A
reflection from Is 45: 1,4-6; 1 Thes 1: 1-5; Mt 22: 15-22
These texts invite us to reflect concerning our feeling of belonging to God as members
of his People and also about our duties with the development of the Nation of Kenya
through the payment of the right taxes.
The first text is
an interpretation of faith about the victories of Cyrus, King of Persia, who liberated
the Jews from the dominion of Babylon. According to Isaiah, all victories of
Cyrus weren’t his merit, but action of God, who chose Cyrus as his instrument in
order to make the name of the Lord known to all nations, inviting them to the
faith in one and unique God. In fact Cyrus got to conquer all Eastern Kingdoms,
including Babylon, allowing that the Jews came back home and live his identity
of the People of God with freedom. So, as it happened with Cyrus, God can use
any person in order to perform his plans.
Paul and his
companions of evangelisation recognise the gifts of God present in the
community of Thessalonica, especially the virtues of faith, love and hope,
which identify them as chosen of God and his own. In this sense, their deeds
are performed under the action of the grace of God, according to the Gospel
that they assumed with enthusiasm. The experience lived for Paul with that
community and others are the support to understand better the experience of small
Christian Communities nowadays.
The adversaries of
Jesus praise him for his virtues, but they don’t have willingness to submit
themselves to his wisdom. According to them, Jesus is the truthful man, who
teaches the way of God in accordance with the truth. Jesus has his own opinion
and for him the person is more important than his/her status. Although they
spoke the truth about Jesus in their speech, it lacks conviction in order to
accept it as way to their life. Jesus recognises that it is a malicious speech with
the finality to entrap him. If Jesus answered yes to their question about the
payment of tax he will be considered collaborator of the roman dominion upon
Jews. If his answer was “don’t pay”, he would be considered rebel. So, Jesus
answered: “Give Cesar what belongs to Cesar and give God what belongs to God”.
His answer underscores the supremacy and priority of God above all and
everything.
The first place in
our life belongs to God. He is the one who has power to everyone, including the
rulers. His Law must be prominent because it expresses better the human
aspirations. Even if we are subjected to the government and his laws, they
cannot occupy in our life the place which belongs to God and the human law cannot
make opposition to the Law of God. Only God is worthy to be worshiped and to be
served. However, Jesus didn’t deny the necessity of payment of right taxes,
because the love to God doesn’t prevent us from collaborating with the
development of the country. On the contrary, as Christians, our option is for
the life and for everything which cooperate with this finality.
Through this
Eucharistic celebration, let us renew our commitment as members of the People
of God and his own. Through his inspiration, may we be witnesses of his power
and goodness in view of the development of the righteousness and peace in our
society.
Fr. Ndega
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