ViolenceTURNING THE OTHER CHEEK

Opening PrayerEphesians 4:24 – 5:2

“[And] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” - 4:32

“So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.” - 5:1 – 2

Definition of Violence Violence is any human action that causes harm to the life or dignity of another person.

◦ Because this definition of violence includes harm to human dignity, any action that harms a person’s psychological, social, or spiritual well-being can also be considered violence.

List the Forms of Violence

How Aware Are You About Violence Around

You?

Statistics of Violence (Local)

2008 2009 2010 2011 20130

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The Number of Homicides in Huntsville, AL

Statistics of Violence (National)

19931994

19951996

19971998

19992000

20012002

20032004

20052006

20070

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Juvenile Arrests for Homicide: 1993 - 2007

Violence in Schools (Nationwide)

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 20070

2

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The Overall Percentage of Students Threatened or In-jured with a Weapon at School

MaleFemale

Statistics of Violence (Worldwide)

Violence AwarenessConventional Wisdom: The party with the most strength or weapons will be the one who wins the fight.

The answer to a violent world is more violence. Fight fire with fire.

Violence Awareness“ ‘The eye for an eye’ approach to justice soon leaves everyone blind.” - Gandhi

There is no way to peace; peace is the way.

Only love can break the spiral of violence, and only God’s love can bring true peace.“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. … Returning violence for violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”- Martin Luther King Jr.

Spiral of Violence

1. Basic Injustice: When people resolve conflict by seeking their own interests at the expense of the good of others.

2. Violent Response

3. Violent Counter Response

4. Escalating Violence

5. More Injustice

The Two Significant Causes of Violence

1. Broken Relationships

2. A Culture of Violence

Conflict Conflict is the root of the spiral of violence.

Conflict is disagreements between people or groups that have opposing needs, goals, or beliefs.

Conflict in itself isn’t bad; it is an inevitable result of the fact that each person is different from others.

Spirit of Solidarity Conflict doesn’t need to result in violence.

But when good people attempt to resolve conflict by seeking their own good at the expense of the good for others, injustice results.

Three Responses to Violence1. Submit to the violence

2. RetaliateOR

3. The Christian Response

How can Jesus’ way of love really work in a violent world?

Christianity claims: Love, not violence, brings order and peace to the world.

Although Christ was crucified and died, the life-giving power of his Father’s love overcame that violence in Christ’s Resurrection.

Peace Jesus calls us to a deeper peace than the absence of war and physical violence.

The fruit of love and justice is peace.

“If you want peace, work for justice.”

- Pope Paul VI Peace is the harmony that results when people resolve conflicts by working in love for the good of all.

The Cross is a Source of All Peace

“By the blood of his Cross, ‘in his own person [Christ] killed the hostility’” that separates people from one another and God.

- from CCC 2305The logic of retaliation fuels the spiral of violence and separates us from one another and God.Christ responded to violence with forgiveness.Christ liberated humanity from sin, the root cause of all violence.

“Take up your cross and follow me.” Jesus calls us to “take up [your] cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24).”◦ We do that whenever we act in love and proclaim

the truth, even though we might suffer as a result.

◦ We don’t seek to suffer … ◦ But when we suffer, unite your suffering to the

Cross of Jesus Christ.

Scriptural Verses on Love, Peace, and Forgiveness.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9).”

Forgive one who sins against you “not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:22).”

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you (Luke 6:27).”

“Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword (Matthew 6:52).”

The Path of Peace

“The path to a more peaceful future is found in a rediscovery of personal responsibility, respect for human life, human dignity, and commitment to social justice.” - Kristi Gallion

Peace begins within yourself through your relationship with Jesus.

Paradox of the Cross

Love is stronger than violence, even the violence of death.

Table Questions and Discussions

Meditation SongPeace Prayer of St. Francis By John Michael Talbot

Prayer of St. FrancisLord make me an instrument of your peace,

Where there is hatred let me sow love.Where there is injury, pardon.Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.Where there is darkness, light.

And where there is sadness, joy.

O divine master grant that I maynot so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;To be loved as to love

For it is in giving that we receive-it is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life.Amen.