Breaking Open the Word

By James Cavanagh

Oct. 19: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture readings:
• Isaiah 45: 1, 4-6
• Psalm 96:1-10
• 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
• Matthew 22:15-21

Theme: God or Caesar? Some people think that religion and politics should have nothing to do with each other. But the fact is, whether we like it or not, faith and politics are closely related because both are concerned with fundamental questions about human life and the common good. This sometimes awkward relationship between Church and State is reflected in this week’s readings. In the Old Testament reading Cyrus, king of Persia (Iran), is held up as a faithful servant of God even though he’s a pagan. Cyrus is honored and God’s “anointed” because he served God’s purposes, issuing the decree which allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. In the second reading Paul reminds the Christians in Thessalonica that they, like Cyrus, were chosen to serve God. Although most of them were nobodies, they served God’s purposes no less than the emperor of Persia. In this week’s Gospel Jesus puts Caesar in his place, so to speak.  Caesar is deserving of honor and has a certain authority. Nevertheless, his honor and authority is circumscribed by the sovereignty of God.

Key verse: “Render unto to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (Mt 22:21).

“Catechism of the Catholic Church”: “The duty of obedience requires all to give due honor to authority and to treat those who are charged to exercise it with respect, and, insofar as it is deserved, with gratitude and good-will.  Authority does not derive its moral legitimacy from itself. It must not behave in a despotic manner, but must act for the common good as a ‘moral force based on freedom and a sense of responsibility’” (Nos. 1900, 1902).

Pope Benedict XVI: “The Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. She cannot and must not replace the State. Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice. She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper. A just society must be the achievement of politics, not of the Church. Yet the promotion of justice through efforts to bring about openness of mind and will to the demands of the common good is something which concerns the Church deeply” (“Deus Caritas Est,” 28).

Application: Caesar, that is, the State, has its own legitimate but limited sphere of authority, which ultimately comes from God.  To be “one nation under God” means that we’re not only under his protection and guidance (we pray) but that we are also under his judgment.  The State is not absolute; only God is. And we serve the nation best when we are God’s faithful servants first.