In today’s Gospel, some of the Pharisees seek to entrap Jesus, asking him a question designed to get him in trouble with either the religious or government authorities. But Jesus finds a clever way to answer sensibly and safely. Had Caesar heard his answer, he would have been pleased that Jesus’ followers could be counted on to continue to pay the census tax. But maybe we should ask, what did Caesar have that did not first come from God? All creation has its source in God, and so truly all creation belongs to God. Neither Cyrus, king of Persia nor Caesar likely realized it, but despite all their power and all their wealth, they stood in God’s debt. Even more do we owe God for all we have been given, from what we have here in this world to our eventual destiny in the next.
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God,” is a reminder of our struggle to integrate our lives as faithful citizens of the USA with our lives as faithful Catholics. We are obligated to do both, to bring our faith and our values to all our responsibilities, including civil ones. May the Eucharist we receive and share today strengthen us in fulfilling our mission in every respect.
Today is World Mission Sunday, a reminder to us to carry our Lord’s message throughout the world. In the Archdiocese 45 parishes have twinning relationships and the Archdiocese for some 41 years supported La Sagrada Familia in the Dominican Republic. Our own parish of St. James has a sister parish, as you know Santisimo Sacramento in Piura, Peru. Our prayers and generous support go out to Fr. Joe Uhen and his flock.
Love, Peace, Joy,
Fr. Bob
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