TAKE NO REVENGE BUT DO NOT BE A MORON

Monday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time
Mt 5:38-42

One day, a man went to visit the wise man of the village. “Teacher,” the man said, “my brother hit me on both cheeks and so I fled. What should I do?” The wise man looked at him and asked, “Were you able to count how many times he hit you?” “49 times, Master,” the man answered. The wise man smiled at him and said, “Go back and tell him to hit you another time to make it fifty.” “But what for?” the man shouted, surprised by the wise man’s advice. “Well, my friend,” replied the wise man, “the 50th is for your stupidity, you, moron! Why let your brother hit you 49 times and never do anything about it?”

When Jesus said that we should offer our other cheek if anyone hits us on the right cheek, He did not mean that we have to stupidly submit our selves to violence. His point was that we should not take revenge for any wrongdoing done to us. Jesus, of course, does not want us to end up mangled and violated. He wants instead that the vicious cycle of violence cease. Taking revenge never ends violence; it aggravates it.

When someone strikes us on our right cheek, give him our other cheek. But when he aims for another round, would we be morons not to take cover, would we be vengeful and strike him, or would we be Christians enough to take his hand and start a dialogue to understand where he is coming from with the hope that reconciliation would be reached? The choice is always ours. We become what we choose to be. But Jesus never wants us to be morons nor vengeful.