6 June, Tuesday, 9th Week in Ordinary Time    

Father Rick’s Two-Minute Homily

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060623.cfm

The Grace of the Martyrs.

Every two years, the United States Congress has to agree on a budget for the country. They always seem to get done but at the last hour. Despite their many differences, a budget undercuts many of the opinions that separate them.

Like our United States Congress, the Herodians and the Pharisees were two rival political parties in the cultural world of Jesus. They put their differences aside because they hated Jesus more than each other. Jesus called them to a faith relationship with God they could not grasp and accept.

They tried to trick Jesus with a Roman coin. Should they pay taxes to Rome? Jesus said to give Caesar what belongs to Caesar and God what belongs to God. Initially, the word “give” meant to give back something that belongs to someone.

Caesar’s image was on the Roman coin, so it went back to him. However, God’s image is in the soul, the mind, the heart, and the body of every human being. We all belong to him. Let us find peace and give each other back to the Lord.

Gospel Challenge:  

Let us chip away at the divisions in our nations by choosing to listen and embrace each other, despite our differences. Pray for the grace to find the presence of the Lord in someone who opposes you politically. It will amaze you how different you feel about them. It’s the grace of the martyrs.

Fr. Rick Pilger, IC  
www.bscchurch.com