Easy Paymet Plan

Should we pay, or should we not pay?

They were sure they had Jesus trapped with their clever question.
If he says pay the tax, he’ll lose the support of many followers.

If he says don’t pay, he’ll be subject to punishment, maybe death, from the Romans.

But Jesus had the perfect answer to silence those who were trying to ensnare him.

Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.

What do we have that belongs to Caesar?

Jesus says that which is stamped with the image of Caesar belongs to Caesar.

That coin.

Look at our coins and bills today.

Still stamped and imprinted with the image of our worldly leaders.

Those coins and bills and all the material things they can buy are part of this world.

And this world only.

What do we have that belongs to God?

Jesus showed us the test to use.

That which is stamped and impressed with the image of God belongs to God.

And what is that?

We might say all of nature or all of creation.

But we each have one unique, special piece of creation.

One thing that is specifically made in the image and likeness of God.

Something that's part of this world and the other world.

… Ourselves.

So that's what we need to repay to God, give back to God.

Ourselves.

That's the task of our lifetime.

The purpose of our lifetime.

But how can we give ourselves back to God?

That's the question of our lifetime.

Our old Baltimore Catechism gives a simple, plain answer—service.

God made us to know, love and serve Him in this world.

And to be happy with him forever in Heaven.

So how can we serve Him?

We can't all just kneel around praying all day.

There are time consuming real-world activities that we need to attend to.

Finding food and shelter, for example.

For many of us, that can be a full time job.

On another occasion, Jesus gave us the perfect answer on how we can serve God.

We serve God by following His commandments; by doing His will.

And Jesus boiled all the rules down to the Two Great Commandments.

Love God with all your heart, soul and mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus' answer is perfect in its simplicity.

Commandments that are easy to remember and to understand.

Even if not always easy to follow.

Our own will might get in the way.

Or the best path may sometimes be unclear.

But whatever the circumstances,

The perfect answer for us will always be to go back to those two Great Commandments.

And make our best sincere effort to follow them.

Every time we do, we're repaying to God what belongs to God.

Tuesday of 9th Week in Ordinary Time

Mk 12:13-17                                    Read this Scripture @usccb.org