Many telenovelas nowadays focus on stories of revenge. Often, people are portrayed as being bullied, even with unbelievable cruelty. The second part is, as expected, the strategy of revenge the once bullied person devises against the perpetrators and thereby experiences “redemption” or obtains peace. At least, that is how the viewers are made to understand. Indeed, it is not a joke to be the object of bullying or injury by others. Thank God, these acts are given more attention by authorities these days. But we know that no amount of revenge or counter-violence or harm can ultimately lead to genuine peace. Violence begets violence, and there is no end to it. Only love can. Indeed, despite the seeming “passivity” of love and forgiveness, it is more effective to engender repentance and conversion than violence or revenge. Jesus thus teaches us that “an eye for an eye” cannot be made our guiding principle. We need to overcome evil with good, just like what he did on the cross. Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was supposed to have said, “The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.”

Brothers and sisters: As your fellow workers, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; through glory and dishonor insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death; as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

Responsorial Psalm • Ps 98

“The Lord has made known his salvation.”

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 to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”