Jesus tells us turn the other cheek if assaulted, the Church says that we may defend ourselves if assaulted. Are these two ideas in conflict? No, here Jesus describes the perfect response, while self defense is within the realm of legitimate action. This idea is presented in the “Teachings of the Apostles”, authored by the apostles in the first century, “If someone strikes your right cheek, turn to him the other also,
and you shall be perfect.”, see appendix 3, “Didache.”
Many actions have a legitimate and a perfect form and recognizing which is which may not be easy. The father of a family may be required to oppose an assault in some way, while a monk is not.
Moral theology usually limits itself to the realm of legitimate action. Mystical theology and especially the lives of the saints are good sources of information for those wishing to raise their actions and lives beyond legitimate action to 167
perfection. In any life circumstance, there is a saint who has done it before.
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We now end our brief excursion into moral theology, having only touched upon the moral act, and its modifiers: material cooperation with evil, the principle of double effect and custom.132