10.18.14

Lectio: : Mt 22.15-21                                                                              

Meditatio: "Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Mt 22.17                                                                   

Oratio: O God, how terrible it is for You that those who should be serving You serve only themselves.
                          
I remember the Pharisees and the Herodians tried to trap Your Son with what they thought was a question about taxes that no matter how He answered it would go badly for Him either with Caesar or with the people.  Wonderfully, Your Son turned the table on them by replying that we should give to Caesar what is Caesar and to God what belongs to God. In prayer seek to live as a good citizen by paying taxes and voting and active in the community as a good citizen for that is the wish of your Heavenly Father and He will be pleased with you.

I ask this and all things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever

Contemplatio: spend some time in silence and meditate on the selected passage and hear what
God is saying to you.

Operatio: reflect:"lawful...pay...tax?”; Jesus’;  opponents thought that if Jesus said it was not lawful that would enhance His position with the people but it would get Him in trouble with the Romans and if He said it was lawful, it would cut into His popularity with the people.  But Jesus reply avoided both horns of the delemna and increased His popularity with the people for they were amazed by His answer. In prayer seek the grace to be a good citizen here on earth and for the grace to live as though you were already a  good citizen in the Heavenly kingdom by giving to Caesar what is Caesar and out of love give  to God what belongs to God.
             
Tomorrow's reading: Lk 12.13-21