In the first reading we have the prophet telling a non-Jewish king that he is the LORD’s anointed. Wow … a non-believer is chosen by God to subdue the “chosen” people! Why would God allow that, much less plan and do such? He says, “For the sake of Jacob, my servant, of Israel, my chosen one, I called you by your name, giving you a title, though you knew me not. lt is so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun people may know that there is none besides me. I am the LORD, there is no other.” Like those in last week’s Gospel who were too busy for God, many will suffer under another’s hand because they had no time for God. Too busy. The reminds us we are called to, “Give the Lord glory and honor.” And to do that each and every week of the year.
The Gospel tells us of how “the Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech.” How many so-called Christians do the same with regard to those who do not follow their ways in the secular world. Ready to trip up one another for the sake of getting ahead in the world. They forget the lesson that Jesus taught, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” No easy task at times but an essential one. We are called to transform the world, not to be transformed by the world.
Countenance of God 