A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH    

June 1, Tuesday 

NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME                     

We are shown today a man who, like Job, keeps trusting in God, even when he suffers. Tobias becomes blind and stands the ridicule of his wife and his neighbors, who taunt him by asking how all his good deeds have benefited him.

 

First Reading: Tobit 2:9-14

When I came back from  the grave, it  was still dark. I  bathed and then  went to the courtyard. It was hot, so hot that I didn’t have the strength      to cover  my  face against the insects. I  fell asleep against the garden  wall. I didn’t know at the time that sparrows were perched along the top. droppings still hot from their bowels fell into my eyes, woke me up, and affected my vision; everything seemed covered in a milky white film.

To try to clear my vision I went to the doctors, but they only made things worse. I could no longer distinguish one object from another. Everything appeared white. My whole family felt sorry for me, but there was nothing left to do. Ahiqar helped take care of me for two years, but then he had to meet a commitment in Elam.

During this hard time, my wife, Anna, earned money for us. She worked like a slave alongside other honest women churning out woolen  fabrics. The finished work she brought to her Gentile product managers, and they paid her for her efforts—that was the deal. once, in the middle of winter, she finished weaving her bolt of fabric and brought it to her managers. In return, more than satisfied with her work, they paid her what they promised with no deductions, hidden or otherwise, and tossed in a goat for good measure.

Well, I didn’t know any of this. All I knew was that a goat wandered into my house and licked my ear. I called to my wife, “Where did this goat come from? Return it at once to its owners before they think you stole it! I mean, I like goat meat as much as the next fellow, but not if it’s stolen.”

“The goat was given to me,” she said, “as a bonus over and above my pay.”

I just couldn’t bring myself to believe that, so I kept after her to return the goat at once. And when she didn’t, I really got mad, but she held her ground.

“So, husband, it’s okay for you to treat others generously and to be more than fair with complete strangers, but when someone treats me justly, even generously, that’s not okay? Who do you think you are, the only virtuous man in the world?”

Anna had called me on my pride, and I deserved it.

 

Gospel: Mark 12:13-17

They sent some Pharisees and followers of Herod to bait him, hoping to catch him saying something incriminating. They came up and said, “Teacher, we know you have integrity, that you are indifferent to public opinion, don’t pander to your students, and teach the way of God accurately. Tell us: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

He knew it was a trick question, and said, “Why are you playing these games with me? Bring me a coin and let me look at it.” They handed him one.

“This engraving—who does it look like? And whose name is on it?”

“Caesar,” they said.

Jesus said, “Give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his.”

Their mouths hung open, speechless.

 

Prayer

Lord, mighty God,
you lead the world and all humanity
to their destiny in you.
Give to the leaders of the world and of our country,
a vision of the future,
that is both imaginative and realistic
and respectful of human rights and dignity.
Help us bear witness in everyday life
to the values of the Gospel
and to be involved in the work
of freedom, integrity and justice.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

Reflection:

YOU belong to God

The Romans had imposed direct rule on Judea and Samaria – and had imposed the census tax. This was the cause of deep anger and resentment among the people. Should we follow the rule of the emperor or the law of God? Jesus teaches them that following of the rules and regulations of the land should not be confused with one’s faith in God.

In the Gospel, those who wanted to trap Jesus ended up in the trap themselves. The question about taxes gives Jesus the opportunity to remind us that we must give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what belongs to God. The Social doctrines of the Church teaches us that we are part of society, we live in it, and we must comply with the just laws of the country where we are. It is also a way of bearing witness to our faith: to be good citizens.

The question they asked Jesus was a trap, concealed under a layer of flattery. “Their plot was one which had a deception on both sides.” There seemed to be no way out of the dilemma. In the ancient world, coinage was considered the property of the ruler, since it had his image on it.

Mark presents the brilliance of Jesus when Jesus asked them to show him a coin. This was a clever move. The detractors of Jesus hoped that if Jesus were to simply agree paying taxes to Caesar, they could accuse him of collaborating with the oppressive Roman rule. But what they could not foresee was that they themselves were using the coins issued by the emperor and thereby, were collaborating with the rule of the Roman emperor. In their attempt to trap Jesus, they got themselves exposed.

Jesus asked them to show him a coin. Which means, the coin was not in the possession of Jesus – he was not using it. It came from his opponents. Thus, by possessing a Roman coin they exposed themselves to be collaborators with the Romans and not Jesus. This was a sore point, especially for Pharisees. He only had to say, “Give back to Caesar this worthless thing that belongs to him in any case,” because it carries the image of the Caesar.

Then he added, “Give back to God what belongs to God.” The human beings are the ones that carry the image of God, because God has created them in his own image and likeness. “You were made in God’s image: you have his image stamped on you, just as this coin has Caesar’s image stamped on it. You belong to God.”

 

Video available on Youtube: YOU belong to God