WEEKEND LITURGY

ISAIAH 45:1, 4-6     PSALM 96     THESSALONIANS 1:1-5     MATTHEW 22:15-21

An old bromide, attributed to Ben Franklin, is "Nothing in this world is certain except death and taxes."  Well, they were even concerned with taxes in Jesus' time.  Some Jewish teachers tried to trap Jesus in today's gospel by asking if it was right to pay taxes to the Roman Empire.  What was left unsaid in this question was the implication that paying taxes to Caesar meant that they were his subjects and they were paying him homage.

Jesus, told them, in essence, "Pay to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." The end.  No!  What was left unsaid in Jesus' statement was, "It's not wrong to pay your taxes but remember that everything you have, you received from God."  If you really want to pay someone homage - let it be The Father - every day. 
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