Daily Gospel Reflection for June 2, 2015

Today's Gospel: Mark 12:13-17

Optional Memorial of Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs

If there is one thing you can be sure of, it’s that you can’t trick Jesus. And oh, how the Pharisees tried. Resentful of the presence of Roman power on their land, they thought they could test Jesus by saying, “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?”

Jesus sees through their deceit, and by showing them the imprint of Caesar on a denarius (a coin worth about a day’s wage), tells them, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

I know that many argue that the church should not be involved with matters of the state, but as a Catholic, I cannot conceive of making any decision, moral or social, without deeply considering God. From the moment I wake each day, until I go to bed at night, my single prayer is that, whatever this day holds, I give it all to God. And so this is how we should approach everything. As Catholics, we can’t afford to remove God from our daily decisions. In fact, whatever the issue, large or small, should we not first consult with our creator, the one who has the right answers? The answer is absolutely. We must present to Him what belongs to Him. And what exactly belongs to God? Everything.

Ponder:

Do I consider God in all of my choices and decisions? Do I consult Him on issues both big and small?

Pray:

Jesus, there is no fooling you. You see through my own deceit and hypocrisy. You see through the entire world’s deceit and hypocrisy. Help us all to remember that everything belongs to you, and every single decision, big or small, must absolutely involve You. Take it all…I give it all…I am utterly amazed by you. Amen.

We thank our friends at The Word Among Us for providing our gospel reflection team with copies of Abide In My Word 2015: Mass Readings at Your Fingertips. To pray the daily gospels with this wonderful resource, visit The Word Among Us.