Today’s psalm reads, “In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.” Leaders will topple, coins will fade, people will come and go, our lives will take unexpected twists and turns, but one thing is constant and stable, Christ Jesus.
In today’s Gospel reading, Pharisees and Herodians try to ensnare Jesus asking him if it was lawful to pay the tax to Caesar. If Jesus agreed, he could have been accused of condoning the oppression of the Romans. If he disagreed, he could have been accused of inciting subversion and rebellion. Jesus’ response points us to something beyond worldly matters. There is a different, more important order of things, that which belongs to God.
Like the Pharisees and Herodians, we may often be preoccupied with worldly, material things and lose sight of the wellbeing of our own soul. Let Caesar have his pieces of metal, but give to God all that he has given you: your life, your being, your gifts and talents. On the journey, find refuge in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.