528. What is forbidden by the ninth commandment?

The ninth commandment forbids cultivating thoughts and desires connected to actions forbidden by the sixth commandment.

Veja este tema no Catecismo

Paragraph 2517

2517. The heart is the seat of moral personality: "Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication...."³⁰⁴The struggle against carnal covetousness entails purifying the heart and practicing temperance:

Remain simple and innocent, and you will be like little children who do not know the evil that destroys man's life.³⁰⁵

Paragraph 2518

2518. The sixth beatitude proclaims, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."³⁰⁶"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;³⁰⁷chastity or sexual rectitude;³⁰⁸love of truth and orthodoxy of faith.³⁰⁹There is a connection between purity of heart, of body, and of faith:

The faithful must believe the articles of the Creed "so that by believing they may obey God, by obeying may live well, by living well may purify their hearts, and with pure hearts may understand what they believe."³¹⁰

Paragraph 2519

2519. The "pure in heart" are promised that they will see God face to face and be like him.³¹¹Purity of heart is the precondition of the vision of God. Even now it enables us to see according to God, to accept others as "neighbors"; it lets us perceive the human body - ours and our neighbor's - as a temple of the Holy Spirit, a manifestation of divine beauty.

Paragraph 2531

2531. Purity of heart will enable us to see God: it enables us even now to see things according to God.

Paragraph 2532

2532. Purification of the heart demands prayer, the practice of chastity, purity of intention and of vision.

Acesse nossos estudos biblicos:

What was the story of King Amon’s violent death and rebellion in 2 Kings 21-22?

What is Amos’ criticism of superficial religion, and how does he highlight the importance of a genuine heart?

What is the story of Abimelech and forgiveness in Judges 9:22-57?

What is the story behind the miracle of Elisha’s resurrection of the Shunammite’s son in 2 Kings 4?

What is the River of Life and the Tree of Life mentioned in Revelation 22:1-5 and what is their importance to the promise of eternal life?

What lessons can we learn from Haman’s fall in Esther 7:7-8?

What is the meaning of Jude 1:4, which speaks of the condemnation of those who pervert the grace of God?