Deacon Tom's Homily for October 22nd, the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
/TODAY’S GOSPEL ENCOUNTER MAY seem like just another debate about taxes, but it’s actually a vicious attack, whose goal is nothing less than crucifixion!
WHENEVER A NEW ROMAN Emperor came into power, one of the first things he did, to assert his authority, was to mint a series of coins with his image on them.
THE MAJORITY OF JEWS considered the very use of these coins blasphemy not only because of their graven image, but because their inscription proclaimed the Emperor a god!
THE TWO JEWISH FACTIONS, mentioned in our Gospel today, are bitter enemies! Despite this, they’ve teamed up to ensnare Jesus in a deadly trap.
IF THEY CAN GET HIM TO ANSWER “Yes” to their question about paying taxes to the Romans, the Pharisees are certain most of the Jews will turn against Him.
IF HE ANSWERS “NO”, THE Herodians, Jews who are collaborators with Rome, will immediately have Jesus arrested for sedition and treason!
THEY’RE SO SURE THEY’VE GOT Him!
BUT JESUS AVOIDS FALLING INTO their trap; instead, He requests to see a coin.
“Whose image is on your coin?” He asks them, and His opponents realize that they’ve been defeated.
WE CAN ALMOST SEE THEIR arrogance evaporate! Not daring to look up, they mumble: “Caesar’s”.
“Then, repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,” Jesus tells them.
THEY’VE ENJOYED THE ROMAN roads, economic prosperity under the Pax Romana, and the freedom from anarchy that civil government provides. So, it’s only right that they pay for them.
THEN JESUS STINGS THEM TO THE core, when He demands: “And repay to God, what belongs to God.”
WHAT DOES “REPAY TO GOD, WHAT belongs to God” mean for us today?
WELL, WHOSE IMAGE IS STAMPED on each one of us?
THE BOOK OF GENESIS TELLS US God created each of us in His own image. We’ve been imprinted with His Spirit who dwells with in us and we carry His image with us wherever we go: to work, to school, to play.
SO, TO REPAY GOD WHAT IS GOD’S means loving Him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind.
IN A SENSE, EACH OF US IS GOD’S precious coin. And from all these coins, from all this wealth, a kingdom is being built: the Kingdom of God on earth!