When one practices "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth"
eventually they become blind because it is a cycle of violence that never ends.
Instead Jesus tells us to "offer no resistance to one who is evil."
At first this sounds as if evil will win.
And for awhile it may even appear that way.
But evil breeds evil.
Anger breeds anger.
Revenge breeds revenge.
When one does not respond with evil, anger or revenge
it slowly begins to die.
It has no heart in which to take root and grow.
Turning one's cheek however takes two things.
First it takes courage.
Because you will undoubtably get the other cheek slapped as well.
Secondly it takes Faith that God and Good will prevail in the end.
But what is the alternative?
To fight back and become embraced by evil, anger and revenge?
Throughout one's day we have numerous opportunities to fight back or to turn the other cheek.
While driving a car, talking to co-workers, or even at home.
It is not enough just to turn the other cheek and not fight back,
if we become angry and desire evil upon them in our hearts.
Then while we may have turned the other cheek,
the anger and resentment in our hearts will only take root and grow
so that the next time it happens we will strike back,
overcome not by the evil, anger and vengeance in the other person but in ourselves.
In Auschwitz Kolbe was beaten, kicked and starved to death and neither did he fight back nor did he become angry or hateful.
He was truly free!
He may have been a prisoner of the Nazis but he was not going to be one to anger, hatred and vengeance as well.
And this is why and how Jesus could pray from the cross,
"Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.
The next time you feel like yielding to evil,anger and vengeance, turn the other cheek do what Jesus did and say,
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!
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