At St. James, we reflect on the Gospel for the next Sunday every time we gather together either as a staff, in RCIA, in Christian Formation classes or a variety of other ways. I thought I'd share this with you, not for this week, but for next week Gospel:
What happens to Jesus here is what happens to us frequently. People try and trap us in our words, even and maybe even especially when faith matters come into play. The Herodians are trying to do that here with Jesus. Jesus, of course, knows what’s going on, and responds with some slick words of give to Caesar what is Caesars.
Jesus’ wit is just a funny little subtlety compared to the message of the Gospel. I think these words are especially powerful in today’s world, where the financial situation for the country and the world is very unstable. Money is not the most important thing in life. A job that makes a ton of money is not that important, because ultimately, money is meant to be spent. Money is a means to an end, and not an end itself. Money helps us get by, allows us to buy food and necessities—even some things that are not necessities. Currency is helpful, but ultimately is used to get other things that we need. On top of that, in the US, money is not even ours. It belongs to the government. That’s why it’s illegal to deface money. So give to the government what is the government’s—money.
The interesting part is the second half of the sentence though. Jesus could have left it at just that, give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. Instead, he calls us to give to God what belongs to God. This brings up the question, what belongs to God? Only the most important stuff of life: our time, our energy, and most importantly ourselves. For in God we live, and move, and have our being. While our money is stamped with the seal of the US government, we were stamped with a mark at baptism that claims us as God’s. But just how do we give to God’s what is God’s? How do we give God ourselves?
That’s the question for today’s Gospel. We are faced with the dilemma of giving of ourselves. Where and to whom do we give ourselves? To our job? To an addiction? To money? To our school? To ourselves? To our family? To our friends? To God?
Where are the priorities in your life? And are you faithfully repaying to God what belongs to God?
3 comments:
that's a really great reflection! thanks for sharing!
did you write that??
Thanks! And yes I did write it.
jesus sure was a funny guy...and you sure love asking rhetorical questions.
but in all seriousness, life would be easier if everyone just gave their money to me.
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