Monday
of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
(II
Corinthians 66:1010; Matthew 5:38-42)
Quite often
preachers will distort the impact of today’s gospel. They say that Jesus suggested turning the
other cheek and walking the extra mile as a strategy to morally defeat one’s
opponent. For example, they say that
turning the other cheek will force the striker to use the front of his hand and
not the back which is supposedly embarrassing. But there is little agreement on
this among biblical commentators today and probably less basis for it in first
century Palestine annals.
Jesus
proposes turning the cheek and walking the second mile as ways of humble
service. Because he wants his disciples
to be beyond reproach, he asks compliance in all that is not evil. Of course, he would allow them to rescue a
child or even to save themselves serious injury. But their behavior must be “greater than the
of the Pharisees” as he has said earlier in the discourse.
We need not
worry about how we will react if we are stricken on one cheek or constrained to
walk a mile for someone. Rather let us
ask ourselves how we might be of better service to others. Then, of course, let us do it knowing that
this is what the Lord expects of us.
