Gospel

Matthew 17:22-27

As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,

Jesus said to them,

"The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,

and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day."

And they were overwhelmed with grief.

When they came to Capernaum,

the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said,

"Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?"

"Yes," he said.

When he came into the house, before he had time to speak,

Jesus asked him, "What is your opinion, Simon?

From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax?

From their subjects or from foreigners?"

When he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him,

"Then the subjects are exempt.

But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook,

and take the first fish that comes up.

Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax.

Give that to them for me and for you.”

Reflection

It's clear that Jesus would want to comfort his disciples after telling them that he's going to die. And they're overwhelmed with grief. He decides to make it clear to them that he is not going to be destroyed by those who run the temple, but he will be lord of the temple, and they should not worry. And that God will be providing for them everything that they need.

It's a story about seemingly taxes, but it's really a story about who has the ultimate power.

Closing Prayer

Expectations. We have all kinds of ways in which we determine whether things are going the way we think they should. And yet, what God is always saying to us through his life on this planet, is trust in me. You don't know exactly what's happening, but when you're filled with grief and doubt and fear, know that there is no reason for that. If you just listen to what I say to you over and over, I am here for you. I am with you. Trust in me. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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