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Many Christians today think about their spiritual life as unfinished house. Sure, there’s something there, but it just feels incomplete. But I want you to know that God has not forgotten you. He doesn’t just leave you half-finished and walk away. All believers are a work in progress, and we can be assured that his work is being done. One day, on that glorious day of Jesus Christ, we can have full confidence that this work will be completed!

Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Tobit 2:9-14

Psalm 112:1-2, 7-8, 9

M ark 12:13-17 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Hero'dians, to entrap him in his talk. (14) And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? (15) Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it." (16) And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." (17) Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at him.

Meditation by Don Schwager

W hat do we owe God and what’s our obligation towards others? Paul the Apostle tells us that we must give each what is their due (Romans 13:6-8). The Jewish authorities sought to trap Jesus in a religious-state dispute over the issue of taxes.

The Jews resented their foreign rulers and despised paying taxes to Cesar. They posed a dilemma to test Jesus to see if he would make a statement they could use against him. If Jesus answered that it was lawful to pay taxes to a pagan ruler, then he would lose credibility with the Jewish populace who would regard him as a coward and a friend of Cesar.  If he said it was not lawful, then the Pharisees would have grounds to report him to the Roman authorities as a political trouble-maker and have him arrested.

Jesus avoided their trap by confronting them with the image of a coin. Coinage in the ancient world had significant political power. Rulers issued coins with their own image and inscription on them. In a certain sense the coin was regarded as the personal property of the ruler. Where the coin was valid the ruler held political sway over the people.  Since the Jews used the Roman currency, Jesus explained that what belonged to Caesar must be given to Caesar.

This story has another deeper meaning as well. We, too, have been stamped with God’s image since we are created in his own likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). We rightfully belong, not to ourselves, but to God who created us and redeemed us in the precious blood of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Paul the Apostle says that we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). Do you acknowledge that your life belongs to God and not to yourself? And do you give to God what rightfully belongs to Him?

"Lord, because you have made me, I owe you the whole of my love; because you have redeemed me, I owe you the whole of myself; because you have promised so much, I owe you all my being.  Moreover, I owe you as much more love than myself as you are greater than I, for whom you gave yourself and to whom you promised yourself.  I pray you, Lord, make me taste by love what I taste by knowledge; let me know by love what I know by understanding.  I owe you more than my whole self, but I have no more, and by myself I cannot render the whole of it to you.  Draw me to you, Lord, in the fullness of love.  I am wholly yours by creation; make me all yours, too, in love."  (prayer of Anselm, 1033-1109)

Supplementary Reading

Half-Finished?

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. –  Philippians 1:6

J ust 45 minutes north of Dallas, Texas, is a city called Frisco that’s home to more-than 100,000 people. Away from the busiest part of the city, you’ll find a beautiful piece of land called the Brinkmann Ranch on the main thoroughfare. But as you look at this idyllic, 2,000-acre Texas landmark, you’ll notice something very wrong.

You see, 24 years ago, the picturesque house on the Brinkmann Ranch burned to the ground. So the owner contracted to build a new house just like the old one. But in the middle of construction, he died and the house was never completed.

Today, over two decades later, that house still stands unfinished. The roof is up and the steel framing is there, but only an eerie skeleton of the beautifully-dreamed house rests on the ranch today.

When many Christians today think about their spiritual life, they see themselves like that house. Sure, there’s something there, but it just feels incomplete.

But I want you to know that God has not forgotten you. He doesn’t just leave you half-finished and walk away. All believers are a work in progress, and we can be assured that his work is being done. One day, on that glorious day of Jesus Christ, we can have full confidence that this work will be completed!

EVERY BELIEVER IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. SO AS GOD DOES HIS WORK IN YOUR LIFE, TRUST IN HIM THAT HE WILL BRING IT TO COMPLETION. – Jack Graham  # # #

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU. – Bobot Apit

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