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Click here for daily readings My oldest daughter is a talented artist. She loves to paint, and her pictures are never complete until she signs them at the bottom. Every piece of art she creates can be clearly identified as hers because it bears her identifying mark. In today’s Gospel, we hear about a coin that bears the identifying mark of its creator, Caesar. The Pharisees and Herodians approach Jesus with the intent to trap Him. They asked Him about paying the tax to Caesar, thinking there was no way out for Him. If Jesus said yes, pay the tax, He would have offended the Israelites. They resented the Roman occupation, and if Jesus claimed the tax was valid, they would view him as a traitor. This would in essence diminish His popularity among His own people. If, on the other hand, Jesus said no, don’t pay the tax, the Pharisees and Herodians could report Him to the Roman authorities for rebellion. Refusal to pay taxes would be grounds for arrest. In their minds, this was the perfect question to pose to Jesus. Regardless of how He answered, He would be offending some important people. Jesus answered in a way that they never saw coming. He didn’t see it as an either/or question. Jesus responded by asking to see a denarius, and inquiring whose image was on it. When they replied that it was Caesar’s, Jesus told them to “repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesarand to God what belongs to God” (Mark 12:17). Caesar’s likeness is on the coin, just like my daughter’s signature is on her artwork. He has claimed his ownership and authority over the coin. Caesar created the coins and instilled upon them his own image and likeness. Caesar’s authority is of this world and his image proves the coins belong to him. Therefore the question of paying the tax is neither blaspheming God nor rejecting Roman rule. It is simply a matter that concerns the material world. The matters of the spiritual world, what belongs to God, are a different situation. God has created each one of us in the image and likeness of God. That means that each one of us bears the likeness of the Almighty God in our very selves. All we have to do is look in the mirror to see His likeness reflected back to us. Jesus is therefore telling us that what belongs to God is our entire being – our heart, mind, soul, and strength. There is nothing of ourselves that we should refrain from repaying to God, for it all belongs to Him. The likeness of the empire’s ruler is imprinted on a coin, a symbol of the material. The likeness of the universe’s ruler is imprinted in each one of us. We are to give each only and exactly what they are due. Contact the Author Mi hija mayor es una artista dotada. Le encanta pintar, y sus cuadros nunca están completos hasta que los firma en la parte inferior. Cada obra de arte que crea se puede identificar claramente como suya porque lleva su marca identificativa. En el Evangelio de hoy, escuchamos sobre una moneda que lleva la marca identificativa de su creador, César. Los fariseos y herodianos se acercaron a Jesús con la intención de tenderle una trampa. Le preguntaron sobre pagar el impuesto al César, pensando que no tenía escapatoria. Si Jesús hubiera dicho que sí, que pagara el impuesto, habría ofendido a los israelitas. Estaban resentidos con la ocupación romana, y si Jesús afirmaba que el impuesto era válido, lo considerarían un traidor. Esto, en esencia, disminuiría su popularidad entre su propio pueblo. Si, por otro lado, Jesús hubiera dicho que no, que no pagara el impuesto, los fariseos y herodianos podrían denunciarlo a las autoridades romanas por rebelión. Negarse a pagar los impuestos sería motivo para arrestarlo. Para ellos, esta era la pregunta perfecta para hacerle a Jesús. Independientemente de cómo respondiera, estaría ofendiendo a algunas personas importantes. Jesús respondió de una manera que ellos nunca imaginaron. No lo vio como una cuestión de una u otra. Jesús respondió pidiendo ver un denario y preguntando de quién era la imagen. Cuando respondieron que era del César, Jesús les dijo: “Den al César lo que es del César, y a Dios lo que es de Dios” (Marcos 12,17). La imagen del César está en la moneda, al igual que la firma de mi hija está en su obra de arte. Él ha reclamado su propiedad y autoridad sobre la moneda. César creó las monedas y les inculcó su propia imagen y semejanza. La autoridad del César es de este mundo y su imagen comprueba que las monedas le pertenecen. Por lo tanto, la cuestión de pagar el impuesto no es blasfemar contra Dios ni rechazar el dominio romano. Es simplemente un asunto que concierne al mundo material. Los asuntos del mundo espiritual, lo que pertenece a Dios, son una situación diferente. Dios nos ha creado a cada uno de nosotros a imagen y semejanza de Dios. Eso significa que cada uno de nosotros lleva la imagen del Dios Todopoderoso en nosotros mismos. Basta con mirarnos al espejo para ver su imagen reflejada en nosotros. Por lo tanto, Jesús nos dice que lo que pertenece a Dios es todo nuestro ser: nuestro corazón, mente, alma y fuerza. No hay nada de nosotros que debamos abstenernos de devolver a Dios, pues todo le pertenece. La imagen del gobernante del imperio está impresa en una moneda, símbolo de lo material. La imagen del gobernante del universo está impresa en cada uno de nosotros. Debemos dar a cada uno solo y exactamente lo que le corresponde. Comunicarse con la autora Maria Riley is a passionate Catholic author and speaker who loves volunteering or playing board games when she’s not writing or mom-ing around with her four daughters. Her award-winning Catholic children’s chapter book series, Adventures with the Saints, is endorsed by her bishop. Visit her at MariaRileyAuthor.com or on social media @mariarileyauthor. She and her family live in Kansas. Feature Image Credit: Caroline Veronez, unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-blue-and-white-floral-shirt-holding-her-face-bbjmFMdWYfw The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.