29 OTA.11; Isa 45:1-6; 1 Thess 1:1-5; Matthew 22:15-21
In the June 3, 2011 “Zits” comic strip, Jeremy returns his mother’s car keys & says, “Here you go, Mom. I washed your car.”
Startled but immensely pleased, she says, “Really?”
Jeremy explains: “Mom, you gave me life, fed me, clothed me, & educated me.” A few seconds later, he adds, “Let’s call it even.”
Do we sometimes make a token gesture or expression of gratitude toward God or others and consider our debt of gratitude completely
… paid up & over with? (Adapted; Celebration, 10/1611)
Who do we all owe the most? Answer: God.
God will get along OK if we show no gratitude. But we won’t get along so well. We might ask, “Where is God that I can give God something & what is it?” Look at victims of poverty, injustice, discrimination, addiction and slavery, whether real or virtual.
Now enter the gospel: Whose image is this and whose inscription? Matthew 22:20
In today’s gospel tells a story which had political implications in Jesus’ time. In an attempt to trap Jesus, some of the Pharisees questioned whether or not the Jews should be paying taxes to their hated Roman conquerors. Surely, whatever he replied would offend someone. Jesus would either be a traitor to his own people or a revolutionary to the Romans – a no win scenario!
However, Jesus calmly told them: Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. Jesus’ message could be similarly interpreted for our time. We are called to love, honor, & obey God, our Creator. We are also meant to have our feet firmly planted in the world we live in, sharing with others our love, care, & compassion.
That sounds easy enough….
Christians possess a dual citizenship: earth & heaven. And as history shows, it sometimes leads to a conflict between God & country.
Take the case of Franz Jaeggerstatter.
When Hitler marched into Austria & held a mock election to show that Austria approved of his action, Jaeggerstatter was the only person in his village to oppose it. And when war came in 1939, Jaeggerstatter refused to report for duty. He even refused noncombatant service. His conscience wouldn’t let him participate in a war that he thought was unjust. He chose to remain faithful to his primary obligation as he understood it: God.
The Nazis executed him. (Source; Jesus 2000, Link, p.365)
2 What is an example of a possible conflict between God & government today? What options are open to a Christian? Listen to Dr. King….
“I knew I was a convicted criminal, but I was proud of my crime. It was the crime of joining my people in a nonviolent protest against injustice. It was the crime of desiring for my people the inalienable rights of life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness. It was above all the crime of seeking to convince my people that non-cooperation with evil is just as much a moral duty as is the cooperation with good.” (Source: Martin Luther King, Jr. Stride toward Freedom.)
Injustice expands in proportion to our willingness to put up with it. (Anonymous)
What does God need? Today God tells Cyrus, I call you by your name.
Once a church, just after Easter, placed a huge banner above the front doors & it said: “Barbara, I have called you by name.” That was their year’s sole RCIA candidate. I’m sure Barbara felt that, “God has singled me out!”
Cyrus, a Persian king, was called to free an enslaved people, not his own!
Dr. King, a simple Baptist minister, was called to free a people from civil oppression. Barbara, a newly baptized Christian, was called to witness in her parish. What does God ask of me?
A civilization may develop the most sophisticated political machine to govern itself & protect its citizens, but if that machine is not well oiled by virtue, it will soon grind to a halt, useless. Believers are to cultivate what Tomas Massaro (Living Justice) has called an ethic of social engagement, i.e.,
a willingness to become involved in society despite the flaws & injustices.
If institutions are corrupt, then believers are responsible for changing these structures by the transformative values of the Gospel. Paul plainly tells us,
In the June 3, 2011 “Zits” comic strip, Jeremy returns his mother’s car keys & says, “Here you go, Mom. I washed your car.”
Startled but immensely pleased, she says, “Really?”
Jeremy explains: “Mom, you gave me life, fed me, clothed me, & educated me.” A few seconds later, he adds, “Let’s call it even.”
Do we sometimes make a token gesture or expression of gratitude toward God or others and consider our debt of gratitude completely
… paid up & over with? (Adapted; Celebration, 10/1611)
Who do we all owe the most? Answer: God.
God will get along OK if we show no gratitude. But we won’t get along so well. We might ask, “Where is God that I can give God something & what is it?” Look at victims of poverty, injustice, discrimination, addiction and slavery, whether real or virtual.
That’s where God is; it shouldn’t be difficult to see what God needs.
Now enter the gospel: Whose image is this and whose inscription? Matthew 22:20
In today’s gospel tells a story which had political implications in Jesus’ time. In an attempt to trap Jesus, some of the Pharisees questioned whether or not the Jews should be paying taxes to their hated Roman conquerors. Surely, whatever he replied would offend someone. Jesus would either be a traitor to his own people or a revolutionary to the Romans – a no win scenario!
However, Jesus calmly told them: Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. Jesus’ message could be similarly interpreted for our time. We are called to love, honor, & obey God, our Creator. We are also meant to have our feet firmly planted in the world we live in, sharing with others our love, care, & compassion.
That sounds easy enough….
Christians possess a dual citizenship: earth & heaven. And as history shows, it sometimes leads to a conflict between God & country.
Take the case of Franz Jaeggerstatter.
When Hitler marched into Austria & held a mock election to show that Austria approved of his action, Jaeggerstatter was the only person in his village to oppose it. And when war came in 1939, Jaeggerstatter refused to report for duty. He even refused noncombatant service. His conscience wouldn’t let him participate in a war that he thought was unjust. He chose to remain faithful to his primary obligation as he understood it: God.
The Nazis executed him. (Source; Jesus 2000, Link, p.365)
2 What is an example of a possible conflict between God & government today? What options are open to a Christian? Listen to Dr. King….
“I knew I was a convicted criminal, but I was proud of my crime. It was the crime of joining my people in a nonviolent protest against injustice. It was the crime of desiring for my people the inalienable rights of life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness. It was above all the crime of seeking to convince my people that non-cooperation with evil is just as much a moral duty as is the cooperation with good.” (Source: Martin Luther King, Jr. Stride toward Freedom.)
Injustice expands in proportion to our willingness to put up with it. (Anonymous)
What does God need? Today God tells Cyrus, I call you by your name.
Once a church, just after Easter, placed a huge banner above the front doors & it said: “Barbara, I have called you by name.” That was their year’s sole RCIA candidate. I’m sure Barbara felt that, “God has singled me out!”
Cyrus, a Persian king, was called to free an enslaved people, not his own!
Dr. King, a simple Baptist minister, was called to free a people from civil oppression. Barbara, a newly baptized Christian, was called to witness in her parish. What does God ask of me?
A civilization may develop the most sophisticated political machine to govern itself & protect its citizens, but if that machine is not well oiled by virtue, it will soon grind to a halt, useless. Believers are to cultivate what Tomas Massaro (Living Justice) has called an ethic of social engagement, i.e.,
a willingness to become involved in society despite the flaws & injustices.
If institutions are corrupt, then believers are responsible for changing these structures by the transformative values of the Gospel. Paul plainly tells us,
For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power
and the Holy Spirit, and with much conviction.
We have the power to render to God what is God’s by LOVE!
(Adapted: Celebration, 10/16/11)
We know that there is a “rightful independence of earthly affairs” (GS#36) that believers are to respect. If our focus is too otherworldly, we may lose sight of social issues/responsibility. And if our focus is too worldly, we may lose sight of the ultimate concern of our lives.
We need to live in both worlds.
At this Liturgy, we know that we belong first to God. As responsible believers we must make every effort to proclaim God’s kingdom to a world in need of hope. There will always be a delicate balance between the two places where this hope is found: the hope in human history & the hope in the reign of God. This, this, is how to “repay” God by giving hope to the image of God on earth…humanity! Now we’re even!