St. Jane Frances de Chantal, religious

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28c

On the fifth of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of king Jehoiachin)

the word of Yahweh came to Ezekiel, son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans by the banks of the Kebar.

There the hand of Yahweh was upon me.

 

I looked: a windstorm came from the north bringing a great cloud. A fiery light inside it lit up all around it, while at the center there was something like a glowing metal.

In the center were what appeared to be four creatures with the same form; I heard the noise of their wings when they moved, similar to the roar of many waters, similar to the voice of the Most High, the noise of a multitude or of a camp. When they were not moving they lowered their wings.

 

I heard a noise above the platform over their heads. Above it was a throne resembling a sapphire; and high on this throne was a figure similar to that of a man. Then I saw a light as of glowing bronze, as if fire enveloped him from his waist upwards. And from his waist downwards it was as if fire gave radiance around him.

 

The surrounding light was like a rainbow in the clouds after a day of rain. This vision was the likeness of Yahweh's glory. On seeing it I fell on my face; and then I heard a voice speaking.

 

 Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14 Heaven and earth are filled with your glory

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Matthew 17:22-27

While Jesus was in Galilee with the Twelve, he said to them, "The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. But he will rise on the third day." The Twelve were deeply grieved.

When they returned to Capernaum, the temple tax collectors came to Peter and asked him, "Does your master pay the temple tax?" He answered, "Yes."

 

Peter then entered the house; and immediately, Jesus asked him, "What do you think, Simon? Who pay taxes or tribute to the kings of the earth: their sons or strangers and aliens?" Peter replied, "Strangers and aliens." And Jesus told him, "The sons, then, are tax-free. But, so as not to offend these people, go to the sea, throw in a hook, and open the mouth of the first fish you catch. You will find a coin in it. Take the coin and give it to them for you and for me."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Duty as God's children."

We may remember that it is not by Peter's merit that he was able to make a profession of faith. Today, we may reflect further on our status and duty as God's children. In today's Gospel, Jesus asked Peter about who must pay the tax – was it the son or the foreigner? Peter answered that the foreigners were the ones required to pay the tax.

 

During the time of Jesus, every male Jew, above nineteen years old, was required to give an annual contribution for the upkeep of the temple (cf. Ex. 30:11-16; Neh. 10:33). It was their obligation. When Jesus said that the children were exempted, he was simply highlighting the status of Peter as a child of God. Jesus was not opposing the obligation to upkeep the temple.

 

However, he was also stressing that our relationship with the house of God must go beyond mere obligation. We take care of God's house because we are God's children and it is our house too. With Pope Francis' Laudato Si', we have realized that the entire creation is God's house. Now, to care for our common home has become both an obligation and expression of our true nature as God's children.