8-Aug-16

Gospel MT 17:22-27

As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,
Jesus said to them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,
and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”
And they were overwhelmed with grief.
When they came to Capernaum,
the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said,
“Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?”
“Yes,” he said.
When he came into the house, before he had time to speak,
Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon?
From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax?
From their subjects or from foreigners?”
When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him,
“Then the subjects are exempt.
But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook,
and take the first fish that comes up.
Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax.
Give that to them for me and for you.”

Reflection:
As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,
Jesus said to them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,
and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”
And they were overwhelmed with grief.
Jesus knew that the announcement of His pending suffering and death would confuse and saddened His disciples. But, it was necessary for Him to dissuade them of their belief that the "Son of Man" had come to violently overthrow the existing religious and civil authorities.
It was critical that Jesus' disciples understand that He did not come to force people to submit to God's will. Instead, through His example of self sacrifice, He would invite people to embrace God's will as the pathway to a fulfilled and peaceful life.
"Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon?
From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax?
From their subjects or from foreigners?”
When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him,
“Then the subjects are exempt.
It is clear that Jesus does not feel that as the Son of God He is obligated to pay taxes or be subject to human authority. Yet, our Lord makes it clear that He and His followers are to observe the civil laws.
"But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook,
and take the first fish that comes up.
Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax.
Give that to them for me and for you.”
In saying to Peter "......drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up....and you will find a coin," Jesus is not telling Peter to perform a miracle to pay their tax.
Jesus wants Peter, the fisherman, to once again cast his net in order to catch fish and pay the tax.
Jesus' words to Peter remind me of my mother saying to me as a child: "Money doesn't grow on trees. You have to earn it. God helps those who help themselves."
"Pray like it all depends on God. Work like it all depends on you."
- - Saint Augustine