READINGS
1.Is
45:1.4-6
2.Thes 1:
1-5b
3.Mt
22:15-21
Theme of the
Sunday “ The
Christianity and the State”
As we
celebrate the 29th Sunday of the year Ordinary time Year A, we are
all invited to reflect on the relationship that exists between religion and the
state. State and religion are two different entities yet all are there for the
well being of man. All of these are instruments of God in ensuring that what
all God had created have to be maintained. Each entity has got conditions to be
fulfilled.
In the
readings, more especially from the Gospel, we see Jewish authorities putting
Jesus into dilemma, and on top of that they are asking him a question that
seems to have no straight answer, it is just a trap question. They asked Jesus
a question about the right to pay the tax to Caesar or not to pay? This was a
complex question raised to Jesus and to see his response, thus the question
aimed at testing Jesus on account of wanting to know whether Jesus was for Jewish
religion or was for Caesar’s authority( State of Romans). The implication of
Jesus response would have brought him a trouble in the sense that, if Jesus
would have said that it was right to pay tax to Caesar, a pagan ruler, then he
would lose credibility to Jewish nation, and more on that with this in mind he would have been regarded
as a friend of Caesar, on the other side of the coin, another implication of
his response to their question that if He would have said that it was not lawful to pay tax to Caesar again it
would have been grounds to the Pharisees to accuse Jesus to Romans authorities
of convincing people not to pay tax to
Roman authorities and thus this would have him arrested for not obeying the
Romans authorities.
Jesus wisely
in responding to their complex and dilemma question, he confronts them with the image inscribed on a coin. Coinage
in the ancient World had significant
political power. Rulers coins with their own image and inscription on them. In
a certain sense the coin was regarded as the personal property of the ruler,
where the coin was valid, the ruler held political sway over the people. Since
the Jews used the Roman currency, Jesus explained that what belonged to Caesar
must be given to Caesar.
This story
has another deeper meaning as well. We too have been stamped God’s image since
we are created in his own image and likeness, this is evident from the
scriptures “ God created man in his own image...male and female he created them”
( Genesis 1:26-27). Thus we rightfully belong not to our own but rather to God
who created us in His own image and finally redeemed us through the blood of
His own Son Jesus Christ (1 Cor6: 19-20), Paul the Apostle testifies this when
he says “ we are to present our bodies as the living sacrifice to God( Rom12:1)
Several
interpretations have been given with respect to this scripture passage, more
especially with the heads of the states that Christians should not involve or
mingle with Political affairs; likewise, it is used by Christians to say that
the state has no right to interfere with religious concerns, it is under this
background that the meaning of the scripture passage may be distorted by
religious readers to justify that the church has the right to own material
goods. But with Jesus’ response to the question posed by the Pharisees this is
not an issue, if we are kin to Jesus’ response we realize that in his response
he answers them “ give back” what must be given back? Here what does give back
imply, it means giving back to God. If we use Caesar’s coins it means that we
recognize Roman power. We can’t invoke religious principles only when it is
time to pay taxes. Here we learn a lesson of obedience from Jesus that if he
was able to listen to temporal power and authorities what about ourselves?? We learn
that we should pay attention to both
state and spiritual authorities and at a time we should not confuse them at
once, each authority has got its place and importance before us, as each is
there for our well being. For Christians the reading gives a moral lesson that
through paying taxes, Christians contribute to the common good. No reason can
be justified through destruction or theft of the goods of the state. Whatever type of the society/ state, Christians
are called to be attentive in respecting these authorities, moreover, the
Christians are called to be exemplar in fulfilling the duties of the state authorities.
Just as the
coin must be returned to its owner, the emperor because it bears his image, so
we too Christians must return to God what belongs to God, that is the creatures
that bears His image, and what is this creature?( Gen 1:27), we should return
to God the image he created Himself. No body has got right to own us and to
oppress us, because we are sacred and we belong to God. The evil things done to
our brothers and sisters in our society today, more especially to the
vulnerable of the society distort the image of God created in these people. We
should give back what belongs to God by acknowledging his mighty deeds in our
lives, by acknowledging the nature, by avoiding treating human person as an
object. As we celebrate 29th Sunday of year A ordinary time, let us
ponder on our ways of life whether we have returned back what belongs to Caesar
and what belongs to God in a right manner, and if we found ourselves in debt to
God, and to Caesar, thus it is our responsibility that we have to fulfill our task of
serving God and give back what belongs to Him and our task of serving our
states and give back what belongs to our civil authorities
0 Response to "HOMILY ON THE 29 TH SUNDAY OF YEAR A ORDINARY TIME"
Chapisha Maoni