Vigils Reading – 29th Sunday

A reading from

LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI

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In today’s gospel we find two questions: one put to Christ by the

Pharisees, and the other put by him to them. The Pharisees’ question concerns

this world alone, while Christ’s has an entirely heavenly and other-worldly

sense. Their question derived from profound ignorance and perversity; his

stemmed from perfect wisdom and goodness.

Whose likeness and inscription is this? Caesar’s, they reply. Then give to

Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s. To

each, he says, must be given what belongs to him. This, surely, is a judgment full

of heavenly wisdom and instruction. For it teaches that authority is twofold,

having an earthly and human aspect, and a heavenly and divine aspect. It

teaches that we owe a twofold duty of obedience: to the human laws and to the

law of God. The coin bearing Caesar’s likeness and inscription must be given to

Caesar, and the one stamped with the divine image and likeness must be given

to God. We bear the imprint of your glorious face, O Lord.

We are made in the image and likeness of God. So you, O Christian,

because you are a human being, are God’s tribute money – a little coin bearing

the image and likeness of the divine emperor. Therefore with Christ I ask:

Whose likeness and inscription is this? Your answer is, God’s. To which I reply,

Then why not give God what belongs to him?

If we really want to be God’s image, we must be like Christ, for his is the

image of God’s goodness and the perfect copy of his nature, and God

foreordained that those he has chosen should take on a likeness to his Son.

Christ undoubtedly gave Caesar what was Caesar’s and God what was God’s. He

fulfilled to perfection the precepts of both tablets of the law, becoming obedient

unto death, even death on a cross, and he was most highly endowed, both

inwardly and outwardly, with every virtue.

In today’s gospel the reply, most wise and discreet, by which Christ

sidestepped his enemies’ trap shows his great prudence. His teaching that each

must be given what belongs to him, and also the example he gave by being

willing to pay the temple tax and giving a shekel for himself and Peter, shows his

justice. His declaring it to be a duty to pay taxes to Caesar, openly teaching the

truth without fear of the Jews who would be offended, shows his fortitude. For

this is God’s way, of which Christ is the authentic teacher.

Those therefore who resemble Christ in their lives, [in their] conduct and

practice of virtues, they are the ones who manifest the divine image; for the way

to recover this image is by being absolutely just. Give to Caesar the things that

are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s; that is, give to each what

belongs to him.