Gospel Reflection for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A.

Give the Lord glory and honour. (psalm 95)

Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. How familiar we are with this reply of our Lord's! Yet what the passage of time and usage has done is to detach it from the bitter situation which occasioned it. Jesus gave his answer to his envious opponents even though, as he well knew, their hearts would remain unconverted.

Jesus' present day disciples are confronted by opponents, just as bitter, just as antagonistic as those Jesus faced but we struggle for the wisdom and for the words we need to confound - let alone to convert them. Half truths, neo-paganism, and deceit, seem to emanate from all our trusted institutions and we are left helpless and almost dumbfounded in the face of them: almost, not entirely. We have at our request the mighty army of the Lord., the strong name of the Trinity, and the knowledge that where sin abounds, grace abounds still more. Let us call on all the power of heaven and especially his mighty Spirit to bring Truth on earth.