The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, October 16, 2005
The Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 45:1,4-6
Psalm 96:1, 3-5, 7-10
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
Matthew 22:15-21

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

“What belongs to Caesar and What belongs to God” Matthew 22:15-21

Indeed, Jesus’ response to malicious intentions for His entrapment is to render respectively to Caesar and to God what is theirs.

“What is God’s?” and “What is Caesar’s?” Jesus invokes immediate personal recognition that all one is and has is from God and is for God. Yet, time and mortality leads man to formulate structures of temporal governance for situations when man fails to act completely in love for his God-given purpose: to know, to love and to serve God and others as one’s self. Where love is lacking, justice steps in. This system of governance is justly supported by the society that forms it, in the form of taxes, service, leadership, patriotism, and loyal stewardship.

In love one gives to God all that God as “Love” gives to us. In justice, one gives to the government all that government exacts in justice.

O Lord, may we grow in knowledge, love and service of You and Your body, the Church. May we serve, lead, support, obey the laws, and respect those we elect to govern us in charity and justice. Amen.

- Mary Williams
(www.impactbydesign.biz)