, FAUSTI - "What is of Caesar to Caesar and what is of God to God", Jesus answers to the dangerous question that they made to Him. Whatever "obvious" answer He had given, He would quering the pitch on His feet. If He had said that they have to owe tribute to the Roman oppressors, He would have been against the people: if He would had said not to pay, He would have been against authority. His answer is not an elegant way of evading the question. Instead,it dislodges the problem to another level. What does it mean : to give to Caesar what is due to Him and to God what matters to Him? In what relationship is the power of the "moke” with that of "wagons and horses", the power of the Son of man with that of the powerful of the world? What does Caesar matter if everything is God's? It is important to keep in mind two things. First: God does not exempt man from his responsibilities, but He is the origin of it. Secondly: His power does not compete with ours. It is gift, love, service, not appropriation, violence, and dominion. The God of Israel is very different from the kings of this land, and so He wants that they be His children . Already from the beginning He takes Abel's defense: the weaker is right, not the strongest. But even Cain is His son, and he will be protected by his own violence, as long as the power of violence will last. The Christian recognizes the civil authority, and respects it loyally in doing what is good by organizing the coexistence of men. His service is from God, even though the way is not right. But Caesare do not make illusions, the Christian is never an ally of power, but only of man. When power proposeds itself as absolute and imposes a game against conscience, it will find the rejection. Today, this is true, more than persuasive, thanks to technology, which makes it invasive and destructive completely especially of the themselves conscience, and not,with a consensus system that the image on the coin, simulacrum of the beast,it gets from the persons from which it takes away warning and freedom. When small and big rich and poor, free, and slaves ones, have to the mark of the beast on the forehead and on the hand to enter the market, it is time of resistance and witness, perseverance and martyrdom. "What is God to God" everithing is of God. Not in the sense that He appropriates of it, but that He gives it to veryone. . That's why God is! (b For this H is God) The Son knows His power , the One who has towards the brethren the same attitude of love and respect that the Father has toward Him. It is a power of mildness, gift, and service. It conquers with the power of violence, possession, and dominion, and defeats it without fighting it, as light wins darkness, gift robbery, love selfishness. The trap that they tended to Him is actually the trap they themselves are in. In the end, swords into vomers and spearheads into sikles will be forged (Is2,4). There will be no more violence and harmony will regain with everything and between everyone (Is 11: 6-9). Our story, before coming to victory on evil, will always be marked by the Cross of the Right. But here, even now, is eternal life-to be a son who lives as a brother. To give to God what is of God means living the freedom and fraternity possible here and now. The most impossible conditions lead to the most pure and absolute testimony: martyrdom. The Spirit will suggest, from time to time, what to say and to do. Then we will know what to give or not give to Caesar.
Reading 1, Isaiah 45:1, 4-6 1 Thus says Yahweh to his anointed one, to Cyrus whom, he says, I have grasped by his right hand, to make the nations bow before him and to disarm kings, to open gateways before him so that their gates be closed no more:
4 It is for the sake of my servant Jacob and of Israel my chosen one, that I have called you by your name, have given you a title though you do not know me.
5 I am Yahweh, and there is no other, there is no other God except me. Though you do not know me, I have armed you
6 so that it may be known from east to west that there is no one except me. I am Yahweh, and there is no other, 1 Sing a new song to Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!
3 declare his glory among the nations, his marvels to every people!
4 Great is Yahweh, worthy of all praise, more awesome than any of the gods.
5 All the gods of the nations are idols! It was Yahweh who made the heavens;
7 Give to Yahweh, families of nations, give to Yahweh glory and power,
8 give to Yahweh the glory due to his name! Bring an offering and enter his courts,
9 adore Yahweh in the splendour of his holiness. Tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, 'Yahweh is king.' The world is set firm, it cannot be moved. He will judge the nations with justice. Gospel, Matthew 22:15-21 15 Then the Pharisees went away to work out between them how to trap him in what he said.
16 And they sent their disciples to him, together with some Herodians, to say, 'Master, we know that you are an honest man and teach the way of God in all honesty, and that you are not afraid of anyone, because human rank means nothing to you.
17 Give us your opinion, then. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?'
18 But Jesus was aware of their malice and replied, 'You hypocrites! Why are you putting me to the test?
19 Show me the money you pay the tax with.' They handed him a denarius,
20 and he said, 'Whose portrait is this? Whose title?'
21 They replied, 'Caesar's.' Then he said to them, 'Very well, pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar -- and God what belongs to God.'
Reading 2, First Thessalonians 1:1-5 1 Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the Church in Thessalonica which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace.
2 We always thank God for you all, mentioning you in our prayers continually.
3 We remember before our God and Father how active is the faith, how unsparing the love, how persevering the hope which you have from our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 We know, brothers loved by God, that you have been chosen,
5 because our gospel came to you not only in words, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with great effect. And you observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your sake.
, FAUSTI - "What is of Caesar to Caesar and what is of God to God", Jesus answers to the dangerous question that they made to Him. Whatever "obvious" answer He had given, He would quering the pitch on His feet. If He had said that they have to owe tribute to the Roman oppressors, He would have been against the people: if He would had said not to pay, He would have been against authority.
RispondiEliminaHis answer is not an elegant way of evading the question.
Instead,it dislodges the problem to another level.
What does it mean : to give to Caesar what is due to Him and to God what matters to Him?
In what relationship is the power of the "moke” with that of "wagons and horses", the power of the Son of man with that of the powerful of the world? What does Caesar matter if everything is God's?
It is important to keep in mind two things.
First: God does not exempt man from his responsibilities, but He is the origin of it.
Secondly: His power does not compete with ours.
It is gift, love, service, not appropriation, violence, and dominion.
The God of Israel is very different from the kings of this land, and so He wants that they be His children .
Already from the beginning He takes Abel's defense: the weaker is right, not the strongest. But even Cain is His son, and he will be protected by his own violence, as long as the power of violence will last.
The Christian recognizes the civil authority, and respects it loyally in doing what is good by organizing the coexistence of men. His service is from God, even though the way is not right.
But Caesare do not make illusions, the Christian is never an ally of power, but only of man.
When power proposeds itself as absolute and imposes a game against conscience, it will find the rejection.
Today, this is true, more than persuasive, thanks to technology, which makes it invasive and destructive completely especially of the themselves conscience, and not,with a consensus system that the image on the coin, simulacrum of the beast,it gets from the persons from which it takes away warning and freedom.
When small and big rich and poor, free, and slaves ones, have to the mark of the beast on the forehead and on the hand to enter the market, it is time of resistance and witness, perseverance and martyrdom.
"What is God to God" everithing is of God.
Not in the sense that He appropriates of it, but that He gives it to veryone.
. That's why God is! (b For this H is God)
The Son knows His power , the One who has towards the brethren the same attitude of love and respect that the Father has toward Him. It is a power of mildness, gift, and service. It conquers with the power of violence, possession, and dominion, and defeats it without fighting it, as light wins darkness, gift robbery, love selfishness.
The trap that they tended to Him is actually the trap they themselves are in.
In the end, swords into vomers and spearheads into sikles will be forged (Is2,4).
There will be no more violence and harmony will regain with everything and between everyone (Is 11: 6-9).
Our story, before coming to victory on evil, will always be marked by the Cross of the Right. But here, even now, is eternal life-to be a son who lives as a brother.
To give to God what is of God means living the freedom and fraternity possible here and now.
The most impossible conditions lead to the most pure and absolute testimony: martyrdom.
The Spirit will suggest, from time to time, what to say and to do.
Then we will know what to give or not give to Caesar.
Reading 1, Isaiah 45:1, 4-6
RispondiElimina1 Thus says Yahweh to his anointed one, to Cyrus whom, he says, I have grasped by his right hand, to make the nations bow before him and to disarm kings, to open gateways before him so that their gates be closed no more:
4 It is for the sake of my servant Jacob and of Israel my chosen one, that I have called you by your name, have given you a title though you do not know me.
5 I am Yahweh, and there is no other, there is no other God except me. Though you do not know me, I have armed you
6 so that it may be known from east to west that there is no one except me. I am Yahweh, and there is no other,
1 Sing a new song to Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!
3 declare his glory among the nations, his marvels to every people!
4 Great is Yahweh, worthy of all praise, more awesome than any of the gods.
5 All the gods of the nations are idols! It was Yahweh who made the heavens;
7 Give to Yahweh, families of nations, give to Yahweh glory and power,
8 give to Yahweh the glory due to his name! Bring an offering and enter his courts,
9 adore Yahweh in the splendour of his holiness. Tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, 'Yahweh is king.' The world is set firm, it cannot be moved. He will judge the nations with justice.
Gospel, Matthew 22:15-21
15 Then the Pharisees went away to work out between them how to trap him in what he said.
16 And they sent their disciples to him, together with some Herodians, to say, 'Master, we know that you are an honest man and teach the way of God in all honesty, and that you are not afraid of anyone, because human rank means nothing to you.
17 Give us your opinion, then. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?'
18 But Jesus was aware of their malice and replied, 'You hypocrites! Why are you putting me to the test?
19 Show me the money you pay the tax with.' They handed him a denarius,
20 and he said, 'Whose portrait is this? Whose title?'
21 They replied, 'Caesar's.' Then he said to them, 'Very well, pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar -- and God what belongs to God.'
Reading 2, First Thessalonians 1:1-5
1 Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the Church in Thessalonica which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace.
2 We always thank God for you all, mentioning you in our prayers continually.
3 We remember before our God and Father how active is the faith, how unsparing the love, how persevering the hope which you have from our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 We know, brothers loved by God, that you have been chosen,
5 because our gospel came to you not only in words, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with great effect. And you observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your sake.