Thought of the Day August 6, 2019 Response to violence is the strength of calmness.

By 11:19 AM


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? 

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