Today’s gospel is set within the famous Sermon on the Mount – the great guide to radical Christian living. In this scripture text Jesus begins by challenging the well-established Jewish notion of reciprocal justice based on the words in Exodus 21: 24 ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’  Instead of seeking revenge Jesus is challenging us to respond beyond our initial, emotive reaction. Jesus’ discombobulating words (and aren’t so many of his teachings and sayings upsetting, challenging and overturning the norm ) call us to a love response – the basis of the Great Commandment – to love God and your neighbour as our self – even if they slight you, slander you or strike you!

In reading this scripture, we may not have noticed the second half of the text where we are encouraged to boundless generosity, beyond even common sense, to share our ‘coat’ and ‘cloak’, ‘walk the extra mile’ and ‘not refuse anyone’ in need. Unsettling and challenging again.

In our contemporary world where tit for tat revenge seems to be the norm – think of the India Kashmir border dispute and the ongoing agony between Israel and Palestine – Jesus is inviting us all to be counter cultural. But isn’t that what Christianity should always be?

We might ask ourselves, in quiet moments of prayer and reflection today, to recognise those times when we have felt like getting back at a person and perhaps when we have, through a harsh word or an anonymous comment on Facebook. May we seek the grace to repent and embrace boundless generosity.

By Michael Bruynesteyn