The Sermon on the Mount Continues for a third Sunday. Today Jesus tells us some of His most difficult exhortations.
Jesus
said to his disciples:
"You
have heard that it was said,
An
eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
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 as well.
If
anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand
over your cloak as well.
Should
anyone press you into service for one mile,
go
for two miles.
Give
to the one who asks of you,
and
do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
"You
have heard that it was said,
You
shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I
say to you, love your enemies
and
pray for those who persecute you,
that
you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for
he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and
causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For
if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do
not the tax collectors do the same?
And
if you greet your brothers only,
what
is unusual about that?
Do
not the pagans do the same?
So be
perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
~Mt 5:17-37
Bishop Barron has a superb, must hear sermon
on this.
“So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father
is perfect." So if your right cheek
is struck, it may not be a sin to protect yourself, but turning the other cheek
is perfect, to be holy.
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