Start:Stop - Turn the other cheek?

The Forgiving Father, Frank Wesley (India). Wesley designed the urn for Gandhi's ashes

Hello, good morning and welcome to the beautiful surroundings of St Stephen Walbrook as we start the day by stopping to reflect on a passage from scripture, inspired by an event on this day in history. This reflection will last less than ten minutes - but do feel free to stay for just as long as you are able. 

You can hear an audio version of this reflection at this link.

There have been times in my life when I have become intoxicated by fighting for a cause I believed in - a wrong I felt I needed to right. Whilst I have never resorted to physical violence, looking back, some of the tactics I employed were aggressive. More often than not these days I find myself questioning whether I have moved too far to the other extreme - becoming too comfortable with injustice - too passive - too lazy - to do anything about it. 

 

The American theologian Walter Wink said that humans are conditioned in this binary “fight” or “flight” response when it comes to matters of justice - and that taking either path is futile since in the end the result is the same - maintenance of the status quo. Instead, he implores us to pursue a third way - outlined by Jesus himself - in what Wink describes as one of the most misunderstood passages in the scriptures.

 

 

Bible Reading - Matthew 5:38-41

 

‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.”

 

 

Reflection 

 

On this day in 1893 a young Indian lawyer working in South Africa was forcibly ejected from the first class compartment of a train at Pietermaritzberg, for refusing to comply with racial segregation rules.

 

Mahatma Gandhi later described that day as a ‘moment of truth’, which planted the seed for his campaign of mass civil disobedience known as satyagraha.

 

Although he was a Hindu, Gandhi is known to have studied the New Testament. Such was his affinity with Chapters 5 - 7 of the Gospel of Matthew, he described himself as a “Sermon on the Mount Christian”.  

 

But, “Do not resist an evildoer” doesn’t sound like a message Gandhi would approve of. Walter Wink suggests the root of our misunderstanding is a mistranslation by those who compiled the Authorised King James Version of the Bible. “Do not resist an evil doer” should more accurately read “Do not strike back at evil in kind”. Do not fight anger with anger, aggression with aggression. 

 

With these words, Jesus is not promoting a passive acceptance of abuse. Rather, he offers a third way - an alternative to our deeply engrained, binary, fight or flight response to injustice.

 

His call to non violent resistance is explained in the three illustrations that follow - which, Wink explains, only make sense when we understand more about the social and political context of the time. 

 

Turn the other cheek does not mean that we should accept humiliation. It is an instruction to break the cycle of violence; to render it ineffective. Wink suggests the first strike ‘on the right cheek’ is a backhanded slap - in those times a culturally acceptable way to admonish one’s inferiors - slaves, women, children - without sanction. To turn the other cheek would invite the oppressor to strike with the back of his left hand - which was reserved for unclean purposes. No-one would be willing to face such humiliation. Turning the other cheek is thus a call to non-violent resistance; a refusal to perpetuate the cycle of violence. It is an act which elevates the human dignity of the oppressed in the eyes of the oppressor. It is a positive act of non-violent resistance, not a passive acceptance of the status quo. 

 

Two further examples encourage a similar response. In the time of Jesus, Walter Wink explains that a large percentage of the population was subject to crippling debt, due to high taxes and corruption. The poorest would have just their coat as collateral. Jesus says that when such a person is sued, they should not only obey the law by willingly handing over their coat - but take off their inner garment as well - and walk out of the courtroom completely naked! To be naked was taboo - but the shame fell on those who witnessed it, rather than the naked person themselves. To hand over ones coat and cloak would be to literally (and humourously) expose the injustice of the system! 

 

Jesus’ third example challenges the practice which allowed Roman soldiers to force people to carry their equipment for them for one mile. To go on and carry it for a second mile, as Jesus suggests, would not only open the soldier to financial sanction in the courts; but raise questions about the warrior’s strength and stamina. Again, an example of non-violent resistance - challenging the injustice of the status quo.

 

In each case, Jesus demonstrates the success of his third alternative to our binary fight or flight response. A way that inspired Gandhi and his movement of Satyagraha. 

 

How urgently we need to regain our understanding of this message; as our newspapers report rising knife crime in this city, the atrocities of gun crime across America and the slaughter of entire church congregations in Nigeria. 

 

 

Meditation 

 

So today, on the day Gandhi experienced his ‘moment of truth’ let us pray for one of our own. That we might refuse to meet anger with anger; aggression with aggression or to remain passive in the face of the injustice we encounter in our lives. Let us practice a third way - a way that celebrates human dignity by breaking those destructive cycles of violence or inaction. Let us follow the way, the truth and the life that is Jesus. 

 

A few moments of silence before we pray. 

 

 

Prayers 

 

In our prayers the response to the plea : ‘God of peace’ is ‘turn our hatred into love’.

 

God of peace,

Turn our hatred into love

 

May your justice reign supreme; bring comfort to those affected by acts of violence.

Liberate us from our destructive cycles of abuse. 

Help us to know your truth. 

 

God of peace,

Turn our hatred into love

 

May we go the extra mile today,

dismissing suspicion and replacing it with trust. 

Let us not be two-faced; let our actions reflect our prayers. 

Help us to apologise when we have wounded others. 

 

God of peace,

Turn our hatred into love

 

Strip us of our compulsion to meet anger with anger and aggression with aggression. 

That we might fight injustice through means that dignify all your people. 

And allow your peace to fill our hearts, words and deeds. 

 

God of peace,

Turn our hatred into love

 

 

Blessing 

 

May the peace of God,

which passes all understanding,

keep our hearts and minds

in the knowledge and love of God

and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among us and remain with us always.

Amen.

 

Thank you for joining us for our Start Stop reflection which will be repeated in a few minutes. Please join us for evening concerts this week at 6pm tomorrow and Thursday. We are delighted to welcome The Bishop of London to our lunchtime Eucharist at 12.45pm on Thursday - join us if you can. Have a peaceful day. 

Image : The Forgiving Father, Frank Wesley (who designed the urn for Gandhi’s ashes)