29th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR A 23

29th SUNDAY, 22 OCTOBER 2023, HOLY MASS REFLECTION ISAIAH 45.1,4-6; 1 THES 1.1-5b; MATTHEW 22.15-21 Focus: Uncompromisable! Indicative: In life, there are different duties and interests. But God remains the highest priority 1.      In today’s gospel, the disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians pose a question to Jesus, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not”. Their intention was clearly malicious, so as to entrap Jesus in his speech. However, this brings to the fore a valid and existential challenge and struggle. 2.      One great problem of today’s life and lifestyle is the tension between secular concerns and spiritual concerns, between the world and God and between earth and heaven. Sadly, often this tension leads to conflict as well. 3.      The answer of Jesus is quite characteristic of his divine wisdom: “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”. This indicates the right direction and action. This directive of Jesus makes clear some essentials for our life. 4.      First of all, one should not pose earthly duties and godly duties as opposites or mutually exclusive. They complement each other. True dutifulness comprises both aspects, the earthly and the heavenly. One’s fidelity and obedience to his legitimate duties and authorities can enhance his fidelity and obedience to his spiritual duties and God, and vice versa. 5.      Second, both extremes should be avoided. That is, in the name of fidelity to earthly duties, one should not fall into worldliness. On the other hand, in the name of spiritual duties, one should not fall into a shallow pietism. 6.      Both are defective. The former, the worldliness neglects and fails in the duties toward God and the higher concerns of life, the non-material and the after-life. Worldliness becomes too narrow, short-sighted and earth-bound, reducing life only to the temporary and temporal. It seeks happiness in fleeting pleasure and gratification. 7.      On the other hand, superficial pietism neglects one’s legitimate obligations toward family, society and responsibilities connected to work. It makes one evasive and non-committal leading to irresponsibility and escapism. 8.      There should be clarity and no confusion. Priority should be to God and the spiritual. They are non-negotiable and non-compromicable. No amount of temporal duties should make one lay aside one’s spiritual duties. Similarly, no allegiance to any human authorities should come in the way of one’s submission to God. 9.      Today, it is very saddening to note that God is pushed out of the lives of many. Many feel that they do not need God. They think that He is for the weak, the troubled, the poor, the needy and the irrational. Many presume themselves to be self-sufficient and autonomous. They try to manage their life without God. Today, “not to believe in God” has become a fashion and a sign of ultra-modernism. 10.  It may sound naïve or primitive spiritualism. But the truth is, most of the ills and evils of the present world are due to the “missing” of this God-element. We must realise that God is not an alien or an other-worldly super-being. 11.  True it is that there are some aberrations. There are some who domesticate God to some name or place. They reduce religion to some fanatical beliefs, rituals and norms. They hold to a spirituality that is irresponsible and uncommitted to one’s lawful duties. 12.  The truth is that true God is with man and for man. True religion is humane and humanitarian. True spirituality is profound and oriented to higher ideals, values and pursuits. Imperative: We ought to rediscover and rejuvenate the lost touch of God and spirituality. It is to live a life that includes “work of faith, the labour of love and endurance in hope”