God's image and Likeness - Caesar's image and Inscription

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Ninth Week : Tuesday*

*Gospel : Mk 12:13-17*

*First Reading : 2 Pt 3:12-15a, 17-18*

*God's image and Likeness - Caesar's image and Inscription*

*1) Coin with Image and Inscription*

The Gospel of the day, presents to us the controversy of paying the temple taxes 

The Pharisees and Herodians come and ask Jesus about paying of the taxes 

*Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?”*

To solve this problem Jesus asks for a coin to check the image and inscription on the coin.

*2) Pharisees and Herodians identify the image and inscription*

When they brought a coin for Jesus Jesus checked the image and inscription 

Then he asked about it *“Whose image and inscription is this?”*

To this they said Caesar's. This shows that they were able to identify the image and inscription of Caesar

*3) God's image and Likeness in man*

Like that coin, which has the image and inscription of Caesar, Our life bears the image and likenesses of God

Book of Genesis says *God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.*

So there is a image and likeness of God in every human person 

*4) Identification of the Image and Inscription*

The Pharisees and Herodians identified the image and inscription on the coin

We are the image and likeness of God. Like the coin, does my life reflects the image and likeness of God? 

Can others identify from my life the image and likeness of God?

*5) Coin and the Life*

There is a close connection between coin and life 

Coin has the image and inscription of Caesar

Life has the image and likeness of God

In fact life has more value than the coin 

In the coin, it is easy to identify the image and inscription of Caesar

In life, is it easy to identify the image and likeness of God? 

*6) Hurdles for poor identification*

Life is like a Coin which has the image and inscription of God 

At times, we are not able to identify this image and inscription in others life. 

Some times we ourselves fail to reflect this image and inscription of God, in our life 

Pride, arrogance, greed, selfishness, anger, revenge, addiction for power, authority, money, pleasure, wealth and for worldly things blur the image and inscription of God in our life. Then no one can recognize the image inscription of God

How about my life? Am I able to recognize the image and inscription of God in others life? 

Does my life reflects the image and inscription of God? 

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*