[Jesus said to the
Pharisees who were trying to trick him] “Render
to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and to God the things that belong to
God.”
We often think of
Caesar as the legal authority of the State. In that context when what Caesar
wants from us is in conflict with the Gospel, we have a problem. Do we cave-in
to Caesar’s demands or do we risk prison, financial ruin and maybe even
martyrdom?
Pope Francis recently
beatified 123 18th Century Korean laypeople and one Chinese priest
who chose to be beheaded rather than renounce their Christian faith. How many
Americans chose prison or expatriation over fighting in or paying taxes for
what they believed to be an unjust war? How many people of all nations and all
periods in history risked prison and death to speak out against racial or
ethnic or religious injustice?
Render to Caesar the
things that belong to Caesar and to God the things that belong God.
But Caesar also lives
in places other than our governments. We each have a multitude of Caesars in
our circles of life. And each of these Caesars holds some power over us and sometimes
confronts us with choices: choices between compromising our consciences to be
socially accepted or living out the Gospel.
Who are the Caesars in
your life? And what choices are you making?
We might find Caesar sitting
around our family table during holiday gatherings ranting about other people or
ethnic groups, or persons perceived to be different. Caesar might be alive and
well in our workplaces, our schools, our social or political groups; bullying
others, spreading gossip, making racially or ethnically degrading jokes,
anti-Semitic or homophobic remarks. Caesar might even be hanging out in our
churches.
There are many Caesars
in our life. Once we recognize Caesar and conflict and the price we’d pay for
choosing God, what do we do? The answer to that question is very personal and may
be different for each of us. But it calls us to make a decision, a choice.
Render to Caesar the
things that belong to Caesar and to God the things that belong God.
………………………………………………………………………………..
Readers
of this blog might enjoy these books by Deacon Lex. Both are available on Amazon.com:
Just to Follow My Friend: Experiencing God’s Presence in Everyday
Life
Synchronicity as the Work of the Holy Spirit: Jungian Insights for
Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Ministry
http://www.amazon.com/Synchronicity-Work-Holy-Spirit-Spiritual/dp/1463518781/
