Reflection - 43

Second mile.....

“And if any one forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile”

Dear Friends,

In the Gospel of St. Mathew, Chapter 5 verse 41 Jesus says that if any one forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile when we ponder over the term Second mile? What is this second mile? What should be our Second mile?  Our second mile is our second responsibility. That means the responsibility which we are not about to do or which we are not expected to do. It simply means responsibility which is not ours. Jesus is expecting such kind of responsibilities or obligation from our part.

If we take examples from the bible we could see a lot of personalities whom they fulfilled their second mile. First one is Mary, being a pregnant woman she went for serving Elizabeth. Take the exact example of Good Samaritan; he could have gone without caring the wounded man but he did not do that he covered his wound and nursed him. Take Simon on the way of the cross, what he did is, while he was passing through the way in which Jesus carrying the cross he literally helped Jesus to carry the cross. I don’t think it is his primary duty to carry the cross. He might have wife, he might have children. He wanted to look after them. Moreover he helped Jesus to carry the cross. 

Take the example of Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara, as a diocesan clergy he could have been an ordinary or normal priest. But he came to know the necessities of the church as well as the society. He had done a lot of things that is beyond our imagination and became the prominent character in the history of Church. And also Mar Ivanios, Prophet of reunion in Indian Church, being bishop of Orthodox Church, he could have got a healthier opportunity. But he quit all his possessions and followed the truth and underwent lot of difficulties and sufferings.

In connection with year of mercy we have a lot of things to be done. As a religious or a seminarian our primary responsibility is to pray or to study well. But we are obliged to do these things. These are our first mile only. However in a broader sense when we are giving your time for others or when you are lending your ears to others problem, or when you help our fellow brother who is weak in academic matters, you are accomplishing this second mile.  So it is your secondary duties. Regarding with prayer, usually we pray for our dear and near ones especially our parents our relatives or the person whom we are closely associated. But these are primary duties only. We should go beyond that we have to pray for the entire world. we have to remember all our fellow beings that all are in need and need not of prayer.

So dear brothers, try to find out second mile throughout our formation. We are supposed to bear the crosses of others in all through our life. Especially in the year of mercy, try to build up or strengthen our friends, our community, our church, with our deeds and words. For these, try to find out extra mile and act upon it. As our motto tells us help and help others to grow. Let us ponder over it.

May Christ bless you, thank you….                       

Bro. Sam Varghese