Word to the Wise
Monday, August 12, 2024 - 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, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you." [Matt.]
MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2024 MONDAY IN THE 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
[Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28c and Matthew 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, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you." [Matt.] When I visited the Holy Land many years ago, one of the tour activities featured a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee followed by a fish dinner, which the hosts declared was the same kind of fish that Peter caught with the temple tax coin in its mouth! It made for an interesting dinner, but the story still seems a little strange and fanciful. There is some irony that Jesus calls attention to. Why should he pay the tax, given that the temple is his house? But I think the irony was lost on Peter. What the story does do is to further show Jesus' credentials as a Jew. He pays the tax for the upkeep of the temple both for himself and for Peter.
Every diocese has a tax that must be paid by each parish called the "cathedraticum." This money goes toward supporting the administration of the diocese and is over and above any "diocesan appeal" that is made annually for the support of various ministries. The regular collection in a parish on Sunday is the usual source for paying the cathedraticum. Then there are the various "appeals" for special intentions - disasters, building fund, etc. etc. But the cathedraticum is required and failure to pay it can result in a bishop's intervention to find out why.
We may wish we could go fishing to find the money for these various "collections," but the truth is that generosity alone keeps a diocese afloat in most cases. The "temple tax" is a practical matter that generosity cannot ignore. Even bishops have to be paid! AMEN