Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Course 2023
It’s pretty clear to anyone who observes humans as they go about their days just what is important to most. What is most important to us becomes clearest when we look at what takes up most of our time. If success in one’s career drives his ambition, then more than forty hours a week is devoted there, and coworkers describe a “workaholic.” If enjoyment of life’s pleasures is the driving force, then things like calling into work sick, leaving work early and extending vacations characterize one’s existence. If acquiring and maintaining power over others takes over the mind–well, Jesus gives us a good story.
The Pharisees and Herodians took counsel to defeat this guy Jesus before He could declare Himself Messiah and seize control of the Jewish people, who were writhing under the occupation of Roman procurators and soldiers. They didn’t ask whether Jesus had any interest in that–they just imposed their own understanding of what the Messiah would do on this Galilean preacher. That’s why they tried to trip Him up with this charade involving paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus applies His two-edged sword, His mighty word, to the challenge, and asks them to produce the coin that Rome demanded be used for the tax payment. Oops. They hand Jesus a Roman coin, probably a denarius, which to the Pharisees would be an unlawful thing to carry. But Jesus is not going to nitpick like the Pharisees. No, He is preaching. “Whose image is this?” Ah! The good Pharisees are carrying around Caesar’s image, and Caesar is worshiped as a god by some Romans. So that violates the Law. They hesitate and answer, “it’s the image of Caesar.” And Jesus scores the coup de gras: “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Perfect answer. Score Jesus three, Pharisees zero, Herodians, also skunked. (Did they even get into the game?)
Because both Pharisees and Herodians were missing the point by showing the listener just what is most important to them. And it’s unimportant stuff. The Herodians wanted secular power and the goodies that go along with it. Come to the end of that kind of life and what do they get? They lose power and because of a life of injustice end up in hell. Bad choices result in a bad end. The Pharisees wanted to be right with the Mitzvot, the six hundred thirteen prescriptions that made up the Law. And in majoring in minors, washing the cups just right and keeping under the limits of steps one could take on Sabbat, they miss all kinds of good they could do and maybe trample the rights of the little guys in the process. End of life result: a checklist that is complete and an eternity of suffering in hell.
Why? St. Paul tells the Thessalonians the answer in his introductory compliment of his first letter: “remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” The church of Thessalonika, founded years before by Paul and his companions, had developed a reputation for their faith, charity, and hope. And all of that is centered on the Person who had been rejected by the Pharisees and Herodians and Sadducees and Zealots and all the other politicians of Judea: our Lord Jesus Christ.
First, faith. The victor of life believes in Jesus Christ and all He taught, all that God has revealed. The victor centers life on Christ, worshiping through and in Him, especially through sacramental life. Victory comes to those of us who know Him and the power of His Resurrection.
Also hope. Christian hope sees through the good and bad things and events of this earthly life and constantly looks forward confidently to eternal life in union with the Trinity. We see the last moment of life as, in Paul’s words, “falling asleep.” Our last act should be to commit ourselves once more to Christ, just as Mary and Joseph did in their own passage from this valley of tears.
And the proof of it all is charity, true love or agape. Love is not an emotion; love is a decision to wish the good of others, and to do what is necessary so that they can live good lives. Hence the giving of alms, the donation of our time to charitable works, and our own kind personal ministration to anyone in need.
In that light, we can consider the early anointed–the Hebrew calls him a kind of Messiah–Cyrus the Great of Persia. He was known by Isaiah as the opener of doors and gates, because it was in his time that the Jews were sent back to the Holy Land from Babylonian exile. Through him, the love of the true God for His people was manifest, just as later God did through the ultimate Messiah, Jesus Christ. And consider that each of us, through lives of obedient faith, laboring love, and steadfast hope, can be little Messiahs in our own day and time. Blessed be God who so wills.
