Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - A October 19, 2008

Isaiah 45: 1, 4-6 1 Thessalonians 1: 1-5b Matthew 22: 15-21

It must seem as if it is n purpose that we have heard this particular reading from the Gospel of Matthew on a weekend so close to an important national, presidential election. It is as if we are hearing Jesus tell us, in the response he gives to the question raised to him, how important is our duty to both God and country.

But this was not done on purpose. It is not because of the proximity of the election. Rather, this passage from the Gospel of Matthew is part of the cycle of readings which are assigned to this particular Sunday. It is heard at masses in the Catholic Church throughout the world, whether one live sin a democracy or a dictatorship, whether a country is ruled by elections or warlords, or whether a government guarantees the freedom to practice one’s Faith, as in this country, or its is powerless to prevent persecution, as is happening to Christians in India and Iraq. We need to search for a deeper meaning, a deeper significance in this communication to us in Scripture.

It is clear that the paying of taxes is central to the message of Jesus. I do not know a great deal about the history of taxation over the centuries but, through most of human history, taxes have been a sign of conquest, power, subjection. A strong power, such as the empire of Rome in this case, imposed taxes on conquered countries and peoples. This was an exercise of power and authority. In addition, it built up the wealth of the empire. In our own country, Federal income taxes are less than a century old. To a certain extent they can be understood as a commitment, a contribution which we make, we pay - not others - in order to guarantee our freedom, our liberty.

I would like to suggest two of the things which might be understood in the teaching of Jesus, in the message of God to us today. One is the obvious fact that we live, we are part of a day to day world, in which taxes are a reality. Although this is obvious, it also points out the God enters into and is part of this, our world. We encounter God. God makes use of this world in which we live to encounter us. God meets us, becomes one with us, in this world, in our day today life.

The second thought which is suggested to me is that we need to keep things in perspective, in proportion. As human beings we live in this world and the experience of God is to be part of our lives. Am experience and a relationship with God is to be evident in all parts of our lives, if we are honest and truthful in the recognition of God as the ultimate source of all that exists.

I believe that this first thought can be seen to be suggested by the words of Isaiah whom we heard. In taking note of an historical person, Cyrus of Persia, the conquering power of that time, Isaiah sees, in his prophetic view, God as operating the world. The prophet recognizes that the worldly power of Cyrus allows the Chosen People, the Israelites of old, acting with God in re-establishing themselves, re-building themselves as a nation. We encounter God in our world, using things we see, touch, taste, hear and feel. The senses are very much a part of our being human. They also help us to grown in our relationship with God. God reaches out to us with our senses, sacramentally, embracing us, loving us, in this way. This is evident in the Eucharist which nourishes us and, this weekend, in the sacrament of the anointing that we celebrate.

The second thought I am suggesting can be found in the words of Saint Paul. We need to keep things in perspective, to realize that everything in our lives is affected by our relationship with God. Paul tells the Thesalonians, and us, that we not only hear the word, but we live the transforming effect of God’s presence to him and to us. His conviction in faith was truly life-changing. In the proper perspective, a relationship with God affects all aspects of our lives and all parts of our lives, of our choices, of our words and actions, can reflect this relationship.

In this country we may celebrate and honor and respect the distinction between Church and State. But this is something which relates to our political life. We still struggle with its true meaning. But we also live in this world as complete persons, integrated persons in which politics and faith are part of the whole of what each one of us is. We are persons who are not easily separated, distinguished into different parts. We live, we act, we choose and, in this country, we vote, as persons who are affected and persons who are enriched by the meaning, the reality, the everyday experience of a relationship with a good and loving God.