Go the Extra Mile

Vincent Van Gogh's Good Samaritan

The Gospel according to Luke tells the famous story of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan in those days was persona non grata among the Jews, someone you would never be seen with. That was the shock of this parable. Who’s our neighbor? Jesus says everybody, even this Samaritan. Every man, woman, child, whatever ethnic background, religious tradition, sexual orientation, is our neighbor, so to speak.

I think of that as we saw news this weekend about severe floods in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a blackout in New York.

Jesus says very simply yet very powerfully that we love God to the extent that we love one another. And Jesus challenges us to make acts of kindness part of our daily routine. Matthew 25 says this loudly and clearly: When I was hungry, when I was thirsty, you did something.

We can’t say we love God and yet neglect our fellow beings. Our love for one another doesn’t depend upon what others can do for us. Jesus aided many people who apparently couldn’t do much in return. Although people can surprise us!

Jesus makes some radical demands regarding our relationships. Read carefully Chapter 5 in Matthew. Jesus says: Give to the one who asks of you. Give to everyone? It’s not always possible. But that demand indicates the direction of our lives: to be generous with what we have, with our time, talent and treasure.

Jesus says: To the person who strikes you on one side of the face, offer the other side as well. Sometimes we have to stand up against wrongs. Again, Jesus indicates the thrust or direction of our lives, that is, we should do our best to be peacemakers, healers, bridge builders, reconcilers. We also find his well-known advice to go the extra mile.

Now these radical demands by Jesus of course have to be linked to Jesus’s mission. He proclaims that the kingdom of God is breaking into our midst. Yes, the kingdom is here, but not completely or fully. You and I are living in between the historical coming of Jesus in Bethlehem and the final coming of Jesus in glory at the end time. So we live in that tension between the present and the future.

Often we fall short of the ideals of Jesus, because we have within ourselves a “pull” or tendency to not always choose right over wrong. People sometimes choose evil over good. The Catholic tradition calls this “original sin.” This tradition also proclaims that the power of God within us –as our creator, redeemer and sanctifier--can overcome that tendency, and enables us to have a genuine relationship with God and with one another.

How? By sharing what we have with others. Sharing our time-especially with our families. Sharing our talents-a smile or a skill that will uplift someone else. Sharing our treasure, especially with people in need. All of us have the potential to do great things for God. And it begins with small, ordinary things, each day.

The great eighteenth century preacher, John Wesley, summed up our potential for doing great things for God with the phrase; do all the good we can.  By all the means we can.  In all the ways we can.  In all the places we can. At all the times we can.  To all the people we can. As long a ever we can. Amen.

Unconditional Love

Jesus on the Mount of Beatitudes

In the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus asks us to love our enemies. The Greek text of the Gospel shows the word for love is agape. Not a romantic or emotional love, but an unconditional love, wishing our fellow human beings only good.

Jesus makes some radical demands upon us: Love your enemies; if someone slaps you on one side of the face, offer the other; give to everyone who asks.

Now how can anyone practice all the teachings of Jesus? How understand them? Who can give to everyone who asks? Are these teachings simply another example of middle eastern hyperbole or exaggeration? A few people, for example, Francis of Assisi or Dorothy Day, have tried to live these literally. For most people, they’re not very practical. So, how understand these ethical teachings?

First, you don’t have to like someone to love them. The love that Jesus asks us to have means that, no matter how someone may wrong us, we will never let bitterness close our hearts to them nor will we wish them anything but good. Agape recognizes the humanity we share with all people who call God “Father” – and that unconditional love begins within our own households, workplaces and communities.

Second, the radical ethical teachings of Jesus are linked to the mission of Jesus, who proclaims that the kingdom of God is in our midst. Yes, the kingdom is here, but not completely or fully. You and I are living in-between the historical coming of Jesus centuries ago and the final coming of Jesus in glory. We live in the tension between.

Jesus indicates the goal or thrust of our behavior, but this goal may not always be achievable. "Giving to everyone who asks" is not always possible, yet it indicates the direction of our lives: be generous with what we have -- our time, talent and treasure.

Remember that Jesus connects our love of God with our love for one another. Matthew 25 says this loudly and clearly: when I was hungry, when I was thirsty, etc. We can’t say we love God and yet neglect our needy fellow human beings. To the person who strikes you on one side of the face, Jesus says, offer the other as well. Yet sometimes we must fight against evil. We may have to take someone’s life in self-defense.

But Jesus indicates the thrust or direction of our lives, that is, we must try to be peacemakers, healers, bridge builders, reconcilers. So, these teachings of Jesus create tension between the present and final stages of the kingdom of God.

The genuine disciple of Jesus lives in this tension by seizing the many opportunities to do good today. To quote John Wesley: “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” Amen.