18th October 2020. 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mt 22, 15-21
In Jesus’ time, Israel was dominated by the Romans, to whom the corresponding taxes had to be paid. Faced with this situation, the Pharisees and Herod’s supporters asked Jesus a trick question: “Should taxes be paid to Caesar?” If he answered yes, they would accuse him of being a Roman supporter, and if he said no, they would accuse him of being an enemy of Caesar.
Jesus did not allow himself to be taken in by the lies and gave them an unexpected answer: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” This was a very good answer. For some this is like a popular “saying,” or even a ” “refrain”. What is clear is that Jesus does not “enter the trap” of politics and defines his intention very well. The Christian, as a citizen, has to be exemplary and has to fulfill his social obligations. He must contribute what he can, in pursuit of the common good. But he must also give to God what is God’s. And Sunday, the day of the Lord, is the day of the Risen Christ, a day of sharing the faith, of celebrating it in the Eucharistic meeting. Sunday should be a day of rest, of play, of family, but also a time to give our lives a spiritual perspective, of Easter resonances. To live all that is human, soaked in the spirit of the Gospel.
Juan Ramón Gómez Pascual, cmf