6 June, 2023 | Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel Mk 12:13-17
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion.
You do not regard a person's status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?"
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
"Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at."
They brought one to him and he said to them,
"Whose image and inscription is this?"
They replied to him, "Caesar's."
So Jesus said to them,
"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."
They were utterly amazed at him.
Reflections
Jesus intentionally used the word “image”. That’s our clue. Human beings are made in the image of God. “So God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. The coin bore Caesar’s image and showed its rightful owner. But men and women bear God’s image, showing their rightful owner. People—made in God’s image—rightfully belong to Him.
The Gospel tells us that Jesus sees through his opponents’ tricks and traps, and he has the personal calm and poise to respond with integrity.
Activity:
What is my relationship with the truth? Do I seek it honestly, without trying to put my own twist on it?
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