HOMILY FOR TODAY, 29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A
THEME: EVIL PLOT AND GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
By: Fr. Karabari Paul
‘The Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle Jesus in his talk’
One of the rare occasions is witnessed in the Gospel reading of today (Matthew 22:15-21) when the Herodians (supporters of Roman empire) and sympathisers of the national party (Pharisees), come together to trap Jesus and put him into trouble. These two groups were not friends since they disagreed on certain religious and national issues.
Israel was an occupied country and the Jews were subjects to the Roman Empire; and the question was: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” The Roman authorities collected three regular taxes in Israel; 1. The ground tax (one tenth of the grain, and one-fifthh of the oil and wine which a jew produced, paid partly in kind and partly in a money equivalent). 2. The income tax (one per cent of a man’s income). 3. The poll tax (one denarius paid by every male from age fourteen to sixty- five, and every female from twelve to sixty-five).
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To a Jew God was a supreme and only King; they practised theocracy. To pay tax to an earthly king was to insult God (the position of the Pharisees and the Masses). However, the Herodians, who were the party of Herod whose allegiance belonged to Ro, e insisted tax must be paid to Rome. To oppose this resulted to disobedience to Roman authorities, and one would be arrested for such action. Jesus was in a dilemma. But no matter how wise we claim to be, we remain foolish before divine wisdom. One major but ancient problem of man is that he has always attempted to play God.
They started by giving him a title of honour (teacher), and concealed the malicious plot with beautiful and admirable words. But the scripture says: “Jesus was aware of their malice.”
Today, there are still very many Pharisees and Herodians combining resources to bring down innocent people. There are still evil and malicious snares set to entangle people who do not drag space with them on earth. But God whose sovereignty is uncontestable, is aware of them all. All enemies becoming friends just to fight will never succeed.
Jesus’ response was never a theological lesson on politics and religion. But his intention was to reveal the hypocrisy of the gang. He asked them to give to Caesar what actually belonged to Caesar.
At that time, tax was paid in Roman coins, which actually carried the head of the emperor. It means that paying the tax is interpreted as returning to the emperor his property. At the same time, Jesus indicted them on their relationship with God. He was also saying, “Be as conscious and dedicated in serving God as you are in serving civil authorities. Be committed to God even more as you are committed to your job. Sometimes, if we deploy the same level of energy used in being manipulative, evil, and wicked into the things of God, heaven will certainly be realized on earth in its fulness. But sometimes, we are astute in evil and lukewarm in the things of God.
The Sovereignty of God is further demonstrated in the First Reading (Isaiah 45:1,4-6). Babylon had grown exorbitantly rich and strong. It was forty-five miles in compass (some say more): the walls were thirty-two feet thick and 100 cubits high. They were so thick that six chariots might drive abreast upon them. Cyrus, who had become King of the Medes and the Persians, and later extended his to include Syria, was used by God to bring down Babylon for the sake of Jacob; that the Jewish exile might return home. Resources, iron bars, wealth, and power can’t save anyone whom God has decided to humble. Isaiah 43:13 “I am God and always will be. No one can escape from my power; no one can change what I do.” If it is not evil scheme against you, always know that whatever restricts your freedom in any area of life, God is capable of setting you free. We must all be careful and know that men become great only with the permission of God Almighty. Greatness is only a manifestation of hidden grace. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God have mercy on us, heal our world, bless and protect us all through Christ Our Lord Amen. Please, stay safe. Happy Sunday.
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