"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God."

Joseph Tuan Pham

October 25, 2022

First Reading: Isiah. 45:1, 4–6

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians. 1:1–5b

Gospel: Matthew. 22:15–21

"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God."

Once, a man asked me, "Why don't Catholics just focus on what belongs to this world but focus so much on spiritual things? In other words, why do we not just fulfill this earthly life?

How would you answer him? Which is more important to you: material or spiritual, earthly kingdom or heavenly kingdom, Caesar or God?

The first question is that what priorities do we give to God in our lives?

As Christians who are living here and now on earth, we have two parallel duties: The first is to God, and the second is to the State. These two tasks seem independent, but in practicing, we sometimes encounter many difficulties and conflicts.

But how do we fulfill our obligations to both without conflict?

Jesus has set an example for us. In his life, he knew and followed the will of the Father in everything he faced.

When facing cases that may lead to conflicts, Jesus affirms a correct and unifying vision: God is the center of all things, and we must seek the will of God first, and everything will have its rightful place.

And this is the principle: no law should be against the will of God because it is also against man.

"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God."

Jesus' answer to the Pharisees puts everything in its right perspective. When God is truly at the center of our lives, and when we carry the image of Jesus in us withsincerity and integrity in everything we do, there is no need forcontradiction in fulfilling the obligations of God and the State.

There is no need to wonder whether we must pay taxes to Caesar or not. In other words, our obligations to our families, the state will be in order when we put God at the center of everything.

In short, the Gospel points out that we have duty to our nations, but our primary duty is God himself, who is the center of our lives.

I know sometimes it is challenging to fulfill both duties. But the good news is that Jesus knew and understood how hard it was because he was also a citizen of Israel. He also fulfilled his duty as a citizen of a ruled country. He fulfilled his duties to the point of death. He never let us fulfill his work by ourselves alone. Jesus never asks us to do something without his grace.

The second question we can ask ourselves is, do we let ourselves belong to Caesar or God?

Let us not forget that we belong to God, whom we must love and obey above all things because God is the source of who we are, where we are, and what we are.

All comes from God. Everything that exists comes from God and is oriented towards God. The Latin word for this is “Exitus and Reditus”

Christian faith shows us that what belongs to the earth is lowly and only remains on the earth. However, what belongs to God is beyond and divine. We, human beings created in the image of God, carry in ourselves what is divine and above. Therefore, if Jesus says, "give to God what belongs to God." Then, our highest duty is to give ourselves backto our Creator, who made us in his image.

The image of Caesar is imprinted in roman coins, which are material, earthly, and corrupted, but God's image, which is reflected in every human being, is eternal, and divine. God's image is for eternity. We are created for divine eternity.

Today's Gospel invites us to fulfill civil duties in a way that does not contradict the Church and God's law but create harmony in serving both.

For example, we may support the common goods of the State by supporting human dignity, equality, helping and loving others.

The Gospel invites us to uphold the priority of God's rights, knowing that when God’s rights are violated, human beings are also violated, especially the weak, the wounded, and the voiceless.

Most importantly, today's Gospel invites each of us, who bears the image of the living God, to fulfill our highest obligation: giving ourselves back to our Creator regardless of nationality, language, and race.

We give back to "God what belongs to God" by allowing ourselves to be fully transformed by the grace of God.

We give ourselves back to God by thinking and seeking what is above, uncorrupted, and divine.

We give back ourselves to God by allowing God's grace to work through our faith, laboring through love, and enduring in the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God."