Homily... WhatsApp - 21.10.2023

 29th Sunday 22.10.'23

Is 45:1,4-6/ 1The 1:1-5/ Mt 22:15-21

-"I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God... " Is 45:5

- “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Mt 22:22 ("So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Gen 1:27)

Today's first and third readings are connected on the theme of one God whereas the second reading stand apart unconnected!

Isaiah presents God chosing Cyrus 'For the sake of his servant Jacob, and Israel his chosen', and making him known that he is 'the Lord, and there is no other, besides him there is no God'. 

In the gospel, Mathew presents Jesus facing

the disciples of the Pharisees along with the Hero′dians who ask him, “Teacher... is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus outwitted their trick to trap him either way saying to show him the money for the tax.” Seeing the coin he asked them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 

Jews were not quite comfortable with the Roman rule, especially of their taxation as they were asked to pay in their currency bearing the image of Caesar and the inscription 'Tiberius Caesar, august son of the divine Augustus, high priest'. For the staunch monotheist as they are, the Jews could not accept it.

Using this rather precarious situation, they wanted to trap him either way. Knowing their trick so well, Jesus outwitted them asking them to show their currency. On seenig the image of Caesar on it he asked them to "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

The first part seemingly is solved. Now, what about the second part: 'Render... to God the things that are God’s.” What belonged to Caesar was decided by the image the coin bore, namely Caesar's image. In the same God's image has to be sought so as to present whatever bears his image to be presented to him.

Here, Genesis 1:27 would help us: "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." That means one may present anything to anyone, whether Caesar or not, but to God what bears his image, that is every man and woman and nothing short of it.

That's one may present his having to anyone he or she likes but his or her being only to God.