The Memorial of St Justin the Martyr

Tobit 2:9-14, Mk 12:13-17. It is good to find our daily life issues mirrored in God the source of our being. We must be were of God, amid our daily endeavours. Today's first reading presents us with the virtue of perseverance, at whose heart there should be love, leavened with humour. In the first reading, Tobit’s wife feels that her husband’s piety goes a bit too far, when he doubted her honesty over the gift of a young goat, “Where are your charitable deeds now? Where are all your virtuous acts?” she demands. It may seem strange that the narrative ends with Tobit’s wife’s exasperation with her husband and poor, blind Tobit rendered speechless. In a succinct, enigmatic fashion Jesus declares in today's Gospel, that we should return to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give back to God what belongs to God when those who support the Roman Empire (the Herodians) and those who sympathise with the national group (the Pharisees), connived to discredit Him in His speech.

If Jesus should answer, “Yes, pay your taxes to Caesar,” He would lose the esteem of patriotic Jews who resented the Roman presence. If He says, “No, do not pay your taxes to Caesar” He would be accused of promoting revolution against the Roman system. The coin can be given to Caesar because his image was stamped on it, but what is to be given to God is something much more fundamental, the "SELF". Jesus takes their question as an occasion to remind them that they belong to God. He could be interpreted as saying: "Give yourselves to God since you belong to Him and be as conscientious in serving God as you are in serving Caesar." Which is to perform our religious duties as conscientiously as our obligations to the state. Obedience to civil authority and civil laws should be no obstacle to obedience to God whose authority is above every authority. No Caesar, no political institution, no human institution can ever take the place of God in our lives. St Justin the Martyr, whose memorial we celebrate is a good example of one whose obedience to civil authority was never an obstacle to obedience to God. He was a renowned early Church father and philosopher who was once a pagan but after a fateful encounter with a wise old Christian man, came to know of the Lord and His infinite wonders and chose to become a Christian afterwards. Through his writings, he got the Emperor Marcus Aurelius to end the persecution of Christians by the Roman state.

May the Lord help us to give ourselves totally to God, dedicating our time, effort and attention to Him wholeheartedly at every moment and all times! Amen!! Good morning and have a blessed new month!!!