Reflection for Sunday October 22, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Matthew 22:15-21

Gospel: Matthew 22:15-21

The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion, for you do not regard a person's status. 

Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" Knowing their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. 

He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's." At that he said to them, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

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Reflection:

Can you think of anything that you have given back to God? Perhaps you will pause and think about what you have given back to God for all the blessings that He has been giving you all these years. After pausing, maybe you still cannot think of anything that you have given God, and the reason for this is perhaps you have not given back to God yet.

Every blessing that we have comes from God, although we may think that what we have now came from our own hard work. But the truth is, every blessing that we have, God has generously given us, including our very life today.

In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus tells us to give to Caesar what belongs to him and give to God what belongs to God (Matthew 22:21). In modern language, this means that we give what belongs to the government by way of paying the right taxes and other duties that the government has a rightful claim to.

What then can we give God? We give God something special that comes from our hearts. Where is God then, so that we could give back to Him? God is not hard to find; we simply have to look around us, and we will see God. For God is with the poor, the hungry, the sick, the abandoned, and anybody who needs our help; God is with them. Let us give generously to them so that we could give back to God.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25:37-40, somebody asked the king, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food; thirsty and give you drink, or a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to see you?' The king answered, 'Truly I say to you, whenever you did this to one of the least, you did it to me' (Matthew 25:37-40).

Have you already given something to God? - Marino J. Dasmarinas