Reverend Marco Ste-Marie

THE SWORD DESTROYS ITS HOLDER

Scripture: “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52)

When Jesus was arrested, Peter drew his sword to defend Him. But Jesus said, “No.” Violence would not save Him, nor the world.

For His disciples, this was shocking. For us, it still is. We live in a society convinced that weapons and harsh words are the only real protection.

Every time we swing the sword—whether with hands, words, or bitterness—we wound ourselves.

We become part of the very violence we claim to resist.

Put the sword down. Every time. Every place. Instead, choose truth-telling, compassion, and justice.

And remember: putting down the sword does not mean standing by silently.

Martin Luther King Jr. showed us this. His protests were not passive. They were bold, active, courageous. He and those who marched with him ABSORBED HATRED WITHOUT RETURNING IT, yet they stood tall.

They disrupted unjust systems without mirroring the violence of their oppressors.

Critical questions for us today

• Do I mistake anger for strength in my own life?
• When was the last time anger truly solved a problem for me?
• How might putting away my “sword” actually free me to act with greater courage?

Every sword raised in anger ends up cutting the one who holds it.