In today's gospel we hear the real challenge of the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus instructs his followers to be perfect, as God the Father is perfect.  This is a very central theme to Jesus preaching.  The Lord teaches us to go beyond what is expected, to go the extra mile.  This teaching has implications in every aspect of our lives. 

            Take our work ethic. We can think of work as a burden, as something we must do in order to survive.  We can also think of work as something we enjoy, something that allows us to make a contribution. If we choose to see work as a burden we may feel bored, under-paid, and unappreciated. Successful workers want to do more than just what is expected.  The job becomes its own challenge, exciting and stimulating.  Instead of wasting time worrying about how to get out of work, we can get into our work and make it rewarding for ourselves and our employers.

            The same is true about our attitude toward life in general.  If we are looking for the least we have to do in any area of life, we will be frustrated and unhappy.  Many people complain that they are not getting anything out of their marriage.  Jesus' principle would ask, what are you putting into your marriage?  People say, "I don't understand my kids."  What are putting into those relationships?  

            The wonderful thing about Jesus' principle of the extra mile is that it puts us in control of our own happiness.  We get out of our relationships what we put into them.  If we invest the very least that is expected, then that is what comes back to us.  If we invest all that we have, then the sky is the limit.  How can we be perfect like our heavenly Father?  We must put our very selves into the challenges of life and let God's power flow through us.