Readings:
Is 45:1.4-6 1 Thes 1:1-5 Mt 22:15-21
The church celebrates today the World Mission Sunday. We remember today all the missionaries working around the world to spread the faith and the love of our God. In a very simple act of solidarity, we are given opportunity to be part of this mission through our donations. In our churches today, a special envelope is distributed among the faithful to solicit help for the missionaries. The amount gathered will be sent to a special office in Rome that takes charge of the missionary activities of the church.
Supporting the missionary activity of the church is one way of responding to the challenges of the gospel. Jesus commanded all of us to go out and spread to the entire world all that he taught us. (Mt 28:19-20). This commandment makes every baptized Christian a missionary. In our baptism, we are incorporated to a church whose very nature is missionary. The second vatican council's decree on the church's missionary activity pointed to us that this missionary character of the church flows from the very mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit (Ad Gentes 2). Being born, therefore, in the church through baptism makes us share in this very nature. We are all called to be missionaries.
In today's gospel, we heard Jesus facing the Pharisees together with the Herodians who are out to trap him with their carefully crafted question; "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" They did not only come up with a very tricky question but they also started the conversation by showering Jesus with praises. "Teacher, we know you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully", they quipped. The entire scenario gives us a view that it is a well-orchestrated and well-planned encounter with Jesus. The plan was specifically designed to offer no escape for Jesus this time. Imagine the hostility of the crowd surrounding Jesus. The pharisees are seen together the Herodians! The pharisees are those who strictly observe the law of the temple while the Herodians are those who willingly pay taxes to the Romans. Their coming together clearly driven by their desire to bring Jesus down. But, they did not succeed. In the end, those listening to Jesus walked away challenged as ever. What was Jesus' reply? "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's".
We have seen many times this reply of Jesus used in many discussions particularly those discussions related to the issues between the state and the church. This has become the favorite phrase of those who want the church out of the discussions in the society. They would often quote this biblical passage to help present their case that the church should only mind issues that are spiritual in nature. What they forget is that Jesus is also a devout Jew who faithfully observes the law. A devout Jew is someone who sees everything as a gift from God and everything a responsibility to God. In saying that those of Caesar's should be given to Caesar is a just recognition of individual's due. However, the second part brings us to an even greater reality that the all things in this world is of God. Even that of Caesar's are still of God's because everything in this world came from God. Jesus does not see a dichotomy between his being a citizen of the state and being a Jew. His faithful observance as a Jew makes him a better citizen.
The gospel today challenges us to be like Jesus. Our duty as Christians should make us more participative in the issues of our society because it is God who gave us this society, this community. The society is within and is God's creation. We are reminded by today's gospel not to be remiss of our duty as missionaries in our society. Let us not think that missionary activities are limited to the church. Let us not think that only the priests and the religious are missionaries. All of us are missionaries. Let us render to God what is God's. Every part of lives and everything that we own are of God. Therefore, our being missionaries should not only be limited in our churches. In every place that we go, let us bring Christ. Let us make every encounter with other people an encounter of Christ. St. Paul asks us to be ambassadors of Christ. To be a missionary is to be an ambassador of Christ. Let us render to God what is God's.
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