Gospel: Mt. 22:15-21
The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
Homily
On Monday of this past week while on the TV programme the “Morning Brew”, I was told by the interviewer that many persons were of the opinion that under my leadership the Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago was getting involved in politics. If the definition of politics is the search for the common good then I have to plead guilty because as a citizen of this nation, the common good of Trinidad and Tobago has to be a priority for me and for anyone who desires to be a good citizen. Unfortunately many persons believe that the task of the church is simply to exhort citizens to love one another and to pray for each other and that public affairs is not the business of the church. This attitude, in which the dichotomy between faith and life is proposed, persists to the present and reveals itself in many forms. We see it in members of the business community who are at Sunday worship but who do not let their faith influence their business transactions. We see it in politicians who profess to be Christians but do not let their Christianity influence their voting. We see it in parents who tell their children one thing and then do another.
In the Gospel reading given to us for our meditation, two groups of people who are normally antagonistic to each other come together to try and trap Jesus. They ask him: “Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” If Jesus says “Yes”, he can be labelled a collaborator of the hated Romans; If he says “No”, he can be accused of sedition. Jesus however sees through their malice but more than that, he recognizes the dichotomy between faith and life that is behind the question. Jesus’ answer corrects that false understanding. He tells them to “repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Jesus is telling them that Caesar has his own legitimate but limited sphere, and that he holds it under God and is responsible to God for its proper governance. In fact Caesar is meant to use his own limited authority to bring about the kingdom of God. That is why the First reading describes Cyrus the pagan king as his chosen one. “I have called you by your name, giving you a title, though you knew me not…. It is I who arm you, though you know me not, so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun people may know that there is none besides me.” It was this Cyrus who liberated the Jews from the Babylonian captivity and allowed them to return to the Promised Land.
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Today then we thank God for St. Thomas More who lost his head and the many English martyrs who refused to put the King before God. We thank God for the Caesars whom we know who have been God’s instruments bringing salvation to the world. Let us remember Political and economic leaders, Christian or otherwise, who using their expertise have made their world and their times better. Let us also however not fail to recognize the instances when Caesar has tried to take God’s place. We ask for the grace not to give to Caesar what is God’s.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, we thank you for calling us to be your instruments to bring your peace and harmony to a broken world. We thank your for those who do not know you yet inspired like Cyrus by a sense of Justice “set captives free”. It is You who called them by name and armed them to do your work.
Preserve us Lord from taking ourselves too seriously and from putting ourselves in your place, seeking to receive what is rightly yours. Help us always to give to Caesar what is rightly Caesar’s but to give to you the honour and glory that is rightly yours. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
