62‘But I say to you, do not resist evil; but if someone hits you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek as well. And if anyone sues you in the courts, and takes away your coat, let him have your cloak also. And if anyone forces you to go a mile, go with him for two miles’ (Matt. 5:39-41). Why did He say this? Both to keep you free from anger and irritation, and to correct the other person by means of your forbearance, so that like a good Father He might bring the two of you under the yoke of love.

St. Maximus the Confessor Four Hundred Centuries on Love: #62

In the teachings of Christ, we encounter a radical call to forbearance, a directive that challenges our natural instincts and invites us to transcend the ordinary responses to injustice and aggression. "But I say to you, do not resist evil; but if someone hits you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek as well. And if anyone sues you in the courts, and takes away your coat, let him have your cloak also. And if anyone forces you to go a mile, go with him for two miles" (Matt. 5:39-41).

Imagine a field where two oxen are yoked together, plowing the earth in unison. The yoke, though a burden, ensures that they move forward together, their strength combined to cultivate the land. This image of the yoke serves as a metaphor for the transformative power of love and forbearance in our relationships. By responding to aggression with patience and generosity, we allow the yoke of love to bind us together, even with those who wrong us.

Christ's teaching is not about passivity in the face of evil but about active love that transcends the immediate impulse for retaliation. When someone strikes us, demands our possessions, or imposes on our time, our natural reaction is often one of anger and resentment. But by turning the other cheek, offering more than what is taken, and going the extra mile, we embody a divine love that seeks to heal rather than divide.

Why did Christ say this? To free us from the corrosive effects of anger and irritation that can fester in our hearts. These emotions, left unchecked, become barriers to the flow of divine love, isolating us from others and from God. By practicing forbearance, we not only protect our own hearts from these negative emotions but also open the door to the possibility of transformation in the other person.

Forbearance serves as a corrective measure, not through confrontation but through example. It is a powerful, silent testimony to the strength and resilience of love. When we respond to aggression with patience and generosity, we plant seeds of reflection and change in the hearts of those who wrong us. They are confronted not with resistance but with an unexpected grace that challenges their assumptions and behaviors.

Like a good Father, God seeks to bring both the wronged and the wrongdoer under the yoke of love. This divine yoke is not a burden but a pathway to deeper connection and mutual growth. By embracing Christ's call to forbearance, we participate in this divine plan, becoming instruments of God's love and agents of reconciliation.

Therefore, let us take up the challenge of Christ's radical forbearance. Let us strive to turn the other cheek, to offer our cloak, and to go the extra mile. In doing so, we free ourselves from the chains of anger and irritation and become vessels of God's transformative love.

May we, through our acts of forbearance, reflect the boundless love of God and contribute to the healing and unity of our fractured world. In the yoke of love, may we find our true strength and our ultimate purpose.