4.3 Response
STAGE 4: Towards the Likeness of Jesus Christ
JESUS AND LOVE
THE CAPTIVATING HEART
RESPONSE
Aim: To reflect on and respond to the teaching of Jesus on how to practice love and mercy.
Reading
You have heard … but I say (Mt 5:38-48): “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’. But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy’. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”.
Comment
Jesus challenges the Old Testament teaching and brings in a totally different image of God: God is not violent. The popular belief was that the greatness of God consisted in doing justice – meaning “eliminating enemies, punishing and seeking vengeance”. But now Jesus says: No, God is not at all like this! “The Father in heaven makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous”. God is not violent!
Then, what does Jesus suggest, as regards relating with enemies? He proposes the praxis of non-violence and gives us some examples. First: “If anyone strikes you on the right cheek …” Striking someone with a slap was quite normal at the time of Jesus: it was a way for a superior to humiliate an inferior. Hence, it was normal for a master to strike his slaves or servants. It was normal for husbands to strike their wives, as it was normal for parents to strike their children.
This was the custom, but Jesus now is posing a serious question: “Can’t we do things differently?” In fact, he proposes something new: “If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also”. “Turn the other”; that is, “Look at him or her in the eyes. Show the one who strikes that he or she can punish you, hurt you or control your body, but he or she cannot punish, hurt or control your heart and your dignity”. Even though the other strikes you, you can always prove to be more mature and stronger, by maintaining your heart alive and capable of loving.
The second example: “If anyone wants to take your coat, give your cloak as well”. The cloak was an item of the underwear, because it was the clothing closest to the body. The coat, instead, was the heavy clothing to be worn on top. The cloak therefore stands for intimacy. Do you want to hurt me in my intimacy? Okay, you can hurt me even in my own intimacy and leave me completely naked, but know that I will never let go of my dignity.
The third example: “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile”. According to the Roman law, if the military authority asked a man to carry a load, he was obliged to do so for one mile and no more. Now Jesus says: “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile”. What does this mean? It means: do not limit yourself to do what the others tell you (one mile), but exercise the power of your own freedom, use creativity and originality in your way of relating with the others and of serving those who are in need.
Then Jesus says: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. What does this mean? Does it mean that if someone hurts me I should give him or her a smile; that I should just pretend that nothing happened; that towards this person I should entertain feelings of benevolence? Jesus doesn’t say: “You have to smile at your enemies”, or “You have to show sympathy, consideration, admiration, and possibly affection for your enemies, for those who have wronged or hurt you”. In fact, he says: “Love him or her, even if he or she is your enemy”. That is: “Continue to do him or her good, to wish him or her well, and to look for what is better for him or her, even if he or she is your enemy”. This is to “be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect”.
Personal Reflection and Sharing
How do the words of Jesus on forgiveness challenge my habitual way of relating with others?
As I am about to consecrate myself to him, what is my best response to his teaching on love and forgiveness?
[4-3] CALL RESPONSE COMMITMENT PRAYER