In today's Gospel, we learn about how it's important to follow God's law, and that following God's law does not mean we can break the rules of the government.
Holy Spirit, fill my heart and illuminate my mind. Help me to hear and understand God's message today. Help me to recognise when God is trying to speak to me in my daily life.
Amen
The Pharisees went off
and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech.
They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying,
"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion,
for you do not regard a person's status.
Tell us, then, what is your opinion:
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"
Knowing their malice, Jesus said,
"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?
Show me the coin that pays the census tax."
Then they handed him the Roman coin.
He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?"
They replied, "Caesar's."
At that he said to them,
"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayrZcI3RJ4Y (Credit to Catholic Kids Media)
Hold up a picture of a stop sign
Say: If your parents were driving and came to this stop sign, what would they do? (They would stop.)
Ask: Who makes the rules for the road? (the government) Are we supposed to follow these rules? (Yes.)
Say: Following these rules keeps us safe.
Hold up a picture of Jesus' commandment:
"Love God your Creator more than anything else.
Then, love all other people the same as you love yourself."
Ask: The commandment to love our neighbors doesn’t come from the government. Whose rule is this? (God’s rule)
Say: We follow God’s rule when we love God and our neighbors. God’s rules teach us how to live in good, loving relationship with God and others.
Say: In this week’s Gospel, some people ask Jesus a question about taxes. They want to know if he thinks they should follow the government’s law or God’s law.
Ask: How did Jesus respond to the people’s question about paying taxes? (He said to pay taxes to government and to obey God’s laws.)
Say: We are to obey God’s law, but we are also to follow the government’s laws. We are not allowed to break the law.
Source: coloringhome.com
Father in heaven, we give you today:
all that we think, and do, and say;
And we join it with all that was done
by Jesus Christ, your Son.
Amen
