DAILY- HOMILY

OCTOBER 16, 2011
29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – A

Is 45:1, 4-6 / Ps 96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10 / 1 Thes 1:1-5 / Mt 22:15-21

ISAIAH 45:1, 4-6
Thus says Yahweh to his anointed, to Cyrus: I have taken you by the
right hand to subdue nations before you and strip kings of their
armor, to open the gateways before you so that they will be closed no
more. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen one, I
have called you by your name and given you your mission although you
do not know me. I am Yahweh, and there is no other; there is no God
besides me. I armed you when you did not know me, so that, from the
rising to the set ting of the sun, all may know that there is no one
besides me; I am Yahweh, and there is no other.

1 THESSALONIANS 1:1-5
From Paul, Sylvanus and Timothy to the church of Thesalonica which is
in God the Father and in Christ Jesus, the Lord. May the peace and
grace of God be with you. We give thanks to God at all times for you
and remember you in our prayers. We constantly recall before God our
Father the work of your faith, the labors of your love and your
endurance in waiting for Christ Jesus our Lord. We remember, brothers
and sisters, the circumstances of your being called. The gospel we
brought you was such not only in words. Miracles, Holy Spirit and
plenty of everything were given to you.

MATTHEW 22:15-21
The Pharisees went out and took counsel on how they could trap Jesus
with his own words. They then sent their disciples with the members of
Herod's party for this purpose. They said to Jesus, "Master, we know
that you are an honest man and truly teach God's way; you are not
influenced by others nor are you afraid of anyone. Tell us, then, what
you think: is it against the Law to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" But
Jesus understood their evil intent, and said to them, "Hypocrites! Why
are you testing me? Show me the coin with which you pay the taxes."
They showed him a denarius, and Jesus said to them, "Whose head is
this, and whose name?" They answered, "Caesar's." Then Jesus replied,
"Therefore, return to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is
God's."

REFLECTION
What we see in our Gospel is the great wisdom of our Lord in the midst
of the entrapment set up by those who were out to find fault in him
and his teachings. Jesus turned the Pharisees' and the Herodians'
malicious plot into an occasion for revealing the great sovereignty of
God and the proper functioning of human authority under the larger
authority of God.

What was the entrapment? In asking Jesus for a pronouncement affecting
all Jews, his enemies thought of bringing Jesus into conflict with
sectarian views at that time: If Jesus approved paying taxes, he would
offend those who were against the occupation of the Roman empire; if
he disapproved payment he could be reported as disloyal to the empire.
Either answer would put Jesus into conflict with the crowd who either
hated the Romans or collaborated with them. Jesus answered the
question with great wisdom. In approving the payment of taxes, which
is made through the Roman coin bearing the emperor's image, he was
only affirming the ownership of what already belongs to the emperor.
But in saying, "God's things to God," he was also challenging his
hearers to their spiritual obligations: just as they meet their
obligations to the state so shall they also meet conscientiously their
obligations to God. Therefore, there is both an obligation towards
human authority and to the authority of God.

Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God the things that
are God's. But how do we figure out what belongs to Caesar and what
belongs to God? From Jesus' answer, it was clear that he recognized
the work proper to the empire. The empire built roads, they
constructed aqueducts, the soldiers ran after criminals, they
administered the public institutions that gave order to the society
and maintained its functioning. There would have been chaos and
anarchy without this important work of the empire. And this work was
sustained by taxes that the people pay. There was therefore a function
of activity that was a legitimate part in sustaining the life of the
people. And because it helped sustain life, it was good, it was
proper. It therefore belongs to human activity the task of sustaining
life and put ting order into it.

What belongs to God? Everything and every task that is good, that
leads to the praise and glory and worship of God belongs to God. Every
activity that affirms the reality of God and His sovereignty over all
creation is ultimately a spiritual activity, a spiritual obligation
exercised by the human person. Interestingly, this spiritual activity
is embodied in human activity itself. It is right where human persons
perform their task of actualizing their capabilities, their making use
of their judgments, of executing their choices and decisions, that
things and tasks proper to the praise and glory and worship of God are
also lived out and actualized.

What does this mean to us therefore? When Jesus said, render to Caesar
what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God, he did not make
a sharp division or dichotomy between human activity and spiritual
activity, or between human obligation and spiritual obligation. There
is no division or separation into Caesar's domain or God's domain. Any
dichotomizing can only be artificial. Both that belongs to Caesar and
to God are oriented towards the good. And these goods should not
contradict themselves because they come from the same one source: God
who is all Good.

One final word may be said about Jesus' answer: render to Caesar what
belongs to Caesar and to God the things that are God's. If we as
Christian accept God's sovereignty over all creation including human
activity and history, even what belongs to Caesar also belongs to God.
Caesar ultimately is answerable to God. Caesar in a way ultimately
pays his tax due to God.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Patricia White
- Monica
- William Ong
- Candido
- Susan
… for the personal intentions of
- Belinda Cadiente
- Cresencia Davis
- Josheil Dapo
… for the eternal repose of the souls of
- Ma. Lourdes Lao Jucutan
- Rosario Dizon
Eternal rest grant unto them and may perpetual light shine upon them.
May they and all the dearly departed rest in peace.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Ernani S. Escopete
- Wedding Anniversary: Fulgencio & Camilla Yu Contreras
- Presbyterial Ordination Msgr. Esteban "Bong" Lo, LRMS
- In Memoriam (+): Paciencia Reyes
- In Memoriam (+): Isabel Y. Sim, MD
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers
and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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