29th Sunday - Give to God what is God's ...

 

"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar

and to God what belongs to God"

Matthew 22: 15-21

The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101826.cfm

Almighty ever-living God,

grant that we may always conform our will to yours

and serve your majesty in sincerty of heart.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 

who lives and reigns with you in the

unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.

(Collect of Mass)

The following letter was found in the files of the Internal Revenue Service: “Dear IRS, my conscience has been bothering me. I am including a check for $5,000 to pay my back taxes.” At the bottom of the letter was a postscript, “If my conscience continues to bother me, I will send the rest.”

Many things may run through our minds as we consider the Gospel this Sunday. While Jesus really isn’t teaching us about who we owe money to, he does present to us a very interesting response to the challenge of the Pharisees. It can be taken in more than one way.

In a clear effort to entrap Jesus, the scheming Pharisees, pose a question to Jesus the “Teacher” as they refer to him, Rabbi, that would reveal on whose side he really is – that of the Romans or the Jews.  Either way, they felt he would entrap himself no matter his answer that seemed to back Jesus in to a corner.

With an almost sickening false flattery, Jesus is insincerely complimented by his questionnaires, then asked the tricky question: “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Matthew relates that Jesus knew their “malice” their evil intent and, as always, could read their hearts and knew their true intention.

If Jesus said “no” you should not pay the census tax, then he would anger the Romans and be accused of sedition. If he said “yes” then he would challenge the very Commandment to the Torah to have no other god’s before you by siding with the Romans and their brutal occupation of Israel. Imprinted on the coin they showed Jesus was the clear image of Caesar and an inscription which claimed him to be the “son of god,” in reference to his father who had been proclaimed divine by the Roman government.

“Show me the coin, “Jesus stated.  As Pharisees, being representatives of the Sacred Law, they should have no such graven image in their pockets let alone in their hands. Still, someone does although it isn’t stated who but the very fact that it is produced for Jesus proves their complicity.  They possess the coin which pays the census tax, which reveals their complicity with Rome.

Brilliantly, Jesus turns the question back on them: “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Score another one for Jesus!

There is likely no other line Jesus spoke that Christians have wrestled with its meaning.  What is Caesar’s?  What is God’s? How wealthy can the Church be and what about the right use of money considering our Christian faith? We modern American’s may point to this as a classic example of the separation of church and state, but its meaning has nothing to do with our American Constitution.  It is far more about our right relationship in the human community and the one God, who is Lord. One example may help to answer the question as to what belongs to who.

In the story of creation, as God creates humankind, we hear that we are created “in the image and likeness of God,” Every human is created with the image of God as unique.  We don’t look the same, we don’t walk in lock step uniformly and each human person has a unique individuality that reflects the limitless power of God over all things.  To God is owed all things because he is Lord of all and we above all, bear the image of the creator.  Like the ancient image of Caesar imprinted on the coin, the image of God is imprinted on us eternally due to our baptism.  We belong to God as we are baptized into Christ Jesus.

So, to whom do we owe what?  As citizens of a nation, we have the responsibilities of good citizenship of course and to determine what is "Caesars,” that is taxes, obedience to law and order, good citizenship, and patriotism is clear. Government officials have a legitimate authority to protect its citizens, and we work for the common good of all in this Country.  We all know how fortunate we are to have a say in our own governing. Yet that power is limited and uniformly applied, we hope, like the money we carry.

But the things of God have no limit: all is gift, and all is grace.  All authority ultimately comes from him. Our first reading from Isaiah today reminds us how God used the pagan Persian King Cyrus as an instrument to return the exiled people to Israel: “I have called you by your name, and given you a title, though you knew me not.” He released the Jews in captivity and even assisted them in their return to the devastated Jerusalem with assistance to rebuild their temple.  He was a “messiah,” a savior to these people despite his pagan background.  God will use anyone for his good purpose.

We human beings belong to God for as money is printed in the image of an earthly nation we human beings are created in the image of God.  Therefore, it may be not so difficult to recognize that when it comes to our human obligations to our government pitted at times against those that call us to Christian discipleship, we find a tension,

It should be for us a matter of how the human person is recognized, respected, protected, and honored by our government.  If we live in a culture which looks at life as more pragmatic rather than as sacred, then our allegiance must be always to the higher moral standard which God has established.  As the poor, the elderly, the frail, the unborn child the innocent are all unable to support and protect themselves are ignored or dismissed, then we rise to make a difference and speak to “Caesar” so that laws can be changed.  We give to God what is God’s. If the sanctity of the marriage covenant is seen as not what God intended, then we must choose what God is owed not what is popular or political. Give to God what is God’s. We owe him everything as he is the Lord of our lives.

So, while we may separate our allegiance to State and Church we cannot live as dual citizens – one way for one and another way for the other; one way in Church and another in the public place. The choice must be ours.  We are Catholic/Christians who live in a secular culture, and we cannot compromise the things of God for the things of Caesar.  As citizens of a nation life stops here when we are gone.  But as citizens of the kingdom of God, we go on beyond this world where our total giving will be for God alone.  So, whose image do we follow? Upon one another, who do we see?