Reading: 1Kings 21:1-16; Ps. 5; Matt. 5:38-42
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

CAN THE LAW: EYE FOR EYE AND TOOTH FOR TOOTH SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IN OUR FAMILIES AND SOCIETY?

The fragile and selfish nature of the human person, makes it seem natural and common for human beings to react positively or negatively to things that hurt them. Little wonder one of our most influential scientists Isaac Newton, states in his third law of motion, that: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This law describes what happens to a body when it exerts a force on another body. Forces as we know always occur in pairs, so when one body pushes against another, the second body pushes back just as hard and in equal magnitude.

This law truly explains why a hot slap given to anyone whether out of anger for the bad thing he/she has done or just as an act of wickedness and intimidation will naturally trigger in our consciousness an equal magnitude of retaliation and this has been the force behind the law that says: ‘ an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’

This principle was the basis for justice in the Ancient Near East. It was put in place to restrain unlimited blood vengeance. It limited what damages one could expect to what was considered proportional, equal and fair to any unjust act. However, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus offers a new dimension that calls for deeper virtue towards this law when he says: “You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him.”

Here Jesus declares that the law had no reference to private revenge, that it was given only to regulate natural human conduct, but the Jews had extended it to private conduct and made it the rule by which revenge is taken. They considered themselves justified by this rule to inflict the same injury on others just the way they had received. Jesus then showed another aspect of the law which is more sacrificial and requires a deeper virtue, in which the old interpretation of the Law will no longer be valid.

So Jesus reversed the attitude of conniving to see one’s adversary suffer, with the sacrificial attitude of love for enemies. An attitude that does not seek what one can get for retaliation but what one can sacrifice for the sake of peace and love. This attitude makes the disciples of Jesus different from other people since they will have to love not just everyone but also their enemies and not take vengeance or bear grudges against one another. And by so doing they will be imitating God their heavenly Father, who shows equal love to both the good and the bad, because his love knows no bounds.

Dear friends, can retaliation solve the problems of killings, wickedness and persecution in our families and societies today? Think about it, for today we are called to embrace a life of deeper virtue. A life of sacrificial love, for when Jesus told his disciples to offer the other side of their checks to be struck, their cloak when asked for tunic and to go even one mile further, he is calling us all to a new life of sacrificial love, one that is filled not with revenge or selfishness of men like king Ahab and his wife Jezebel in our first reading, who killed Naboth for refusing to give them his vineyard which he inherited from his ancestors in obedience to the law.

Instead, we are to reject all forms of violence, retaliation and vengeance but focus all our attention on forgiveness, mercy and peace in a sacrificial way so that the world will become more peaceful and loving.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, it is really difficult to live a life of non-retaliation in a world full of wickedness, persecution, and violence, give us the grace to resist all forms of violence but focus all our attention on the sacrificial love of forgiveness, mercy and peace. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week.