Sunday, October 18, 2026
As we look at this Sunday’s readings, two major themes stand out. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about our duties to political authority and to God. Some Pharisees and Herodians join forces to trap Jesus. They ask whether it is lawful to pay the Roman tax. A simple “yes” could make Him appear to endorse foreign domination, which could anger many Jews living under Roman rule; a “no” could be used as evidence of rebellion against the Romans. Jesus calls them out and answers, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?” “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” (Matthew 22:18, 21). Jesus does not dismiss political obligation as meaningless, nor does he grant political rulers and leaders the power to displace our obligations to God. Christians may disagree prudently about laws and policies while still asking whether public authority serves justice and the common good. The Gospel does not direct the faithful to treat the state or a political leader as an object of unconditional allegiance, while also highlighting that our allegiance and ultimate loyalty are owed to God.
In the Old Testament, Isaiah speaks of Cyrus, a Persian king who conquered Babylon in 539 BC. His victory ended Babylonian rule and opened the way for the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple. Cyrus did not know God. Isaiah calls him the Lord’s “anointed” because God chose to use Cyrus as an instrument to defeat Babylon and liberate Israel, not because Cyrus was an Israelite or worshiped Israel’s God. Of him, God said, “I am the Lord, there is no other, there is no God besides me. It is I who arm you, though you do not know me” (Isaiah 45:5). Cyrus’ success was part of God’s purpose for Israel and served as a witness to God’s dominion over nations. Similarly, today’s Gospel presents the Pharisees and Herodians. The Pharisees were a Jewish religious movement committed to the Law of Moses and its interpretation. The Herodians were associated with the Herodian rulers, who governed under Roman authority. Although the two groups had different interests, they joined forces against Jesus to trap Him with His words. Cyrus, the Pharisees, and the Herodians show three very different examples of how God’s saving purpose can move through human history. Cyrus does not know the Lord, yet God makes him an instrument of Israel’s liberation. The Pharisees and Herodians, by contrast, approach Jesus with a trap, hoping to use His words for their own ends; still, their question becomes the occasion for Jesus to teach that no ruler can claim what belongs to God. These episodes do not mean that every human motive or action is good, or that people stop being responsible for what they choose. Instead, they show that God’s plan is not limited by human understanding or even by human opposition: He can reveal truth, bring liberation, and deepen understanding of His power even through actions people intended for different purposes, without making those motives good or removing human responsibility.
The coin bore Caesar’s image, but the readings point beyond the coin: God’s purpose can work through human history, while no earthly authority can claim the ultimate allegiance that belongs to Him.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.