demanding, that He doesn't understand what us men go through in this world. Of course, we should know that, being born and living as a man He did know exactly what we go through; just as we should know that He would not make demands on us that were too much for us. With that in mind, let's think for a moment how relevant this can be in the work place, especially for those of us who are married.
First of all, many of us men are subject to the tendency to impure thoughts (not that woman aren't, but I'm not really in position to comment about that). And, depending on your work environment, work can frequently be a place that not only brings that particular temptation to fruition, but makes it possible to move beyond mere temptation to action. It's one thing to see a pretty woman in passing; another to see that same woman on a regular basis and be in a position to engage with her. And it's this ongoing and personal contact that can challenge a man's chastity.
It's right here that it's really important to take Our Lord's words to heart - for two reasons. First, read the words again; if you have adulterous thoughts, you are committing the sin of adultery. I don't think this leaves much room for interpretation, do you?
Second, if we don't stop the temptation in its tracks, we'll wind up acting in a way that we'll surely regret. In this light, Our Lord's words can be now be seen in a different light. I'm not saying He isn't warning us that impure thoughts are sinful. They are, when we give in to them and dwell on them. But by telling us what we need to hear, even if we don't necessarily want to hear it, I think Our Lord does us a huge favor here. By understanding that even a lustful look is a sin - if we take His words to heart - He helps us to stop the temptation in its tracks, which prevents us from taking things to the "next level."
I'm being delicate here on purpose, because if you've ever had such thoughts or temptations, you know where they can lead and don't need any more specifics from me. (And if you haven't, count yourself especially blessed.) But I hope you can understand Our Lord's clear and direct teaching here and that you take it to heart. He's speaking to us men as a Man who knows what being a man is all about. When He speaks this way, we do well to listen, to think about, even meditate, on His words until they really sink in to guide us the way He intended: not as an impossible burden, but as the wise and caring counsel from someone who loves us more than we can possibly imagine.
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