Revenge: a path that leads to nowhere. Love: a path to peace of soul.

According to novelists and literature experts, when writing a story there are five categories that captivate the reader: the Love story (Romeo and Juliet), the Mistaken Identity (the Prince and the Pauper), stories of Greed (Treasure Island), Redemption (Les Miserables), and then there is the story of “Revenge” (Count of Monte Cristo).

All deal with emotions that push the characters to act and do certain things that can make the story captivating. The theme of Revenge, however, seems to be one that has an inherently negative and somewhat evil focus, even if the person on the receiving end of revenge has what’s coming to him. The story of the Count of Monte Cristo is about a man who is so taken advantage of and abused that once he breaks out of solitary confinement and finds amazing riches, he is hellbent on revenge against those who have wronged him. Unlike the recent movie that came out a few years ago, starring Jim Caviezel, where the count gets his way in the end, killing the bad guy, getting the girl, and reuniting with his son, only to find out that his revenge wasn’t as satisfying as he’d hoped, the book’s ending is much more dire. So carried away with his thirst for revenge he loses everything he’s gained to achieve his goal. His enemy dead, his money squandered and the girl and his own child lost, his revenge ultimately destroys him. Powerful and captivating story, yes, but a tragedy indeed.

I would think however that all of us at one point of our lives desired revenge against someone. Wether we were wronged or made fun of, or were bested by our foe, we’ve probably have said to ourselves before “I’m gonna get him”, “one of these days”, or “she’s gonna pay for what she said.”

I remember having this thought when I was in elementary school towards a school bully. I remember sitting and thinking of all the ways I could get back at him or the words I should have said but didn’t think of at the time. But the effort to keep thinking of this was too draining and finally I abandoned those thoughts and found something else more fun and cheerful to occupy my time.

But for many, in more serious situations, vengeance becomes an obsession. they cannot abandon those thoughts so easily. Jesus’ Commandment in the gospel to ” love your enemy” truly challenges these basic instincts. How can you love your enemy? It can seem a truly difficult and impossible demand.

But as the story of the Count truly shows the act of revenge only gives a passing satisfaction. A documentary on W5 a while back interviewed those who were addicted to revenge. Those addicted would send nasty emails to ex boyfriends or girlfriends, would find the persons car and scratch it, then on to the next act. Nothing seemed to be enough. In one case a doctor murdered his ex partner because he felt he had been betrayed.

Psychologically revenge wants to make you feel that you’re better then the other, that you have humbled the other, put them in their place. Revenge deals with the selfish need to feel that you are one up on the other. The feelings of satisfaction after a vengeful act however are usually passing and the desire for revenge does not really leave. The people interviewed kept going back to do more and more things to exact revenge. Nothing is enough.

Those who have overcome these feeling of revenge and psychologists often state the maxim: the best revenge is a life well lived. In a certain way this is true. But Christ’s teaching challenges us further. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Offer the other cheek. How can we do this? It sounds odd, even against our instincts. Basically Jesus is telling us, do not let yourselves be crushed by the bad and evil deeds others may do to you, don’t get caught up in their game. Don’t let evil trap you in its ways.

First, the Christian must recognize and know themselves as a son or daughter of God, beloved by God. The Christian is called to love, and to love their neighbor as God loves them. We are all called in the Gospel to love as God loves. It is the highest form of love. There are three kinds of love in the Greek language; Eros: that of the passionate love; Philia: the love between family and good friends, and Agape. Agape describes an active feeling of benevolence towards the other person; it means that no matter what that person does to us we will never allow ourselves to desire anything but the highest good for that person; we will always go out of our way to be good and kind to him. It is true however that we cannot love our enemies as our closest and dearest friends. This would be unnatural to do so and even wrong. We can see to it however that no matter what our enemy does to us, insults and injuries, we will not seek anything but their good. Love of our dearest, is easy and natural. Love of our enemy is not of the heart but of the will. We do not need then to feel love for our enemy, but only to “will” love. It is something which only by the grace of Christ we may will ourselves to do. Christ gave the example from the cross when he forgave those who crucified him. Thus this type of love, agape, calls for forgiveness and is the truest way to peace of soul.

The Golden rule: “do to no one what you would not have done to you”. It comes to us from the Old Testament and is stated many times and many wise men and women repeat this wise way of life. But Christ as always pushes us further. It is not enough to not do what we don’t want others to do to us. Christ puts it in the positive: “Go out and do to other what you would want to be done to you”. Jesus pushes us to walk the extra mile; to give not just our best, but our all. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do this. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?”

Many times when we are forced to examination of our conscience we tell ourselves comforting things “well I’m not such a bad person, I haven’t killed anyone, I’m faithful to my wife and family. I’m no different than the next guy. etc…” The follower of Jesus doesn’t compare himself to his neighbors or however society accepts as valid conduct today. It is God with whom we are to compare ourselves, it is Jesus who is our measure as Christians.

Jesus tells us not to content ourselves with what commandments we do not transgress, but to demand of ourselves the best we have to offer to God and neighbor. We must ask then “What does Jesus Do?” and respond: Well let me do as he does, love as he loves. Jesus is kind to the man who bring him joy and equally kind to the man you grieves his heart, God’s love embraces saints and sinners. This doesn’t mean to let people walk all over us and take advantage of our goodness, but it does mean to follow the highest good. Truly, it is this love that we must copy, for it is this kind of love that will make us Christ-like; it is this love that changes the world, it is this love that is redeeming and life-giving.