Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

“The Tribute to Caesar”
by Valentin De Boulogne, c. 1620

Readings for Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 2 Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18
 
Beloved:
Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames
and the elements melted by fire.
But according to his promise
we await new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells.
 
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,
be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.
 
Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned,
be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled
and to fall from your own stability.
But grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
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Commentary on 2 Pt 3:12-15a, 17-18
 
St. Peter begins this passage reaffirming the Parousia (the second coming and the apocalypse). Because they understand that the day is coming and they will be called to account for their actions, they are exhorted to watch out for false teachers (“be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled”). They are called to remain faithful to the gospel they have been given, and thereby grow in faith.
 
CCC: 2 Pt 3:11-12 671; 2 Pt 3:12-13 677; 2 Pt 3:13 1043, 1405
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 90:2, 3-4, 10, 14 and 16
 
R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
Before the mountains were begotten
and the earth and the world were brought forth,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
Seventy is the sum of our years,
or eighty, if we are strong,
And most of them are fruitless toil,
for they pass quickly and we drift away.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
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Commentary on Ps 90:2, 3-4, 10, 14 and 16
 
The psalm in its entirety is a communal lament. The strophes in this selection reflect on the mortality of humanity, and the brevity of human life. (It is also an example of the human understanding that God’s immortal view of time is not like ours.) The recollection of God’s creative impulse recalls the Genesis creation event, while final strophe brings us back rejoicing for God’s great mercy.
 
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Gospel: Mark 12:13-17
 
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?”
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
“Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at.”
They brought one to him and he said to them,
“Whose image and inscription is this?”
They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God.”
They were utterly amazed at him.
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Commentary on Mk 12:13-17
 
In this account (similar to Matthew 22:15-22), the Pharisees and Herodians attempt to trap Jesus by asking if people should pay taxes to Caesar. If he agrees with the Herodians (who would want the tax to be paid) he would be trapped because he was authorizing tribute to one who claimed to be a god, violating Jewish law. If he sided with the Pharisees against the Herodians, he would be in conflict with civil law and be taken before the Roman authorities.
 
Jesus saw the trap and avoided it, using the powerful argument for the separation of church and state by the famous statement: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
 
CCC: Mk 12:17 450
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Reflection:
 
"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
 
We are sure the IRS would be pleased with Jesus' response if it were made in the present day. We are also sure that many church leaders would not be, given the difficulty with stewardship that exists in so many faith communities and the general push to remove the tax-exempt status from many religious sites and activities.
 
The statement begs a question, and it is contained in the statement: “and to God what belongs to God.” What does God expect from us? We can get very literal at this point and ask simply “what belongs to God?” The answer is obvious – everything. We believe the Heavenly Father is the creator of all things, or is he? Yes, God created the heavens and the earth. We believe he created life in all its diversity (not in the neo-Darwinian sense that does not explain the beginning of life and does not account for speciation as an act of guided intent, and no, this is not Creationism).
 
As his ultimate creation, he made human beings in his own image and likeness. He gave us free will and the ability to form tools and artifacts from the earth, to mold clay and metal into useful and cunning shapes. Did God create these “things”? Are they his? It is an interesting philosophical question that we will not go further with here. The fundamental question still lies in front of us: “What do we need to give to God?”
 
That question at least is answered by Holy Scripture. There are numerous statements in the Old Testament, especially in the psalms, that God is not seeking burnt offerings placed upon an altar of sacrifice. Rather God wants our homage through deeds that show him that we have listened to him, his Son, and the Holy Spirit he left to guide us. He requires us to adopt an attitude and behaviors that bring him, our Creator, praise because all we accomplish is only through the gift of life he gave us, and the talent with which he imbued us.
 
What God requires of us is not material but is concrete. He asks us to follow the example of his Son who always points to the Father. Just as the metalworker forges a coin, and that coin is tribute to the nation whose emblem it bears, so too are our actions, as God’s creatures, a tribute to the one who created us. It is a tremendous call to receive and for our service we receive a tremendous reward.
 
Pax

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[1] The Picture is “The Tribute to Caesar” by Valentin De Boulogne, c. 1620.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.