Mission Sunday: A way to give God what belongs to Him

[29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A, Oct 19, 2014, Isa 45:1, 4-6 /Ps 96:1+3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10 / 1 Thess 1:1-5b / Matt 22:15-21]

IN the Gospel today Jesus is challenged by the Pharisees. They ask him if it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? If he says yes, then he could incur the wrath of the Jews who hated having to pay the tax to the occupying Romans. If Jesus said no then he would be going against the Romans. Jesus takes a coin and gives his knockout answer “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God!” Wow, great answer, Jesus, well done! I would like to interpret this line with reference to the mission entrusted to the whole Church and to every individual Christian from baptism, seeing as today is Mission Sunday.