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October 16, 2005
Sunday thought
Today's Gospel reading contains the well known injunction to "render to Caesar, that which is Caesars; and to God, that which is God's". It is worth pondering afresh on this as we sometimes are so busy serving Caesar, that we forget to give God his due as well.
While the original question and the answer were about the payment of Roman Taxes, we have similar questions today about the payment of any "tax". I know I certainly do - in fact I resent having to pay a large portion of my wages to a "Treasury" for what sometimes seems like a group of wastrals to abuse. I know how hard earned that money was, I know how much better I could spend it if I was, instead of paying taxes, allowed to apportion it to the causes and uses I regard as essential and necessary. It certainly would not be approtioned to paying extravagant salaries to MP's, Civil Servants and the armies of Consultants that now infest every government department.
But we do need some central services! We certainly need roads to be built and maintained, and flawed as it is, we also need to keep something like the NHS going. But this is Caesar's realm, not God's. So what should I be rendering to God?
Several things. My intellect and my work to show His Word and love in the world. Where I cannot physically go, I should be supporting others who can or are already in place. I should be doing more for those most in need and I should be spending more of my time in worship and in praise. I should be encouraging others in the faith, and I must strive to grow in my own faith. These are just some of the things that we all should be rendering to God, as the things of God.
In our secularised society, we have lost sight of what is due to God. We need to recapture it!
Posted by The Gray Monk at October 16, 2005 03:38 PM
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