Teaching about Retaliation

Today's Reflections

                               

 

     

Teaching about Retaliation 

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Mt 5:38-42

[Jesus said to his disciples,] ³⁸“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on [your] right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. ⁴⁰If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. ⁴¹Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. ⁴²Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

Reflection:

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This law (cf Lv 24:20) was meant to keep retaliation within bounds. One was not to do more harm than the harm done to one.

But the way of the Lord is different: his followers must not seek revenge. We are not to defeat evil with evil, but we are to overcome evil by doing good.

In modern times, Jesus’ way was popularized by Mahatma Gandhi in India who used active nonviolence to overthrow English rule. Nelson Mandela did the same for South Africa to defeat apartheid. We did it in the Philippines with our peaceful EDSA 1 revolution.

Live the words of Jesus;

they are successful when practiced.