With great joy I reflect on these readings, which were proclaimed at my Confirmation Mass 15 years ago.
Jesus masterfully wards off His adversaries' attempt to trap Him by a noble statement of giving to Caesar what belongs to him, and then takes it to a higher level of offering to God what belongs to Him.
Ultimately, everything belongs to God, especially us, because we are made in His image, and walking by faith, we continuously strive to be conformed to His image, as we offer ourselves to God.
God, enthroned above all the powers of Earth, He chooses certain individuals as instruments to accomplish His purposes, like Cyrus, the Persian king, Who he called the annointed one, the Messiah, and Cyrus fulfilled that designation as the one who sent the Israelites back to their land and even helped rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
Indeed, God has chosen each of us to bear His image, and be part of His purposes in our world, which He accomplished through the Gospel, which is worked in us powerfully through the Holy Spirit, and so we strive in faith, hope, and love.
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