From this past Sunday's Gospel lesson

From the Gospel lesson this past Sunday: 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away (Matthew 22: 17-22).

Again, I find myself simply sharing the work of Fr. Paul D. Scalia from The Catholic Thing, this past Sunday. As the set up to the main lesson, Jesus asks whose image is on the coin of the realm. The answer being Caesar’s, it then belongs to Caesar.

“Well, if what bears Caesar’s image belongs to Caesar, then what bears God’s image must belong to God. Man, created in God’s image and likeness, belongs to God. He cannot be surrendered to the state. Thus, the truth, dignity, and rights of the human person establish the limits – and the purpose – of government authority. The Church requires not that public authorities legislate [Christian] doctrine and morals but that they govern according to the truth of the human person.

But when the state oversteps its limits and assumes an authority over the person that it doesn’t have. . .when it redefines marriage. . .when it rejects the reality of man and woman . . .when it butchers the innocent in the womb. . .when it violates freedom of religion – then Caesar has seized what rightly belongs to God. Then the Church’s shepherds have a responsibility to speak out, to defend the rights of God and the truth of man.

Some will cry foul and recite the old canards: Politics has no place in the pulpit. We should keep religion out of politics. Separation of church and state! Of course, nobody really believes those things. After all, a common criticism thrown at the Church is that her shepherds didn’t speak out enough against slavery, or Hitler, or segregation. And nobody excuses such silence with, “Well, politics has no place in the pulpit.”

But when the shepherds speak out against abortion, or the redefinition of marriage, or the trampling of religious freedom, they are not intruding into politics. They’re defending God’s rights against intrusive politicians. The right to life, the meaning of marriage, the reality of male and female – such things belong to God. We cannot cooperate in giving them to Caesar. When the Church speaks out on those matters, she is simply echoing the word of her divine Spouse: repay to God what belongs to God.

There is another, more personal, meaning of this verse. You belong to God, not to Caesar. You belong to prayer, not to politics. Yes, you should be informed and involved in politics – to a degree. But politics is not the only or even the most important thing. If you invest more time in politics than in prayer; if you read more about the upcoming elections than about your Lord; if you are more concerned about earthly rule than heavenly – then you have given to Caesar what belongs to God. Caesar has become your god.

The first way to defend the rights of God against incursions of the state is to make sure that you are living your life as one who belongs to him; to think more about his Kingdom than even our own country; to spend more time contemplating eternal truths than being tugged into what passes for news. When you place worship and service of the eternal God ahead of everything else, then you relativize the state’s authority and give what belongs to God”.

Never forget...

I just read that the Canadian Parliament voted down a bill barring the state from euthanizing mentally ill Canadians. The eugenics of early 20th century America and mid 20th century Germany have returned and I’m having a difficult time understanding how such a thing happens.

Then again, we’ve just witnessed the barbarous terrorism that Hamas has visited on Israel. This has sparked antisemitism to redound around the globe. Again, how does this come back around?

We’ve heard the phrase (or at least I have from my youth) “never forget.” And yet we do. Lord, have mercy.

Thankfully, our God never forgets His grace toward us, the forgiveness which was purchased for us all through Christ Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection. And He reminds us to remember this, in turn, each time we celebrate Holy Communion – “Do this in remembrance of me.”

Isaiah 49:14-16 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.”

15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;…

The gift of Baptism

Acts 2: 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 

I was on the receiving end of a request to be Re-baptized. It was from someone who has been visiting with us recently, a young woman who had been sheltered in a nearby house (usually from domestic violence). She was about to leave with family coming to get her and she was thankful for the welcome she had received at Redeemer.

She shared that she had been baptized when she was twenty. It had been in the name of the Father, and of the Son, & of the Holy Spirit. That’s a trinitarian baptism recognized throughout Christendom.

I suggested that our confession is an acknowledgement of one baptism for the

remission of sins (Nicene Creed). Furthermore, I emphasized that it’s a promise God makes. In this sacrament God welcomes us into a covenant. The wonderful assurance in this is that God does not renege on His promises. This promise is always in effect! There is no need to do it again, for God is good as His word.

This sacrament differs from the other means of grace. Baptism is a

one time event, not needing to be repeated. The Word of God we are meant to hear time and time again. Similarly, the words of institution in Holy Communion are quite specific about the repetition of this reception: “Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.” 1 Cor. 11:25 “As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. “1 Cor. 11:26

            I followed this instruction with some questions. Does she believe Jesus died in payment for her sins and rose for her to have eternal life? She does. Well, that’s the faith which baptism fosters. That’s what saves!

So, we did a recognition of baptism. It’s a service in our Agenda. It’s also in the orders for chapel at Concordia Lutheran School.

            I pray that daily you take comfort in remembering your baptism. Luther’s suggestion is a helpful one in my mind – awakening, making the sign of the cross before you and remembering that you’ve been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.