What exactly does this challenging saying of our Lord in today’s Gospel (Mt 5:38-48) mean? There are two commentaries posting this week that help us to arrive at some kind of understanding. After reading them, my sense is that ‘turn the other cheek’ means to not put up with evil being thrust upon you.

The first commentary from Tim Staples at www.catholic.com belabors the point that Jesus is exaggerating as he often did in order to make a point. So, ‘turn the other cheek’ is just like ‘pluck (your eye) out and throw it away’ if it causes you to sin: it is to be taken seriously but not literally.

The second commentary is more helpful and exact. Bishop Robert Barron writes that in Jesus’ time, a slap to the face would have been done with the back of the right hand to the right cheek. This would have been a “gesture of contempt”. It was very insulting. So, to turn the other cheek was a sign that you weren’t going to allow another backhanded slap (left hands were not used). It meant that they’re not going to put up with it anymore. Turning the other cheek is not doing nothing, and it is not striking the person back the same way you were struck.

May you know the peace of Christ,

Fr Greg