READINGS AT MASS TODAY
Psalm 96
1 Thes. 1:1-5
Matt. 22:15-21
Theme: WE ARE GOD'S
Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...
Beloved of God, in the first reading, we read an interesting story about how Ywhw, the God of Israel, used a pagan king, Cyrus, as an instrument to deliver His people lsrael from slavery in Babylon. The whole world belongs to God; all the nations and peoples (whether pagan or not) are His possession. That is why He could anoint a pagan king for His work. God's help and favour can come from everywhere and from anyone. It can even come from unexpected places.
May God use the 'pagan Kings' in your life to bring you help from His holy place.
In today's Gospel, we see the Pharisees launching their attack at Jesus. For the past three or four Sundays, Jesus attacked the personality and integrity of the Pharisees with numerous parables thus putting them on the offensive. Today they fight back. Interestingly, they united with their arch-enemy (the Herodians) to fight a common 'enemy'. Wicked humans will do anything to fight the good. Even if it requires compromising their own integrity and faith. However, my dear friends, the message for us today lies in Jesus' response to their question: Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.
This statement of Jesus, unfortunately, has been misinterpreted to mean different things. Some Christians have sadly used this phrase to defend their double lives. They profess that one can remain a Christian and at the same time seek spiritual protection from unchristian sources.
Dear Friends, Jesus' message here is very simple. This coin has Caesar's image on it hence it belongs to him so give it to him. But after giving it to him remember this, every human being including Caesar himself, like the coin, also have someone's image inprinted on them - God's. Remember the Scripture says: "then God said, 'let us make human beings in our image, to be like us..." (Gen. 1:26).
Every human being and all that exists in this world belongs to God. So when we are talking about putting things at their rightful places let us do it right. Everything that you have (life, family, husband, wife, money, beauty, health, work etc) belongs to God. Are you giving to God what belongs to God?
Everyday and at every moment you see people struggling to give to Caesar what belongs to him. Spending enough time at the beauty salon, spending time with their loved ones, preparing delicious meals for their husband, doing their work diligently for praise and admiration etc but at the end of the day these same people are not ready to render unto God what belongs to God - their very lives and everything else they have, including the 'coin'.
Dear Friends, let us endeavour to give our lives back to God. Spend time with God in private prayer. Do not get tired of praying the Rosary, serving the Lord or offering your substance to Him. Remember that you, together with all that you have and are, belong to Him.
PRAYER
God of might, giver of life and every good gift, put into our hearts the love of You. Deepen our revelation of Your nature in us and make us ever willing to offer ourselves and everything we have to You - holding back nothing. Amen.
May God bless you.
-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre
Sunday, October 18, 2020.
Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.
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