Texts taken from the “On Your Word” Missalette, September-October 2023

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
1st week of the Psalter

FIRST READING

From the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Is 45:1, 4-6)
Thus says the Lord of his anointed, Cyrus: “I have grasped his right hand, to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him and no gate shall remain closed. For the sake of Jacob, my servant, and Israel, my chosen one, I have called you by your name, I have given you a title, though you knew me not. I am the Lord and there is no other, besides me there is no god; I arm you, though you know me not, so that all may know, from the rising to the setting of the sun, that there is none besides me. I am the Lord, there is no other.” – The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the First Reading

Israel is living through the dramatic experience of exile in Babylon; its oppressors had always treated it very harshly. At a certain point, King Cyrus manages to defeat Babylon and adopts a different strategy toward the subjected peoples. He allows Israel to return to the promised land and rebuild the temple. The destiny of nations and people is in God’s hands, even when they do not know him or have never heard his name, as in the case of Cyrus. It is important for us to remember this truth, because human history always unfolds under God’s loving gaze; this is also true when we face injustices or social upheavals. Like a good father, he watches over all peoples so that they may attain the fullness of the knowledge of salvation, made flesh in his Son. We Christians are called to help all people see the traces of his providence in life and history; precisely when it seems that despair and oppression have gained the upper hand, the witness of Christians is of great value in helping people recognize God’s presence in everyone’s life.

SECOND READING

From the First Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians (1 Thes 1:1-5b)
Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God for all of you, remembering you in our prayers and continually keeping in mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father. We know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that you have been chosen by him. For our Gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with complete conviction. – The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the Second Reading

The beginning of the First Letter to the Thessalonians tells us first of all that evangelization is not carried out in isolation: even Paul, the greatest evangelizer of all time, had Silvanus, Timothy, and many others as collaborators. He immediately adds another very important point: the proclamation must always be preceded, accompanied, and followed by prayer. The Apostle then says that he is fully aware that he does not choose the members of the community; God does. Every missionary of the Gospel must always keep this truth in mind: it is the Lord who touches hearts with his word and his Spirit, calling people to faith and communion in the Church. Finally, Paul leaves us a very precious teaching drawn from his experience. For evangelization to be effective, it needs the power of the Spirit, who enlivens the proclamation and instills in the one who carries it that deep conviction of which the Apostle speaks. Proclamation, to be complete and faithful, calls for signs and actions to accompany it, as in Jesus’ preaching. Word, Spirit, and conviction are therefore inseparable and work together to ensure that the Gospel message spreads effectively.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 22:15-21)
At that time, the Pharisees went off and plotted to trap Jesus in his speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You are not concerned with anyone, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Hypocrites, why are you testing me? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him a denarius. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” – The Gospel of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the Day

The hypocrisy of the Pharisees’ and Herodians’ disciples is truly great: they are not concerned with whether the Teacher answers wisely or not. Their real intention is to discredit him by making him say something that could have placed him in serious difficulty with the political authorities. Jesus answers the question posed by his interlocutors with surprising political realism, connected with the centrality attributed to God by the prophetic tradition. The tribute to Caesar must be paid because the image on the coin is his; but man, every human being, bears within himself another image, that of God, and therefore each person owes his existence to him, and to him alone. The Church, therefore, does not limit itself to reminding people of the proper distinction between Caesar’s sphere of authority and God’s, between the political and religious spheres. The mission of the Church, like that of Christ, is essentially to speak of God, to remember his sovereignty, and to remind everyone, especially Christians who have lost their identity, of God’s right over what belongs to him, namely, our lives.