Give our all to God

XXIX Sunday “A” October 22, 2023 Matthew 22:15-21 The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion, for you do not regard a person's status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" Knowing their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's." At that he said to them, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God, what belongs to God.” Jesus in Today’s gospel seems to remind us of the importance of paying our taxes. That government has a role to provide for the common good. The government and paying our taxes are obviously important, but that isn’t the lesson for today. Jesus isn’t come out in favor of any political party or any particular candidate for president, no there is a lesson from the gospel that is much more important than a reminder to pay your taxes or be a good citizen. When Jesus asks, “whose image and whose inscription is on this coin?” Jesus is making a point that is easy for us to miss. Caesar’s image and inscription on the coin signifies the role that Caesar played in the society. The coin belonged to the Caesar because his image and inscription was on it. He was the Caesar, or the president or ruler. What bears God image then? Who or what belongs to God? Obviously, we bear the image of God, God’s name was inscribed upon us at the sacrament of baptism. We bear God’s likeness on our soul, on our very being. We belong to God, not just a part but whole and entire, 100%! Again, if we think the reading is just about the importance of paying taxes we would have to say, Caesar or the Government has a right to a certain percentage, and that everything else belongs to God. That mere statement shows the problem, we know that the percentage that belongs to the government can change. Taxes can go up or they can go down. But what is the percentage that goes to God? Obviously 100%! Everything is God’s. We belong completely to God! All of creation belongs to God. What does it mean if we are made in God’s image and likeness? It means that we are called to be the presence of God in the world today. The first reading from the prophet Isaiah speaks of the pagan King Cyrus the Great. God says that he is God’s “anointed one.” Even though he was a pagan, even though he didn’t know the God of the Israelites he was still an instrument in returning the Judeans to their homeland. Unwittingly Cyrus was furthering God’s plan. The Pharisees and the Herodians did know who God was, but they failed to cooperate in God’s plan. In the world in which we live it is easy to compartmentalize. This is the part that belongs to the Government. I will pay my taxes and be a good citizen. This is the part that belongs to me and my family, and we usually try to make this part as big as we can, and the third part… why what’s left over we give to God. It might be an hour on Sunday, or a few pesos in the offering. Jesus is reminding us that everything that we have belongs to God. Everything that we are belongs to God. So, our call as followers of Jesus is to discover how we can give more and more to God. Jesus' response is not a clever answer, it is a confrontation. The world is not divided into one part for God (however large) and one part for Caesar (however small). Everything belongs to God. In the United States people pride themselves on paying as little taxes as they can. People call Trump smart because he avoids paying taxes. But our decision must always be to give everything to God. What do we want to offer to God this day? Our faith? Our hopes and dreams? Our work and our labor? Our families and our children? Let us pray that we may learn to give all to God, not a percentage but everything, 100%.