By Fr. Ed Liptak, SDB

Over past weekends we have heard Jesus aiming directly at Priests and Elders who had come down from Jerusalem to harass Him at the Jordan. They were Pharisees. We meet them this 29^th Sunday so troubled by the power of his Kingdom of Heaven parables that they enter a formal plan with their political allies, the Herodians, to entrap Jesus. Their plan was useless, and we are asked this week to admire the skill of Jesus in unmasking them.

They began with honied words to say the exact opposite of what they believe: “We know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” This is a bald lie, pure flattery, and reading their evil pretense, Jesus calls them what they are, lying hypocrites.

Yet seemingly, Jesus helped them maintain their plan. “Show me,” He said, “the coin that pays the census tax.” He was leading them into their own trap. It must have been quite eagerly that they showed Him the Roman coin engraved with the image of Caesar. No doubt, they had many of them, and eagerly they produced one for Jesus. “Whose image is this?” He asked, “and whose inscription?” They could only reply, “Caesar’s.” The trap snapped shut, and “At that He said to them, then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”  Jesus won again.

Faith does not of itself forbid paying taxes nor obedience to public authority. St. Paul supported the choice of Jesus. He was thankful to the Church at Thessalonica, and he kept them in his prayers, grateful for their success in accepting the Faith with conviction and endurance. He admired how they chose God trusting in our Lord Jesus Christ. We the new chosen people of God are His because we are redeemed by the obedience of Christ who defeated the disobedience to God of Adam. Our life marked by Christ-taught goodness of the Gospel brightens for others our citizenship in this world.

None of us can find excuses or argue our way into the Kingdom of Heaven. There is only one way: Accept and live the Way of Life taught by Jesus in obedience to God.