Image from ForumAncientCoins: the denarius of Tiberias, possibly the kind of coin Jesus used in today's gospel.
It's Tuesday night and it's never too early in the week to begin looking over the scriptures for the coming Sunday. As I've mentioned before, on Sunday night I print out the texts for the coming weekend and put them in my pocket so that whenever a free moment comes along, I can spend some time studying the word. It's a way that helps me simmer the scriptures in the stuff of daily life which is, of course, just what a homily should do!
For a look at the texts for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, link yourself over to the St. Louis University liturgy page. Got kids? Then you might want to simmer them in the scriptures so that they're better prepared to hear them proclaimed on Sunday. The Sadlier We Believe site is just for that purpose so take a cyber side trip there for some hints.
The gospel includes this classic scene known to all:
The Pharisees asked,
"Tell us, then, what is your opinion:
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"
Jesus said...
"Show me the coin that pays the census tax."
Then they handed him the Roman coin.
He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?"
They replied, "Caesar's."
At that he said to them,
"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."
The scene for this is set in the first scripture where Cyrus, a pagan Persion emperor, is anointed by the Lord to conquer Babylon and to restore God’s people to their homeland: a contre temps between politics and faith.
Imagine how many ways these texts will be interpreted this Sunday!
(My parish just began the ARISE program, an adaptation of the more familiar RENEW effort known across the country. Already, reports are coming back about the difference it makes to go to worship on the Lord's day already familiar with, having prayed over the day's scriptures! You don't have to be in a small group to achieve the same! Check the links, spend the time, read, study, pray... You'll be glad you did!)
-ConcordPastor
I could not agree more. Our parish is not using any resource for this at the moment.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am in a small faith sharing group and we do use the week ahead instead of behind, which is contrary to the instructions. (Me? Contrary to instructions? Well, someitmes!)
However, I learned the habit of reading ahead a long time ago and I am grateful for it.