Matthew 18: 21 – 35

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

” Nothing should displease a servant of God except sin. And no matter how another person may sin, if a servant of God becomes disturbed and angry because of this and not because of charity, he is storing up guilt for himself. That servant of God who does not become angry or disturbed at anyone live correctly without anything of his own (FA:ED, Vol 1, p. 133).”

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”

Does Jesus show anger, especially via a physical response, anywhere else in the Gospels?

Did the overturning of tables physically place anyone in harm’s way? Is that action really the equivalent of war?

Did Jesus pray for Hitler, or Osama, or the serial killer as they carried out their life destroying actions? Was He really absent from them? Or was He still there, even if they used their free will to ignore His presence?

If an innocent person is killed by a dictator, or a terrorist, or a serial killer, are they dead, or simply relocated? Are we too focused on preserving life in this world, and not confident enough about the eternal life that awaits these victims? How much more likely is an eternal reward if a person meets a violent fate with the courage of Jesus’ passion at his or her disposal?

I’m not sure I find the argument that the Passion was “the only way” convincing. What if the principle impediment to the coming of the kingdom here on earth is too few of us having enough courage to “turn the other cheek” in the face of aggression? Perhaps “the only way” for the kingdom to be fully established on earth is for all or most of us to see Jesus’ example as “the only way” to respond to aggression.

I don’t profess to know the answer. My human mind agrees wholeheartedly with Brendan that it is moral for a soldier to act to secure the well being of an innocent person.

I’m just not sure I trust my human mind. Am I discerning the will of God, or am I following in the footsteps of Peter?

The question that remains for us: how do we meet the Cross, pain, difficulty and rejection? With a blessing or a curse or a plan for revenge?