by Fr. Tommy Lane
“Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” (Matt 22:21) Give to the Roman Emperor what belongs to the Roman Emperor and to God what belongs to God. This answer by Jesus to the question posed to trap him has guided Church-State relations down through the centuries. Sometimes over the centuries either the Church or the State encroached on the other but this guidance from Jesus for the interaction of the two serves both well. In the early centuries of the Church, persecution of Christians and martyring them in the Colosseum in Rome was the State encroaching where it should have given space to people to worship freely as they chose. In recent years in various places around the world we see countries encroaching once again on freedom of religion. We see it, for example, also in certain medical institutions in various countries that do not give employees a right to refuse to perform certain medical procedures due to conscience. In many other ways we see attempts to squeeze God out of the conversation at this time. Squeezing God out of our lives and society cannot bring good fruit even though it will be in the future, I think, that most of the consequences will be felt.
Another conversation by Jesus in one of the Gospels helps shed more light on giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. As Jesus was being tried before Pilate, in John’s Gospel we read that Pilate said to Jesus, “Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?” (John 19:10) Jesus responded, “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above.” (John 19:11) Even civil leadership is also ultimately under God and needs to remember it must give to God what belongs to God: “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above.” One example of that is Cyrus in our first reading today (Isa 45:1, 4-6), the Persian ruler, whom Isaiah calls “anointed.” Very quickly after he gained control of Babylon, he allowed the Jewish people in exile in Babylon to return free to Jerusalem. He is an example of Caesar himself giving to God what belongs to God.
Jesus’ response—give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God—tells us we have duties to Caesar and to God; we have duties to our country and to God. A very small percentage of people in the world have dual nationalities that give them rights in both countries, and they have two passports which makes travel easier. St. Paul, when writing to the Philippians, told them their citizenship was in heaven (Phil 3:20). We all have citizenship in heaven since baptism. We are all dual citizens: citizens of our country and citizens of heaven. We all give to Caesar and to God.
Being people of faith and giving to God what belongs to God does not prevent us giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and helping to improve our world and society and in any way we can. While Catholics in all professions do this, to highlight this, it is worth knowing that some priests have been notable scientists. We send documents quickly now by email but previously it was by fax. Fr. Giovanni Caselli invented the pantelegraph, a forerunner of the fax machine, which transmitted images over a normal phone landline. Siemens, not a priest, is credited with the invention of the dynamo but a Hungarian Benedictine priest (Ányos István Jedlik) had already invented the electric motor (in 1828). Fr. Nicholas Callan, a professor in Maynooth, invented the first induction coil, a transformer to convert low voltage to high voltage.
That so many priests down through the centuries have been scientists shows us that there is no discrepancy between science and faith if science and faith respect each other’s domains, if we give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. That is why, for example, the Catechism states, “Science and technology are precious resources when placed at the service of man and promote his integral development for the benefit of all. By themselves, however, they cannot disclose the meaning of existence and of human progress.” (Catechism §2293) Science and technology can only take us so far. We find the meaning of our existence in God and his plan for us. Being people of faith and giving to God what belongs to God does not prevent us from giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and helping to improve our world and society in any way we can and leaving the world a better place for future generations.
We are all dual citizens: citizens of our country and citizens of heaven. We all give to Caesar and to God. In many ways we see attempts to squeeze God out of the conversation at this time. Squeezing God out of our lives and society cannot bring good fruit even though it will be in the future, I think, that most of the consequences will be felt. We find the meaning of our existence in God and his plan for us.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2023
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Year A
Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God 2023