29th Sunday Year A

Matthew 22:15-21

Give to Caesar the things the belong to Caesar and to
God the things that are God's.

The Pharisees went off and began to plot how they might trap
Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, accompanied
by Herodian sympathizers, who said: "Teacher, we know you are
a truthful man and teach God's way sincerely. You court no one's
favor and do not act out of human respect. Give us your opinion,
then, in this case. Is it lawful to pay tax to the emperor or
not?" Jesus recognized their bad faith and said to them, "Why
are you trying to trip me up, you hypocrites? Show me the coin
used for the tax." When they handed him a small Roman coin he
asked them, "Whose head is this, and whose inscription?"
"Caesar's," they replied. At that he said to them, "Then give
to Caesar what is Caesar's, but give to God what is God's."


The Gospel of the Lord.

In the gospel for the 29th Sunday of the Year, we will see how
the Pharisees were thinking how they could trap Jesus in His
speech. They sent their disciples to Jesus to ask Him: "Teacher,
give us Your opinion, is it lawful to pay tax to the emperor
or not?" Jesus recognized what their intention was in this
question. The question may have been probably related to a
controversy or issue for the Jews living in the Roman Empire
during that time. But Jesus gave the Pharisees' disciples a
wise and prudent answer: He asked for a coin and answered also
with a question - "whose head is in the coin and whose
inscription is in it?" They replied, "Caesar's." And then
Jesus ended what would have been a controversy and issue among
them by saying, "then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, but give
to God what is God's."

When we reflect on this gospel, the controversial question can
be seen to revolve around the elements of government, money,
God, and us. The question challenging Jesus was really meant
to trap Him because the Pharisees see Him as One revolting
against their Jewish law and teaching. But Jesus answered
wisely. And His answer helps us also to think a little more
deeply: do we give to institutions what is due them, and to
God what is due Him? It is true that the face of many leaders
of government are in our currencies. But let us place our
hearts in our imagination: "is the face of God in our hearts?"
If it is, then that is what is due our Lord. If not, then let
us humbly pray and work more that God's countenance becomes
clearer and brighter within the hearts of everyone in our
family and friends.