Consistent Ethic of Life

From a Bishop of the Early Church on Nonviolence: Act as Lambs Rather than Wolves

by St. John Chrysostom (d. 400)

That they may now understand that this is a new kind of warfare and not the usual custom of joining in battle, when he sent them forth with nothing He said: "And so, marching on, show forth the meekness of lambs, although you are to go to wolves. . . for so will I best show my power, when the wolves are conquered by the lambs." For certainly it is a greater work and much more marvelous to change the minds of opponents and to bring about a change of soul than to kill them. . . . We ought to be ashamed, therefore, who act far differently when as wolves we rush upon our adversaries. For as long as we are lambs we conquer; even when a thousand wolves stand about, we overcome and are victors. But if we act like wolves we are conquered, for then the aid of the Good Shepherd departs from us, for He does not foster wolves but sheep.

Houston Catholic Worker, Vol. XXIII, No. 3, May-June 2003.