9th WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH
Introduction
Second Peter deals with the problem of the delay of the coming of Christ. The old world has to give way to a new heaven and a new earth. But the concept of time does not exist for God, and the patient God gives us time for conversion.
Gospel. Sometimes, the Church is accused of meddling in politics and the affairs of the state. But the Church has to raise a prophetic voice to form consciences regarding the moral aspects of political, social and economic questions, to see to it that the laws of God and the people’s human rights and dignity are respected. A good Christian must be a good citizen and take up his responsibilities regarding the human community.
Opening Prayer
Lord, mighty God,
you lead the world and all humanity
to their destiny in you.
Give to the leaders of the world and of our country,
a vision of the future,
that is both imaginative and realistic
and respectful of human rights and dignity.
Help us bear witness in everyday life
to the values of the Gospel
and to be involved in the work
of freedom, integrity and justice.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Reading 1: 2 Peter 3:11-15,17-18
Beloved:
Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames
and the elements melted by fire.
But according to his promise
we await new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,
be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.
Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned,
be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled
and to fall from your own stability.
But grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Responsorial
R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Before the mountains were begotten
and the earth and the world were brought forth,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Seventy is the sum of our years,
or eighty, if we are strong,
And most of them are fruitless toil,
for they pass quickly and we drift away.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to his call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Mk 12:13-17
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?”
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
“Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at.”
They brought one to him and he said to them,
“Whose image and inscription is this?”
They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God.”
They were utterly amazed at him.
Intercession
– That justice, love and responsible freedom may be the basis of the social order in the world and in our country, that all may live in peace and security, we pray:
– That all citizens may have a strong sense of civic responsibility and actively participate toward the common welfare, we pray:
– That the Church in our country may bear witness to God’s kingdom to all the nations of Asia; that our country may play a role of honor in the family of nations and cooperate to world peace and unity, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
we bring this bread and wine before you
as signs in which your Son, Jesus Christ,
relives his commitment to us.
May they also become the signs
of our responsibility toward our human community,
that with your Son, we may be ready
to bear witness to the values of the Gospel
and how these can lead society
to greater peace and love and friendship.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
you are about to send your people
gathered here around your Son
back to the human city,
to join forces with all
to build up the city of God as a leaven in the dough.
Make us sensitive to the needs of others
and help us to give to all equal chances in life,
to build up communities of friendship and love
and to warm the earth
with a touch of your gentleness.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
In this Eucharist, we have given thanks and praise to God not only as his people but also in the name of all humanity. May we fulfill our task of imbuing this world with the values of the Gospel, and may God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Commentary
The Romans had imposed direct rule on Judea and Samaria – and had imposed the census tax. This was the cause of deep anger and resentment among the people. Should we follow the rule of the emperor or the law of God? Jesus teaches them that following of the rules and regulations of the land should not be confused with one’s faith in God.
In the Gospel, those who wanted to trap Jesus ended up in the trap themselves. The question about taxes gives Jesus the opportunity to remind us that we must give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what belongs to God. The Social doctrines of the Church teaches us that we are part of society, we live in it, and we must comply with the just laws of the country where we are. It is also a way of bearing witness to our faith: to be good citizens.
The question they asked Jesus was a trap, concealed under a layer of flattery. “Their plot was one which had a deception on both sides.” There seemed to be no way out of the dilemma. In the ancient world, coinage was considered the property of the ruler, since it had his image on it.
Mark presents the brilliance of Jesus when Jesus asked them to show him a coin. This was a clever move. The detractors of Jesus hoped that if Jesus were to simply agree paying taxes to Caesar, they could accuse him of collaborating with the oppressive Roman rule. But what they could not foresee was that they themselves were using the coins issued by the emperor and thereby, were collaborating with the rule of the Roman emperor. In their attempt to trap Jesus, they got themselves exposed.
Jesus asked them to show him a coin. Which means, the coin was not in the possession of Jesus – he was not using it. It came from his opponents. Thus, by possessing a Roman coin they exposed themselves to be collaborators with the Romans and not Jesus. This was a sore point, especially for Pharisees. He only had to say, “Give back to Caesar this worthless thing that belongs to him in any case,” because it carries the image of the Caesar.
Then he added, “Give back to God what belongs to God.” The human beings are the ones that carry the image of God, because God has created them in his own image and likeness. “You were made in God’s image: you have his image stamped on you, just as this coin has Caesar’s image stamped on it. You belong to God.”
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4 June 2024
Mark 12:13-17
Experiencing Christ
In today’s Gospel, Jesus’ questioners are completely amazed. However, they are unwilling to accept his invitation. Many people are amazed by Christ and admire him from afar but refuse the invitation to become his disciples. “Give to God what is God’s”: our lives, our gifts, our needs and our doubts.
God’s authority is not divided between church and state. Although we pay taxes as responsible citizens, our spiritual loyalty should never be in competition with the state. It’s important to understand that there is only one kingdom of God, and both the government and individuals are accountable to it. This helps us understand how our spiritual and civic lives are connected, guiding us in fulfilling our duties as citizens and believers.
In today’s first reading, Peter urges us to grow in the “knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” This knowledge is not just intellectual, but experiential, as often seen in the Bible. Each of us may ask the following questions: How well do I know Jesus Christ? Do I understand grace as a personal extension of Christ in my life? When I hear the scriptures, does my heart grow warm within me, as in the case of the disciples on the road to Emmaus? Is the Eucharist a personal experience of Christ in my life?