Turning the Other Cheek is Not Pacificism

Today’s message from St. Luke is highly challenging to Christians. St. Luke informs us that Jesus taught his disciples a counterintuitive teaching. He says to love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and offer another cheek to be slapped after receiving a blow on the other.  

The challenge is that if we believe in the literal sense of Jesus’ words, our safety and maybe even our lives would be subject to harm. Does Jesus teach us that by being disciples, we should not defend ourselves from violence directed at us? Some think this is the case, but Catholic moral theology would not adhere to this interpretation. People have a right to defend themselves from harm, and there is a long-held belief that even countries can engage in wars under the just war theory.

Furthermore, if a Christian were to become a pure pacifist, then it would be difficult to justify allowing violence against the unborn or protecting other vulnerable persons exploited by evil characters, most often through human trafficking. However, these examples do not mean that Jesus’ teaching is wrong or useless; it makes us think differently.  

We can incorporate his message into our lives when we start with the premise that God is love and his Son is the personification of love. Sin and violence are the antitheses of love, and those who wish to live in God must desire love above all else and detest sin and violence. The point Jesus is making is speaking out against the ancient practice of lex talionis, Latin for the law of retribution because the practice escalates the violence.  

The law comes from the Book of Exodus and is commonly known as an “eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” In the ancient world, with a rudimentary legal system, there was a need to deter people from harming each other. The law, intended to shape people’s moral life before Christ, was displaced by the new covenant, which voided a law like this.  

Jesus implores us not to enter into the circle of violence by being violent ourselves, even though we feel we may have justification. This is a far different thing than defending oneself. Engaging in violent activity, be that physical or verbal, in retribution means our actions would be no different than a person who first slapped our cheek.

If we react to violence with violence, we have been drawn into the circle of evil, which is incompatible with a life in God. In situations like this, we are called to respond, not react. Instead of a knee-jerk reaction, by practicing response, there is a good chance that we do not have to seek an eye for an eye.

The response instead of the reaction does not come naturally. We have to work on it. Strengthening our love of God and one another is the starting point. Our Gospel passage includes these words: “Stop judging, and you will not be judged. Stop condemning, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given you.”

If you can live by these words, your reaction to your neighbor will change even if he has transgressed against you. You will be exercising what the Beatitudes ask of us. Are they difficult? For sure. Never forget God will always give you the grace you need to master them if only you wish.  

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