06/02/2026
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is presented with a question designed to trap Him: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?” Rather than taking the bait, Jesus shifts the focus to something much deeper. Holding up a coin bearing Caesar’s image, He says, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
The coin belongs to Caesar because it bears his image. But we belong to God because we bear His image.
This Gospel invites us to reflect on where our true allegiance lies. We spend much of our lives meeting responsibilities, paying bills, and caring for daily obligations. But do we give God what belongs to Him—our hearts, our trust, our time, and our love?
Every person we meet today is created in the image of God, including ourselves. May we remember that our deepest identity is not found in what we own, accomplish, or achieve, but in the God who created us and calls us His own.