DGeMs- Daily Gospel eMessage
Dear Friend in the Lord,
Hypocrisy – Faith: In today’s Gospel, Jesus exposed the Pharisees for their hypocrisy: while they praised Him for His integrity, their intention was to trap Him. Hypocrisy is living a deceptive life; in the practice of our faith. Pray for the grace of God’s Light and Love to live a more Christ-like life.
Fr Philip Heng, S.J.
Matthew 22:15-21
The Pharisees went away to work out between them how to trap Jesus in what he said. And they sent their disciples to him, together with some Herodians, to say, ‘Master, we know that you are an honest man and teach the way of God in all honesty, and that you are not afraid of anyone, because human rank means nothing to you. Give us your opinion, then. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’
But Jesus was aware of their malice and replied, ‘You hypocrites! Why are you putting me to the test? Show me the money you pay the tax with.’ They handed him a denarius, and he said, ‘Whose portrait is this? Whose title?’
They replied, ‘Caesar’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Very well, pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar — and God what belongs to God.’