Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This is the third week of our series called Wavelength which means to change our way of thinking to be more Christian, more like God’s. We cannot control our thoughts but we can re-direct them and feed ourselves with more healthy thoughts. How much effort we put into what we eat and often we never consider what goes into our minds. I have been encouraging you to take a look at what you watch on TV or the computer, the music you listen to and the friendships you form and be more intentional with these things that have such a strong influence on all of us. Make an examination of conscience for a few minutes each day to see what needs to change in my life.
As we continue in the gospel of Matthew (22: 15-21) we hear of a story that happens close to the last weeks of Jesus’ life. He enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the crowds love him, but the leaders continue to plot his death. They continue to plot ways to trip him up as if he was some sort of backwards hick, and they think they are smarter. So they pay him an insincere complement to flatter him but they are trying to trick him. And so they ask about paying the census tax.
This was a loaded question because the Jews had to pay taxes to Rome and they were exorbinate and they funded the oppression of the Romans over them. So the taxes were high and humiliating. Also the Roman currency had an image of the Emperor on it that was like a god and the Jews found this very offensive. The Jews thought it was idolatry to use a coin with an image of Caesar on it and yet not paying the tax was economic ruin or imprisonment. The Herodians on the other hand were in favor of the tax and anything that helped the king.
So the leaders thought they had the Jesus trapped and if he pays the tax then he is condoning idolatry or if he does not pay it then he is in trouble with the Romans. You may also feel stuck when people ask questions about God and suffering or the Church and you are not sure how to handle the situation. Repeat what you hear in church: God loves you and wants you to be happy.
Jesus tells them straight out that they are hypocrites and he knows that it is a trap. Jesus asks for the coin and says whose icon is this and whose inscription? Jesus uses the coin itself to show them their blindness. The coin has an image of Caesar on it, which shows to whom it belongs. So Jesus gives this marvelous answer: “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Give money to Caesar and give your soul to God.
Going back to the book of Genesis at the creation of the first man and woman, God says, “Let us make him in our image and according to our likeness.” You and I have a divine image in our soul, and our body. It is a seal that cannot be removed. Jesus came to restore that image and return it to the Father. True holiness is returning the person to his or her proper owner and creator. God calls us each week to awaken this image inside of us. I know you by name and I called you, Isaiah the prophet tells us. He formed us and molded us to be like him.
We are called to be like God. Let us not be afraid to speak of him, to develop this image of the Trinity inside of us, to overcome our self-satisfaction and to hunger for God and serve him. We are always looking for more help in the parish; don’t be afraid to offer yourself in one of the ministries, to give glory to God for what he is doing in your life.