Reading:
Reflection:
"Turning the other cheek" is a concept that is often difficult for us. We don't like it when others hurt us, especially when they hurt us physically. What Jesus says in this phrase can often make us feel like Jesus is asking us to take any punishment that comes our way, but that is not what Jesus is saying to us at all.
In Jesus' day, when someone slapped another person, particularly if that person was a subordinate or a slave, it was with the outside of the hand. A slap in this form was a sign of dominance over the other person.
When Jesus says to "turn the other cheek", He is saying to turn your face to the other person so that they can only slap you with the inside of the hand. It forces the other person to at least recognize you as a fellow human being.
What Jesus is calling us to do is to force the other to take a good long look at us and recognize our humanity, with the dignity and respect that this humanity calls for, not for us to take revenge. This is the spirit Jesus calls us to have, and it is the same spirit that has been present in non-violent protests, especially during the Civil Rights Movement.