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Friends, in today’s Gospel, the Pharisees try to trap Jesus. They ask, “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Church-state questions are nothing new—and they continue to be just as divisive.

In the matter of religion and politics, the same principle of Jesus’ wonderful one-liner applies: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Politics is not in a realm separate from the religious; rather, its deepest ground is spiritual. 

So does this mean that religion just swallows everything up? Of course not. Here we can profitably return to Jesus’ dictum. One of the implications of the doctrine of creation is that created things have their own integrity. They are not parts of God, appendages of God’s being. Sports, culture, art, politics, science, etc. have their own particular forms of flourishing.

And it’s no business of mine to come crashing into an artist’s studio and telling him how to paint, or to enter an operating room and tell a doctor how to perform heart surgery. This is the valid independence of created things and secular culture vis-à-vis religion. But remember that all things, ultimately, belong to God—including Caesar!

Gospel Reflections

Meditate on Daily Gospel Reflections from Bishop Robert Barron

29th week of Ordinary Time

Sunday

October 22

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28th week of Ordinary Time

Saturday

October 21

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Friday

October 20

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Thursday

October 19

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Wednesday

October 18

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Sunday

October 1

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Monday

October 16

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Sunday

October 15

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27th week of Ordinary Time

Saturday

October 14

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Friday

October 13

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Thursday

October 12

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Wednesday

October 11

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Tuesday

October 10

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Monday

October 9

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Sunday

October 8

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26th week of Ordinary Time

Saturday

October 7

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Friday

October 6

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Thursday

October 5

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Wednesday

October 4

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Tuesday

October 3

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Monday

October 2

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Friday

September 29

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Friday

September 29

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Friday

September 29

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Thursday

September 28

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Wednesday

September 27

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Tuesday

September 26

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Monday

September 25

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Sunday

September 24

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24th week of Ordinary Time

Saturday

September 23

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Friday

September 22

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Thursday

September 21

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Wednesday

September 20

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Tuesday

September 19

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Monday

September 18

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Sunday

September 17

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23rd week of Ordinary Time

Saturday

September 16

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Friday

September 15

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Thursday

September 14

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Exaltation of the Cross

Wednesday

September 13

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Tuesday

September 12

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Monday

September 11

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Sunday

September 10

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22nd week of Ordinary Time

Saturday

September 9

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Friday

September 8

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Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Thursday

September 7

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Wednesday

September 6

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Tuesday

September 5

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