Retaliation

June 13, 2016 Monday, 11th Week in
Ordinary Time
1st Reading: 1 Kgs 21: 1-16Gospel: Mt 5:38–42
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 tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give when asked and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
From the strong sense of justice in the Old Testament evolved the practice of retaliation. They had it in their Law: “If a man beats any person to death, he must be put to death. One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it, life for life. If a man inflicts an injury on his fellow citizen, just as he has done it must be done to him – fracture for fracture, eye for eye, and tooth for tooth – just as he inflicts an injury on another person, that same injury must be inflicted on him. One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it, but one who beats a person to death must be put to death. There will be one regulation for you, whether a foreigner or a native citizen, for I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 24:17-22).
Exodus reiterates this Leviticus provision: “But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise” (Exodus 21:23-25).
The Book of Deuteronomy hints that such manner of attaining justice deters evil. It says, “You must do to him what he had intended to do to the accused. In this way you will purge evil from among you. The rest of the people will hear and become afraid to keep doing such evil among you. You must not show pity; the principle will be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot” (Deuteronomy 19:19-21).
In contrast Jesus says: “You have heard that it was said: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile” (Mt 5:38–42).
This new teaching finds support in the Book of Proverbs: “The one who digs a pit will fall into it; the one who rolls a stone, it will come back to him” (Proverbs 26-27). Jesus does not want his followers to practice retaliation at all. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected].
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