It is our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father!

Matthew 22:15-21

The Pharisees plotted a way to trap Jesus into saying something damaging for which they could arrest him. They sent their disciples, with a few of Herod’s followers mixed in, to ask, “Teacher, we know you have integrity, teach the way of God accurately, are indifferent to popular opinion, and don’t pander to your students. So tell us honestly: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

Jesus knew they were up to no good. He said, “Why are you playing these dirty games with me? Why are you trying to trap me? Do you have a coin? Let me see it.” They handed him a silver piece. “This engraving—who does it look like? And whose name is on it?” They said, “Caesar.”  Jesus replied, “Then give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his.”

Food for thought!

Never play any games with Jesus; never seek to trap Jesus. As we saw this week, our words either make us or break us. The enemies of Jesus plotted a way to trap Jesus into saying something damaging for which they could arrest him. The enemies of Jesus sought to break Jesus by his own words, and they ended up being broken and destroyed by their own words.

Let us see how Jesus destroyed his enemies. He asked them: "Do you have a coin? Let me see it." They handed him a silver piece. "This engraving — who does it look like? And whose name is on it?" They said, "Caesar."  Jesus replied, "Then give Caesar what is his."  What does this mean? It means that the reason why people should giveback to Caesar is because Caesar engraved his image on their money. Said differently:  if Caesar, and by extension any civil authority or government provides needed goods and services like building roads and hospitals and all public services, then we must, in justice, give back to the government our loyalty and support in the form of taxes. Logical, isn't it?

Jesus takes us a step further.  "And give to God what is his." According to genesis 1:17 "God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female." If God put his image and likeness in you and me,  we owe to God our tribute. We must pay our tribute and obedience and loyalty and adoration and worship and praise. Just as we say at every Mass: "It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father."

It means that when we pray, when we adore, when we worship God, we don't do God a favour; we fulfill our obligation. So, always remember this: "It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father." Remember that just as Caesar deals harshly with those who refuse to pay his tribute, God will deal harshly with those who refuse him adoration, praise, glory, power and honour.

He will take revenge on those who refuse to acknowledge God and on those who refuse to respond to the Good News about our Lord Jesus. (2 Thessalonians 1:8).

Matthew 21:33-46

“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants? He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”