Sts. Marcellinus  & Peter, martys 

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

2 Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18

 as you wait for the Day of God and long for its coming,

when the heavens will dissolve in fire and the elements melt away in the heat. We wait for a new heaven and a new earth in which justice reigns, according to God’s promise. Therefore, beloved, as you wait in expectation of this, strive that God may find you rooted in peace, without blemish or fault.

 And consider that God’s patience is for our salvation, as our beloved brother Paul wrote to you, with the wisdom given him. So then, dearly beloved, as you have been warned, be careful lest those people who have gone astray deceive you in turn and drag you along, making you stumble and final­ly fall away. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: to him be glory, now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

 

Ps 90:2, 3-4, 10, 14 & 16

In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Mark 12:13-17

 They sent to Jesus some Pharisees with members of Herod’s party, with the purpose of trapping him in his own words. They came and said to Jesus, “Master, we know that you are true; you are not influenced by any­one, and your answers do not vary according to who is listening to you but you truly teach God’s way.

Tell us, is it against the Law to pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay them or not?”  But Jesus saw through their trick and answered, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a silver coin and let me see it.”

They brought him one and Jesus asked, “Whose head is this, and whose name?” They answered, “Cae­sar’s.” Then Jesus said, “Return to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they were greatly astonished.

 

Gospel Reflection：

The Pharisees thought they had found a way to trick Jesus into saying something that would cause damage and ruin to his name. instead, Jesus teaches them a valuable lesson hidden in his response: “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God, what is God’s” On the surface, it appears that Jesus is simply saying that they should pay the required tax to Caesar using the coins engraved with Caesar’s image, and give to God what rightly belongs to him.

The issue here, of course, is that everything – and the Jews knew this – belonged to God. Yes, including the very coin that had Caesar’s likeness on it. How prudent and wise am I in my use of the resources that I have? Am I a spendrift or am I frugal?

Do I save for a rainy day or do I squander all the money I get as soon as I get it? Sit down and take a good and close look at how you make use of your financial resources and make the decision to use them wisely.