This week’s Gospel message for Sunday, October 18th is from Matthew 22:15-21.
“The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. . .‘Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?’ Knowing their malice, Jesus said, ‘Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.’ Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, ‘Whose image is this and whose inscription?’ They replied, ‘Caesar’s.’ At that he said to them, ‘Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.’”
“‘Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God’ was a wise response by Jesus to the Pharisees who sought to entrap him. It also provides a wise perspective to us today. What belongs to our Caesars? For that matter, what belongs to us? We are all just temporary caretakers of all that we have.” Source: Pastoral Patterns, Autumn 2020
DAILY READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday Eph 2:1-10; Luke 12:13-21
Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs (Memorial) – “The North American martyrs, six Jesuit priests and two lay assistants, were martyred between 1642 and 1649 in the United States and in Canada. While ministering to the Huron and Mohawk nations, they persisted until they were captured, tortured, and killed.”
Tuesday Eph 2:12-22; Luke 12:35-38
Wednesday Eph 3:2-12; Luke 12:39-48
Thursday Eph 3:14-21; Luke 12:49-53
Friday Eph 4:1-6; Luke 12:54-59
Saturday Eph 4:7-16; Luke 13:1-9
Source: Living With Christ, October 2020