Word to the Wise
Monday, August 11, 2014 - Monday in the 19th Week in Ordinary Time
[Ezek 1:2-5, 24-28c and Matt 17:22-27]When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, "Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?" "Yes," he said. When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, "What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?" When he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him, "Then the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend them......."
AUGUST 11 ST. CLARE OF ASSISI
This unusual incident (reported only in Matthew) carries a double level of meaning in it. Externally, Jesus and his disciples would be practicing Jews and subject to the temple tax. However, since he is "replacing" the temple with his new kingdom, there should be no further obligation to the temple. However, this meaning would not be available to the temple officials! So, Jesus tells Peter to go catch a fish and it would have a coin in it to pay the tax!
The second level, more internal, goes to the situation in the community for which the Gospel of Matthew was originally composed, which had many Jewish converts to Christianity. Many of them continued their observance of Mosaic law even though the temple had been destroyed in 70 A.D.. The "gentile" members and those less inclined to the observances are being told here that they could show some sensitivity in the matter!
I am reminded here of the period immediately after the Second Vatican Council when some misguided folks were rather dramatic in their rejection of past customs of the church and thereby caused much resentment and unnecessary scandal. More recently I recall that when Pope Benedict XVI allowed the use of the older "Tridentine" form of the Mass, there was alarm that the former ways were being re-legislated for the whole church. I think some sensitivity on all sides is called for. As St. Paul said in Romans 14: "the kingdom of heaven is not a matter of food or drink." If we get too concerned about external observance, we may lose sight of the kingdom itself. AMEN
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