Render To Caesar What Belongs To Caesar

Render To Caesar What Belongs To Caesar

by Deacon Alex Kwok

Catholics hold dual nationality. This is a reality beyond dispute. Catholics belong to the Kingdom of Heaven as well as the local state. Thus, we have to live with two different sets of laws, God’s laws as well as local laws. Each local government has her own legislature to define laws appropriate to the local living conditions. What about God’s laws? We can find God’s laws in the Bible which was nearly 2 millennia old. You and I are historical animals living in a particular time and space. Therefore, we need to adapt God’s laws to the living conditions of the present age. For example, the Torah which Moses wrote, requires that people should offer burnt offerings and sacrifices at the place God chooses as His dwelling place (Deuteronomy 12:11). During the time of kings, the place was the Jerusalem Temple which was destroyed in 70 A.D.

Nowadays, there is no Jerusalem Temple anymore and we do not offer burnt offerings because Jesus Christ is our perfect Paschal Lamb. Thus, the Church has a set of canon laws to help Catholics lead their lives in the modern world. We no longer observe Sabbath which celebrates God’s rest after Creation; but the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. To meet the need of Catholics living in commercial societies like Hong Kong, the Church sets up anticipatory Sunday masses for parishioners who need to work on Sundays etc.

The Catholic Church seems to be very conservative in matters of marriage, but it is for the spiritual good of the faithful. First of all, the Church has to acknowledge the validity of civil marriages of non-believers because marriage is a natural human right and it serves social functions such as settling inheritance disputes. But the Church sees the union as something more than ordinary social contracts. Marriage is a covenant because Christ takes the Church as His spouse. Therefore, matrimony is one of the seven sacraments. Thus, in order for Catholic marriages to be valid, the Church requires clergy to marry Catholic couple, a man and a woman, in a church. This is a clear example to demonstrate how Catholics have to observe two different sets of laws. The good Lord’s teaching is relevant here. When Pharisees and Herodians joined hand to trap Jesus, asking Him whether it was lawful to pay tax to Caesar, the good Lord gave us a crystal clear guideline: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). Beloved brethren! What things are NOT God’s?

Alas! People in power are more prone to playing God, grasping everything. Power blinds them so easily that they forget who the boss is. In secular terms, people vote them into office. They are mere stewards of the people they serve rather than being masters lording over the commoners. However, authority corrupts them so that they invest their efforts to fatten themselves instead of eradicating poverty; divert resources to build white elephant projects to prove themselves among world leaders instead of improving the living conditions of low-income families, creating more job opportunities for school leavers, enhancing the marketability of worker’s skills and guaranteeing basic health care for all etc.

Beloved brethren! Let us join the Pope to pray for political leaders in August. “For kings, and for all in authority; that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:2). May God infuse the fear of the Lord in their mind and love in their hearts so that they work for integral human development and for the common good. May they turn their gaze to meet the needs of the poor and the unemployed. Amen.
God bless!

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Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio