“Fight fire with fire” is good advice for firefighters, where a controlled fire can stop a wildfire. But it is not the way of the Gospel.
When His enemies plotted against Him, Jesus did not answer hostility with hostility. He quietly remained faithful to the Father’s will, continuing to heal and to love. He refused to let the hatred around Him shape the love within Him.
Perhaps that is the invitation of today’s Gospel. We cannot always choose how others treat us, but we can choose how we respond. We do not have to let another person’s anger determine our kindness or their bitterness steal our peace.
The world may say, “Get even.” Jesus says, “Keep loving.” Mercy is not weakness. It is the quiet strength that refuses to let evil have the final word.
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