“Go the extra mile.” – Jesus

***

Gospel: Matthew 5: 38-44

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase, “Go the extra mile.”

I heard it a lot growing up, especially when I did the bare minimum. If I vacuumed the house but didn’t move tables, chairs, or light furniture, my mother would say, “Kev, go the extra mile.”

If I cooked dinner for myself but not my brother, “Kev, go the extra mile.”

I’d say to the kids who use our playground today, “When you see litter around the basketball court, pick it up. Go the extra mile.”

***

This phrase, “go the extra mile,” dates back to the Roman Empire.

At that time, citizens were legally obligated to carry messages from the emperor to distant provinces when asked. It was civil service.

While there was a limit on the actual distance one was required to travel, Jesus encouraged his followers to go even further. “Should anyone press you into service for one mile,” he says, “go with him for two miles.”

Christians stretched this idea of going the extra mile into a spiritual practice of doing more than what is asked of you in terms of charity.

Instead of praying for five minutes, try praying for ten. 

Instead of going to Mass alone, pick up a neighbor along the way. 

Instead of feeding one person in need, feed two. 

Instead of forgiving a person once, forgive them twice.

***

“Should anyone press you into service for one mile,” Jesus says, don’t stop there.

Go the extra mile.

What’s an extra mile for me today?

***

***

Image credits: (1) UpClose Team (2) Print-Print (3) eos.org