Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to 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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Repay to Caesar
1) Truthful. Jesus is known for his sincerity and directness. But sincerity does not mean saying everything that comes to mind without discretion. It’s the art of knowing how to tell the truth at the right time, in the right way and to the right person. This is an important virtue to cultivate. Sometimes, under the excuse of “just being honest,” people end up hurting others or spreading gossip because they fail to consider what they say and to whom they say it. We need prudence and discernment to recognize the proper time to speak.
2) You don’t regard a person’s status. Another striking quality of Jesus is that He shows no favoritism. He doesn’t treat people differently because of their social standing, position, or personal influence. Before God, all are equal. Titles, prestige, and outward appearance have no value in comparison with the dignity each person has as a child of God. Today we’re invited to look at others with that same fairness and not judge anyone by their circumstances or background.
3) Repay. We should remember that we also have responsibilities in society and duties toward others. Speaking of the things of God doesn’t excuse us from caring about the realities of this world. On the contrary, being Christian also means being responsible citizens who contribute to the common good. We’re called not merely to live in a place, but to be active members of our community. As the Letter to Diognetus reminds us, we are in the world but are not of the world.
Always remember that something good is on the way.
May God bless you and guard you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
