Breaking the Word

They sent some Pharisees and Herodians to him to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion. You do not regard a person's status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at." They brought one to him and he said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" 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. (Mk 12:13-17)

The discussion is between Jesus and the Pharisees and Herodians. Jesus is presented as a person who is truthful, who is not concerned with anyone’s opinion, who does not regard person’s status, and teaches the way of God in accordance with the truth. This is a beautiful description of the character of Jesus. And the other group is presented as hypocrites (insincere; double standard). Jesus replies these characters as well.

Though Jesus came to preach the Kingdom, and preach God in truth; yet he argues with hypocrites and tries to prove them wrong. The Pharisees were trying to put the religion against to the state. Yet their ultimate aim was to test Jesus and put him into difficulties in speech.

The teaching of Jesus in this passage is that the state and the religion are not opposed to each other. Each has its role to play. Religion and society are the two sides of the same coin. Religion should purify the society and the society should allow the religion to present God experience to the people. 

  During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;…

Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. (Lk 1:39-56)

Mary received the good news that she was to be the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. As soon as she received the news she travelled to Judah to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was also with a child in her old age. Divine presence or divine action always compels one to go to the other where there is divine action. 

Meetings of people of Divine action or divine presence always bring joy and blessings. The child with her womb leapt for joy. Greetings of blessings are exchanged. In their meetings faith is confirmed among themselves.  And they sing praises to the Lord as Mary did.

The third element in their gathering is to do service to the needy and be present with the needy until the needy person requires or the one who is doing is able to do. For Mary remained there about three months and returned to her home. So, the Divine revelation brings the people of Faith together and makes them exchange the blessings, and sing praises to God and serve each other.