Good morning and welcome to the Oblate time of prayer and reflection today by Padraig Corcoran, a member of the Oblate Mission with Youth Team. 

In today's Gospel, Jesus is confronted with a difficult question: "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" His opponents hope to trap Him, but Jesus responds with wisdom: "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

Jesus reminds us that while we have responsibilities in society, our deepest allegiance belongs to God. Just as the coin bears the image of Caesar, each one of us bears the image of God. Image and likeness of God. Therefore, we are called not only to fulfil our civic duties but also to offer our lives, hearts, and actions to the Lord.

This Gospel invites us to examine what we are giving to God. Do we reserve only a small part of ourselves for Him, or do we allow Him to shape our decisions, relationships, and priorities? Faith is not something separate from daily life; it should influence how we live, work, serve, and treat others.

Today, may we remember that we belong to God. Created in His image and loved by Him, may we offer Him the gift of our whole selves, trusting that true freedom and purpose are found in living according to His will.

In a world full of influencers who is our greatest?