Homilies

We meet Jesus teaching us about the supreme commandant of love. Asked about which commandment is the greatest, the Lord points to the double sides of love to God and neighbor. The commandment to love God (see Deut. 6:5) and neighbor (Lev 19"18) places each person (YOU) at the center. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” …You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

In today's gospel, Jesus addresses a fundamental question that was intended to land in political hot water with the political authorities: Herod and Caesar. The Pharisees and the Herodians having teamed up to push him to answer a question that was so political, asked his view on the census tax do Caesar. Jesus conclusively told them to repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and God what belongs to God. To his disciples, this meant that they have both religious and civic responsibilities to honor.

The compassion, love, forgiveness, mercy, kindness, and patience of Christ, which we put on at baptism must not be stained or removed so that the Christian is always ready for the heavenly banquet. And if we stain it, has not the Lord given the remedies so that we may deal with it in the confess our sins?

Rejection is painful. A priest friend described it as hurtful, sometimes shattering and occasionally killing. But it is something many people have had to deal with one time or another, sometimes exceedingly early in life.

When we make promises, we are expected to honor them. We call promises that are not followed through EMPTY, and no one appreciates empty words. Our words do not have the power of inducement or effect by themselves; it is the human will to act on the basis of the words that cause the words to hold true for our families, friends, colleagues, or an organization without amounting to broken promises. And what is even more excellent is that in dealing with others, let them discover that the help we give them is more than we promise and what we need from others is less than we said.