Finding the Words

FINDING THE WORDS

In a plot to trick Jesus into saying something they could use against him, a gang of Pharisees and Herodians approached him. Jesus once called them a brood of vipers and here, in Mark 12:13-17, they show they deserved the title. They started with false flattery and insincere praise. Their unctuous questions were obviously an attempt to trick Jesus into heretical response.  Naturally, we know they are barking up the wrong tree, but they did not know who they were dealing with. They ask if they should pay their taxes figuring if they couldn’t get him to speak against the Law, they would get him to say something that would anger the Romans. Jesus leads them on by asking them to show him a Roman coin.  He asks, with all seriousness, whose image is displayed and they respond quickly, “Caesar’s”.  Then Jesus confounds them with, “Then render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s”.  Done.  End of questions.  They weren’t finished, of course.  They kept up the questions until finally they just started making up the answers and swearing they were true, which gave them what they wanted, the death of Jesus. 

Every time I read this passage, I think of the tragedy that is the hostility between Christian denominations.  The differences in thought that created these groups are usually about unimportant details, or misinformation about your church, which are allowed to grow into barriers between us.  For example, early this year, a man said to me,

“I have looked at the Catholic religion, but I just can’t buy the ‘Mary thing’.  I responded, “Why don’t you forget the ‘Mary thing’, and concentrate on the ‘Jesus thing? “ His response was a surprise.  He laughed and said, “Why I believe I will!”

I walked out of there thanking the Holy Spirit for putting the words in my mouth.  Since then I have been thinking that, when faced with a situation like this, we first must pause and call on the Spirit to help us redirect the focus to Jesus and doing his will to love one another. Bite down hard to quell the desire to fight back when in a confrontation.  You’re not required to answer.  If no words come, walk away.

Like the Pharisees and Herodians, some people are scared to death of anyone who challenges their faith/religion and, as we see in the world today, will go to any lengths to force others to their way of thinking.  We are followers of Christ who used the word peace 105 times in Scripture, which means he must have used it thousands of times.  Imagine how St. Paul had to learn to rethink his usual response to the suggestion that his way was not the only way.  He did and we can too. 

When all is said and done, your life in Christ and your efforts to be peaceful and kind, following his command to love, will be all that will matter.

Blessings

Carol Lemelin OPA