Death And Taxes

August 13, 2018

Have you ever had an amazing personal encounter with heaven such as a powerful retreat weekend, or a moving experience during prayer, or an inspired heart to heart with a friend, or a transformation during mass, or a closest moment to Christ where you just know that God is real and you are loved? And have you ever, right after that experience, been brought down of your cloud by the realities and demands of everyday life? We’ve all been in love with Jesus in one minute and completely consumed by the things of this world in the next. That seems to be the essence of today’s gospel.

Jesus reminds His followers for a second time, that He will be handed over, and killed, but also raised on the third day. It seems like He needs to repeat Himself, and He will do so at least one more time in the gospel, because the disciples don’t really seem to process the entire announcement and really how could they? You announce that you’re going to be killed, and well, that is where my focus and attention would remain as well. It says they were overwhelmed with grief. To me this speaks of their intimacy with Jesus, their affection for Him, their experience of heaven, their retreat high, and their true love for the Lord. So many times Jesus tries to reveal the bigger picture to me in prayer or through those above-mentioned encounters with heaven and I just leave out the promise of resurrection and only focus on the part that will cause me grief. As in the gospels, however, Jesus is persistent with His reminders about hope and the resurrection and He will continue to announce those in our lives if we have the courage to look past our suffering and pain. 

When Jesus and the apostles returned to their home base, Capernaum, real life greets them. The bills still needed to be paid and of course there was no escaping taxes! Jesus seized the moment to teach them and us that we are all just foreigners to this world as yet another signpost regarding resurrection. While we are here, we need to be good stewards, respectful citizens, and mindful guests by following the law and paying taxes, however, we need to know that the primacy and the ultimate destination is eternity. The things of this world are temporary and low on the true priority scale, hence, the image of pulling a coin out of the belly of a fish. These particular fish are known as St. Peter’s Fish and are bottom dwellers. They have been known to have all kinds of things including coins in their bellies when butchered. The things of this world deserve that kind of honor, at the bottom. 

This “death and taxes” theme occurred in my own life this past week. My Uncle was found dead in his bed and none of us was prepared for his death. Immediately, the nitty gritty details such as burial arrangements, closing bank accounts, and tending to those earthly responsibilities kicked into high gear. There was no time to even mourn due to our unpreparedness. I personally was caught up in logistics and not focused at all on celebrating the life of my Uncle, his reception into heaven, and my own grief at the loss of him in my life. I missed the grace-filled moment of the promise of resurrection and just like in today’s gospel I was more concerned about how the bills would be paid. 

Today’s gospel reminds me that I need to hear Jesus better. He promises eternal life and I am stuck in this temporary life. He shows me the way to peace and I choose to remain in unnecessary battles. He gives me the proper order of things and I change that order all around to suit my own emotions. The only way to escape death and taxes is through Jesus and it is well with my soul. 

P.S. A very special birthday blessing to my dear friend and Ohana, Mother Anastasia. May your day be filled with much aloha and grace. Peace be with you.

Reading 1 EZ 1:2-5, 24-28C

On the fifth day of the fourth month of the fifth year,
that is, of King Jehoiachin's exile,
The word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel,
the son of Buzi,
in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar.—
There the hand of the LORD came upon me.

As I looked, a stormwind came from the North,
a huge cloud with flashing fire enveloped in brightness,
from the midst of which (the midst of the fire)
something gleamed like electrum.
Within it were figures resembling four living creatures
that looked like this: their form was human.

Then I heard the sound of their wings,
like the roaring of mighty waters, 
like the voice of the Almighty.
When they moved, the sound of the tumult was like the din of an army.
And when they stood still, they lowered their wings.

Above the firmament over their heads
something like a throne could be seen, 
looking like sapphire.
Upon it was seated, up above, one who had the appearance of a man.
Upward from what resembled his waist I saw what gleamed like electrum;
downward from what resembled his waist I saw what looked like fire;
he was surrounded with splendor.
Like the bow which appears in the clouds on a rainy day
was the splendor that surrounded him.
Such was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm PS 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14

R. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights;
Praise him, all you his angels;
praise him, all you his hosts.
R. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
the princes and all the judges of the earth,
Young men too, and maidens, 
old men and boys,
R. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted; 
His majesty is above earth and heaven.
R. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And he has lifted up the horn of his people.
Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,
from the children of Israel, the people close to him. 
Alleluia.
R. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia SEE 2 THES 2:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called you through the Gospel
To possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 17:22-27

As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,
Jesus said to them,
"The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,
and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day."
And they were overwhelmed with grief.

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."