The commandments of Christ the Lord
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Anger
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother[a] will be liable to judgment; whoever insults[b] his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell[c] of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.[d]
When you turn your cheek…
Saint John Chrysostom, Homilies at Matthew, homily XVIII, III, in Church Fathers and Writers (1994), vol. 23, p. 235
This is a wonderful thing that Christ by convincing us to endure the harm teaches those who do the harm to meditate. When the greedy considers a great thing to take your things and you show him that it is easy for you to give him even what he doesn`t ask when you make him see his poverty and your generosity, your philosophy and his greed, think what a good teacher you are for him teaching him not by word but by deed to despise the vice and love virtue
God wants to be useful not only to ourselves but also to our fellows. If you gave only for not coming before judgment you followed only your own interest, but if you give more than he wants to take, you follow his interest as well as you separate of him after making him good.
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The salt has a power like this (Matthew 5, 13) – and Christ aims that those who follow Him to be like the salt – salt preserves itself and preserves the food where is sprinkled over as well. The light has the same power: it gives light to itself and to the others as well. So if Christ made you be among people salt and light be useful to the one who is in the dark; teach him that even when he took from you he did not take by force; convince him that he did not harm you. If you show him that you offered him and he did not rob you, you will be more respected, more appreciated. Turn by your gentleness his sin into your generosity.
Tertulian, About patience, XV, in Church Fathers and Writers (1981), vol. 3, p. 197
God is the Kind Protector of our patience ; if you left in His care the injustice done by others He is the avenger ; for damages He gives compensation for pains He is a doctor, for death he is a life Giver. How much patience can have God as its creditor.
Saint Ignatius Teophorus, Epistles (to Policarp), Cap. VI, 2, in Church Fathers and Writers (1979), vol. 1, p. 227
`Be long-suffering with kindness with each other as God is with you.
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