Jesus’ apparently passive responses in today’s Gospel have a message for both ancient and modern readers. By telling His followers to turn the other cheek, Jesus calls on us to resist tendencies toward punishment. Implicitly, Jesus introduces the idea of reconciliation rather than retaliation. Jesus does not want His followers to be abused and taken advantage of, as the passage might suggest. When Jesus says, “Offer no resistance to one who is evil” (Mt 5:39), He does not mean do nothing in the face of injustice. Instead, Jesus insists that His community reject and work against retaliation by focusing on love.
Adults: What is the point of “turning the other cheek” in an argument , and why is it so hard to do so?
Children: When have you or someone you know insisted on “having the last word” in an argument? What happened afterwards?
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