29 Sun A / 19.10.14 / responsible...

In Mt 22.15-21 the big Q: "is it permissible to pay taxes to Ceasar or not ?"
is a highly political question ! Ceasar is for the Q the strange occupier !
Is there a reason to pay taxes to the occupier, to the oppressor ?

Jesus (as many times) in his answer changes the level, the background,
the horizon of the question; there is no direct answer...  only Yes or No...
but: as the Denarius (money) comes from the Ceasar - give it back to him.
Refuse to accept something from your oppressor - if, give it back now.

We learn:
1. If we accept God as the CREATOR and if we accept that God has given
the CREATION at our disposal / into our hands... we exactly know: the CREATION
belongs to God - therefore, in reality: it is not possible to give HIM back something.
What we may do: give thanks for the GRACE, the gifts, the GIVEN.
2. We see the God-given-gifts as a river, a tendency into the future;
"all what is given, is given for all".
Take as a wonderful example: the air, the water, love, fulness of Life etc...
3. If we have something in our hands...  we know: it is destined to go on...
to bear fruits...   to contribute...
we only are like stewards "responsible administrators"; not owners...
4. So we ask again and again: the gift I have now in hands...
belongs to whom ? comes from ? is in relation with ? has to go where ?
what is his task ? his function ?

The Synod of Rome gives thanks for the "gift of family"...  they know: the family
has to go into the future; they feel responsible for this gift and are now looking
for better conditions: what will help the families to bear fruits ? ? ?
I hope the Bishps will tell us: every Parish, every Deanery, every Diocese etc...
has to perform their own "Family-Synod" - to find ways to improve family-life...
It's not the work of God... (cf. the "payer of the family") it's given into our hands !
Therefore the Bishops have not to give the solution...  they have rather to encourage, to animate the Communities; to enable, to empower them to find
their own best solution, practise...