Jesus is now in Jerusalem, teaching and preaching to the crowds that have assembled around him. The chief priests and scribes of the new regime want to lay hands on all those who dissent from their autocratic rule. Unable to arrest citizens at the present time, they have sent spies to corral any noncitizens and deport them, hoping to put fear into our hearts.
Asked what we should render unto Cesar, Jesus takes a coin with Cesar’s head and answers that we should give to Cesar those things that belong to Cesar and to God the things that are God’s. And what belongs to God? Our consciences which tell us to speak against the new repression. Jesus will, of course, pay with his life.
And what will we pay if we cower beneath threats? Our integrity, for one. We have no other option but to speak out against the attempts to silence us. Just as the circle began to close around Jesus, it is closing around us: access to all of our personal data, banning books, attacks on education and scientific research, to name just a few. We must ask ourselves: What would Jesus do and act accordingly.
Prayer for the Day
Turning away from the world around us,
We seek to isolate ourselves from others who call upon us;
Closing ourselves off from your Spirit who calls us,
We have sought to rely only on ourselves alone.
Forgive us, Holy One, and transform our despair into hope,
Letting love triumph over fear and hopelessness
In the name of the One who shares your hope with all,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.
Alan M. Garber, President, Harvard
Every citizen and officeholder who cares about the strength of our country must also care about free speech, self-governing thought, and the untrammeled quest for knowledge.
Christopher L. Eisgruber, President, Princeton University
Have regard for your covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of violence.
Do not let the downtrodden be put to shame; let the poor and needy praise your name.
Rise up, O God, plead your cause; remember how the impious scoff at you all day long
Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of your adversaries
Psalm 74: 20-23