Dear sisters and brothers,

The Pharisees’ question to Jesus, “Teacher, tell us, is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” was not an honest search for truth but a carefully planned trap. They wanted to force Jesus to choose between obeying God and paying taxes to Caesar. Their question presented a false choice, as though loyalty to God and fulfilling civic responsibilities were mutually exclusive.

We encounter similar false dichotomies today: “Are you a person of faith, or do you care about politics? Do you love your country, or do you stand up for the poor and marginalized?” Often, these are not genuine alternatives but attempts to divide us.

Jesus refuses to be trapped. Pointing to the coin, he asks whose image it bears. When they answer, “Caesar’s,” Jesus responds, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Jesus reminds us that civic responsibilities and religious faith need not conflict. We can fulfill our duties as citizens while remaining faithful to God, allowing our faith to guide us in truth, justice, and human dignity.