They replied to him, "Caesar's."
So Jesus said to them,
"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."
They were utterly amazed at him.
Whose image is really on this coin? Caesar's, yes. But Caesar is made in the image and likeness of God. So to whom does this coin really belong? Even if this coin belongs to Caesar in a narrow sense Caesar himself belongs to God. He has the obligation to offer himself to the one in whose image he is made.
There is no separate sphere is human authority where this claim of God on mankind does not hold. This is how we must approach both our own lives and the social order. There is not the Sunday religious self and something else in our weekly public life. The self at we present at mass is meant not meant to be different from our daily public life. It is, rather, supposed to be that same normal self, though present in the most perfect and attentive way we can manage. The same goes for society. The naked public square, devoid of all religious viewpoints, is a myth. We cannot help but be informed by our religious views in our politics. The social order only makes sense when we know the origin of the social order. Only the Trinity reveals all that society can be and is meant to be.
As we wait and hasten the day when a new heaven and a new earth will perfectly achieve this righteousness we must not become lax or simply surrender to the imperfections we encounter. We are meant to be active agents of change and transformation.
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,
be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.
We have access to grace and to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus christ. We can bring a little bit of that new heaven and that new earth even into the old earth, simply by living in accord with the image in whom we are created. This is why the knowledge of Our Lord and savior Jesus Christ matters so much. He reveals to us the image of God. He is our access to grace. He gives us stability even when the world tries to force our allegiance.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children.
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