From today’s Scripture: “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.”—Mt 5:39

Whenever someone was mean or said hurtful things to me as a child, I would run to my mother crying. She would wrap me in her arms to comfort me. I would say, “I should have punched them in the nose.” Her response was always, “You will catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

Jesus is not asking us to be wimpy in the face of wrongdoing and evil. He is asking us to be strong. Our strength comes from love — the same love he poured out for us from the cross and our love for him. We give evil power when we face it with anger and retaliation. Evil struggles in the face of love and compassion.

Let us pray: Lord, give me the grace to respond with love when I encounter evil and wrongdoing.

Today’s author is Sister Darlene Presley, Mother Superior of the Glenmary Sisters.

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