Feast of St. Anthony of Padua
1Kings 21:1-16 | Ps. 5:2-3, 4-7 | Mt. 5:38-42
Jezebel is filled with zeal for King Ahab. Unfortunately, her zeal is misplaced. She is willing to do whatever it takes to destroy the enemy of the king. Thus she lies, commands others to carry out evil deeds and accomplishes the goal she seeks. In the Gospel, Jesus calls his disciples to turn the other cheek and to surrender their cloaks to those who would take them. Why? Because Jesus knew that in doing these things, the person who was the recipient became embarrassed. If they gave them their cloak, they would cause the recipient to think twice of the evil deed they were contemplating. Jesus calls us to non-violence, not violence.
Consider the motives behind your actions. Do you seek revenge or do you find a way to respond to people so that you act non-violently. Think of a time you were hurt. How did you respond? How might Christ have called you to respond? Ask Christ for the grace to do so in the future.