Jesus a Man of Integrity
Homily on the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Is 45:1, 4-6; 1 Thes 1:1-5b; Matt 22:15-21)
St. Leo the Great Parish, North Altona
October 15, 2005
Homily on the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Is 45:1, 4-6; 1 Thes 1:1-5b; Matt 22:15-21)
St. Leo the Great Parish, North Altona
October 15, 2005
“Thank You”
“Thanksgiving and Congratulations!” is the theme of the letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians which we hear from the Second Reading.
Together with Silvanus and Timothy, Paul expressed his gratitude and praise for the church of Thessalonika for their faith in God, charitable acts to one another and perseverance and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
I come here this evening, with a joyful heart like St. Paul’s, to thank and congratulate not the Thessalonians, but you all, the people of North Altona.
Thank you for your support, encouragement and prayers. You know that you have been part of my journey toward my training to the priesthood.
Last Saturday, in St. Patrick’s cathedral, I was ordained as deacon by Archbishop Hart, together with three seminarians for the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Ordination to the diaconate is the final step towards the priesthood. At the ceremony, we committed ourselves to lifelong celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of God. We promised obedience to the Archbishop and to his successors. Most of all, we received the ministry to serve God’s people and to proclaim the Gospel.
Last Monday, I celebrated my fifth year in Australia. It seems only yesterday, when I left my home country, the Philippines, I was then full of uncertainties and doubt whether I made the right decision in joining the seminary here.
Five years ago, my mother accompanied me on my flight to Australia but we were immediately separated as soon as we arrived at the airport because a priest from the seminary picked me up and took me to the seminary in Carlton.
In the evening the priest drove me to the presbytery of Fr. Paul, where I would be staying until the school year began. Unfortunately, Fr. Paul was not home or probably he was just hiding from me!
So we drove back to the seminary, disappointed. I remember the priest was so apologetic to me. It wasn’t a good welcome was it?
After a while, we went back to the presbytery and we got Fr. Paul at last! I remember Fr. Paul welcomed me and gave me a fatherly hug. That was the beginning of my journey in Australia. I am thankful to God that I started the new episode of my life in Australia, with a humble priest and with the generous parishioners of St. Leo’s.
So borrowing the words of St. Paul, I say to you all, “I (we) always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you all, and constantly remember before God our Father how you have shown your faith to me in action.”
“Thanksgiving and Congratulations!” is the theme of the letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians which we hear from the Second Reading.
Together with Silvanus and Timothy, Paul expressed his gratitude and praise for the church of Thessalonika for their faith in God, charitable acts to one another and perseverance and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
I come here this evening, with a joyful heart like St. Paul’s, to thank and congratulate not the Thessalonians, but you all, the people of North Altona.
Thank you for your support, encouragement and prayers. You know that you have been part of my journey toward my training to the priesthood.
Last Saturday, in St. Patrick’s cathedral, I was ordained as deacon by Archbishop Hart, together with three seminarians for the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Ordination to the diaconate is the final step towards the priesthood. At the ceremony, we committed ourselves to lifelong celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of God. We promised obedience to the Archbishop and to his successors. Most of all, we received the ministry to serve God’s people and to proclaim the Gospel.
Last Monday, I celebrated my fifth year in Australia. It seems only yesterday, when I left my home country, the Philippines, I was then full of uncertainties and doubt whether I made the right decision in joining the seminary here.
Five years ago, my mother accompanied me on my flight to Australia but we were immediately separated as soon as we arrived at the airport because a priest from the seminary picked me up and took me to the seminary in Carlton.
In the evening the priest drove me to the presbytery of Fr. Paul, where I would be staying until the school year began. Unfortunately, Fr. Paul was not home or probably he was just hiding from me!
So we drove back to the seminary, disappointed. I remember the priest was so apologetic to me. It wasn’t a good welcome was it?
After a while, we went back to the presbytery and we got Fr. Paul at last! I remember Fr. Paul welcomed me and gave me a fatherly hug. That was the beginning of my journey in Australia. I am thankful to God that I started the new episode of my life in Australia, with a humble priest and with the generous parishioners of St. Leo’s.
So borrowing the words of St. Paul, I say to you all, “I (we) always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you all, and constantly remember before God our Father how you have shown your faith to me in action.”
The Pharisees
It’s been a week already since my ordination and I still can’t believe that I am now a cleric. I am now a member of the hierarchy of the bishops, priests and deacons. I am now an ordained minister of the Catholic Church. I am now one of the leaders of our religion.
And so when I was reflecting on the Gospel reading today I was warned and alerted not to be like the Pharisees.
In the Gospel, we hear Jesus called the Pharisees and Herodians hypocrites. The word “hypocrite” is a term meaning “an actor” probably a “stage actor” or simply a pretender.
The Pharisees were leaders of sect within Judaism at the time of Jesus. They were known as false interpreters of the Scripture and some were extremely hostile to Jesus.
The Gospel we hear this evening is a classic account of how the Pharisees tried to put down the integrity of Jesus by trapping him in a dilemma. As a tactic the Pharisees first praised Jesus, “Master, we know that you are an honest man and teach the way of God in an honest way.”
After this they asked Jesus, “Tell us your opinion, then. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
The dilemma is this, if Jesus should answer it was all right to pay tax to the Emperor, Jesus would be ostracized or hated by the common people who saw paying taxes to the Emperor as an offense to Israel. Many Jews saw paying taxes to the emperor as a symbol of political and economic subjugation.
But if Jesus should answer it was against God to pay taxes to the Roman Empire then he would be accused by the Pharisees as an anti-Roman, if not a revolutionary.
Jesus’ clever response put his enemies in silence. He showed them a coin saying, “Whose head is this? Whose name?” The Pharisees replied, “Caesar’s.” He then said his classic response, “Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God.”
Integrity of Jesus
The issue here is not only about the general principle of the relationship between religion and society, or our legal responsibility to the State and our obligation to give God what belongs to him.
The Gospel today is also inviting us to look at the integrity of Jesus. Jesus, as opposed to the Pharisees, is a man of integrity, honesty and truthfulness.
Jesus wants us to have a sincere heart.
“Deep human relationship, whether in friendship, family, marriage, or any form of commitment, is sustained by goodwill, honesty and sincere heart.”
God wants us to be true to our words. “A hypocrite does not give to God what belongs to God, for God wants a sincere heart. Only an upright heart pleases God.”
We pray in this Mass, asking for God’s help and grace to shape our lives according to the gentle and humble heart of his Son, Jesus, so that like him we may all stand out in our community not as Pharisees but as persons of integrity.
