Thought of the Day August 6, 2019 Response to violence is the strength of calmness.
Reflecting on the second Beatitude, Fr. Ranero Cantalamessa says: “But Jesus did
much more than give us an example of heroic meekness and patience; he made of
meekness and nonviolence the true sign of greatness. This will no longer mean
holding oneself alone above, above the crowd, but to humble oneself to serve
and elevate others. On the cross, St. Augustine says, the true victory does not
consist in making victims of others but in making oneself a victim:
"Victor quia victima."
Jesus
said, for example, not to oppose the evil doer and "to him who strikes you
on the right cheek, turn and give him the other" (Matthew 5:39). When one
of the guards strikes him on the cheek during the trial before the Sanhedrin,
it is not written that he gave him the other cheek, but that with calmness he
replied: "If I said something wrong, show it to me; but if I spoke well,
why do you strike me?" (John 18:23). He was teaching us not to respond to
violence with violence, but to win with calm. His response to the guard was an
example of divine meekness. How easy is it for us to do the same?
About the Author
0 comments