I was asked to present a reflection of this Sunday’s Gospel reading (Matthew 22:15-21) this evening. I really wasn’t sure where to start. I did get that Christ wasn’t advocating we live our lives in two separate realities, our religious life and our public life. But, I wasn’t sure of His true message. I watched Formed.org‘s, Opening the Word, and this is my take ( I am opening with a couple of questions asked on the Formed.org site):
When you read the Gospel account of when the Pharisees confront Jesus about the lawfulness of the census tax, how do you feel about his answer, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God,” are you surprised? Think about your life. Are you giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s? What in your life belongs to God? Are you giving that to God?
Many folks misunderstand what Jesus is actually saying here. Is he advocating separation of church and state? No! Our lives, our livelihoods, everything we own and everything we have belongs to God.
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matt 19:21
That doesn’t mean, however, that we are called to literally do that. Some, maybe. But, what it does mean is that we are called to follow Christ and do that in every aspect of our lives. We are not OF this world but we are IN it. We should give back to and work within our communities to create places where we are free to live our lives for Jesus! We are responsible for living in this world and bringing Jesus with us; as Disciples, students of the Word and Apostles, messengers of it.
Do we give to God what is God’s or do we leave it all for Sunday? For years I was barely more than an “Easter and Christmas Catholic”. I went to Mass most Sundays, probably skipped most Holy Days. I was a Sunday Catholic, a Sunday Christian. I was a good person, I am nurse, I helped many people, loved my job, paid my taxes, gave to charity… But I didn’t live my life for Christ. God didn’t call us to be “good people”. God called us to,
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19
It’s not always a pretty job, but we gotta do it! Our greatest commandment is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Then, “to Love your neighbor as yourself!” If we truly love someone and we are called to love everyone, yes, even our enemies, then we will love them with the love of Christ. We will live our lives as a testament to all that is good and bring that to our communities. Give to Caesar what is Caesars? Give to Caesar what is yours!
My Catholic Life 