Jesus said to his disciples:
You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But 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.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
The peace of the Lord be with you.
Jesus affirms something for us today that we all already know. We all know that life can be difficult. In the Gospel today, Jesus instructs us about how to deal with difficulty. By encouraging us not to respond with violence or threats he’s helping us to come to a place of acceptance. Once we are at this place of acceptance we often become much more teachable and creative about how to approach difficulties. In Godly terms this would mean hearing the Spirit. When we allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit, these dark moments become times of creativity and acceptance where the glory of God shines through because we realize that he is never far from us.
God is walking with us, helping us to face the challenges that come our way with dignity and integrity.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.