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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,

and give to God what belongs to God.”

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– Matthew 22:21 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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We must be careful not to misinterpret or misunderstand Jesus.

God and the world (as it is run by humans) are on two quite different levels

and quite clearly, where God is concerned,

a true believer certainly cannot please two masters.

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What our Lord says is so profound

that we may fail to grasp its meaning:

we must give to the powers-that-be what is their due,

but God must certainly be given what He has a right to.

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In life, we sometimes have to decide who we owe our ultimate allegiance to.

Jesus’ words show that, while He recognised civil authority and its rights

and that it is part of God’s will that we faithfully fulfil our civic duties,

God’s rights must be respected

…and it should go without saying, that the latter are clearly superior.

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What must God be given?

Obedience to all His commandments

above all;

above everything

above everyone.

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QUOTE…

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“The citizen is obliged in conscience

not to follow the directives of civil authorities

when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order,

to the fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel.

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Refusing obedience to civil authorities,

when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience,

finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community.

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"Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,

and give to God what belongs to God."(Mt 22:21)

"We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29)

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“When citizens are under the oppression of a public authority which oversteps its competence,

they should still not refuse to give or to do what is objectively demanded of them by the common good;

but it is legitimate for them to defend their own rights and those of their fellow citizens

against the abuse of this authority

within the limits of the natural law and the Law of the Gospel.” (Gaudium et spes 74)

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– Catechism of the Catholic Church 2242

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, You are my God!

There is no one like You,

and there is no God but You.

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