In the Gospel, we see how Jesus abrogates the law of retaliation (an eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth) and did not want his disciples and us to use violence. His non-retaliation is the norm of life Jesus propagates. This is precisely the non-violence that we want to promote today.

Though it is still difficult to practise today, this is what Jesus teaches us that we have to respond to violence with kindness and goodness, which the world contradicts. During our modern times, we have the example of Mahatma Gandhi who truly lived this in his life!

In short, this sums up Jesus’ teachings on the antithe-sis on the love of enemies. (Mt.5: 43-48) In contrast to what Jesus teaches in the Gospel the story of the murder of Naboth of Jezreel by Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab.

This sounds familiar in today’s world where we see nations go against nations and tried to outdo one another in the area of economy and political power at the expense of those who are weak because of poverty, being margin-alized and exploited. Even in our ‘war’ against the Covid-19 disease. How many countries come together to address and counteract against this Destructive pandemic? What is our response as Christians to this reality? Is compas-sion and love our way of responding to such?