You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth'

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

- Matthew 5:38-48

We continue now through the readings of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, in preparation for Lent. We began with the Beatitudes on Monday. Tuesday we read about Jesus teaching His disciples that they are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. In the next reading, Jesus expanded on the law against murder, and yesterday we read His teaching on the importance of watching our thoughts, and cultivating a life in which we choose carefully what we dwell on and what we cast away from ourselves. Today Jesus continues with teachings on justice, and expanding how we understand what this means.

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." We turn now to the problem of justice, and Jesus seeks to define for us a concept of justice that takes out the idea of retribution - a measured response that is somehow created only by the act of the "other." In some sense, Jesus creates an independent spirit here, in which our choices to respond to others really comes from a relationship to God. This is the whole essence of a righteous life, and one of compassion and discernment. In other words, the equation becomes not one of tit-for-tat, not dependent only on the choices of the other person, but mediated by a relationship to God who is loving and compassionate - and who is the true Judge.

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." Jesus once again takes an equation and changes its balance, to include God as a part of that way that we seek to relate to others. He compares our relationship to others with God's relationship to all of us. From the earliest years of the church, when it was under great persecution, St. Paul encouraged Christian believers to pray for civil authorities and those in power. "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. " (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Our lives and actions are to be mediated by God's love in all relationships. This is not a prescription for abuse, and it is in no way a surrender to the "prince of this world" and its injustice. Instead, it is a kind of resistance, but one that must work in a particular way to be most spiritually effective. It is a way to carry on a life dedicated to the love of God and its manifestation in the world. It sets us apart by allowing us the spiritual freedom to choose how we will respond, and to be bound by our own love of God - and therefore seeking that love in how we relate to others. My study bible says, "Love is not merely an emotion. It is a divine grace -- an uncreated divine energy -- which inflames the soul and unites it to God and to other people (see 1 John 4:7-21)."

Forgiveness can be a subject of great difficulty. What do we do with those who care nothing for our feelings, from whom we receive no acknowledgment of our suffering? We recall Jesus' words about God's sun and rain falling on all equally, the good and bad, just and unjust. We need, first of all, patience with God's justice, and a sense in which we take our cares to God, our complaints -- and find the best way to respond. This may mean no response at all, as in turning the other cheek. It may simply mean a peaceful demeanor, as in St. Paul's words of "peaceful and quiet lives." But justice is always included in this equation of mercy and compassion and godliness; it is not left out. To misuse these words for selfish ends, to condemn those who simply do not accept abuse in order to continue such behavior, is to miss the point entirely. We each have the responsibility of our own relationship to God, our own hearts to examine, as Jesus has taught in the previous readings from the Sermon on the Mount, especially yesterday's. Therefore, think of the rain and the sun, and ask in prayer how best to proceed. How does one deal with the injustice inherent in our world and its relationships? Jesus taught us to speak out when necessary, to uphold the values of love and truth, and to look to ourselves for what it is we must cleanse first. We recall the patience of God's love, and the time we are given to learn it better for ourselves. Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. We are given time to continue in that journey, to find our way, and to carry with us the great desire to do it as "our Father who is in the secret place" would ask.