Oct 10, 2026 Written by 

Render unto God what is God’s

In today’s Gospel, the evangelist Matthew addresses the issue of paying taxes to the Emperor of Rome. 

The Pharisees and Herodians, seeking to trap Jesus, put a question to him:

«Is it lawful to pay tax to Caesar, or not?» (Mt 22:17).

But the Lord replies with that wisdom which comes from on high and is characteristic of him:

«Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s» (Mt 22:21).

 

In the Franciscan Sources, the ‘Little One of Assisi’ demonstrates throughout his life the wisdom of a poor man.

At the beginning of his conversion, he gave his money to a priest so that the church might be repaired, realising that in this way he would be giving back to God what was His, thereby practising distributive justice.

‘The new knight of Christ approaches the church, and seeing it in such a wretched state, his heart is moved with compassion.

He enters with reverential awe and, encountering a poor priest there, with great faith kisses his consecrated hands, offers him the money he carries with him, and reveals his intentions.

Astounded by this sudden conversion, the priest can scarcely believe what his ears are hearing and refuses to take the money, fearing it is a prank.

Indeed, he had seen him, so to speak, the day before revelling amongst relatives and friends, surpassing everyone in folly.

But Francis insisted and repeatedly implored him to believe his words, and begged him to take him in to serve the Lord alongside him.

And finally, the priest allowed him to stay with him, whilst continuing to refuse the money, for fear of his relatives.

So Francis, a true despiser of wealth, threw it out of a small window, caring no more for it than for dust.

For he longed to possess the wisdom that is better than gold and to obtain the prudence that is more precious than silver’ (FF 335).

After so much debauchery, he wished to give things their proper weight and to give to God what is His and to people what is due to them.

And the sources continue to illustrate the dynamics of his life in truth:

“Francis, supremely in love with God, had a great contempt for all earthly things, but above all he detested money.

He began to despise it in a very special way right from the start of his conversion and urged his followers to flee from it as though it were the devil himself.

He had advised them to treat money in the same way as dung […]” (FF 651).

Just as Jesus takes those present by surprise with his incisive reply, so Francis, following in his footsteps, surprises everyone with a new way of life characterised by truth and justice.

 

 

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (year A)  (Mt 22:15–21)

183 Last modified on Saturday, 10 October 2026 06:29
Teresa Girolami

Teresa Girolami è laureata in Materie letterarie e Teologia. Ha pubblicato vari testi, fra cui: "Pellegrinaggio del cuore" (Ed. Piemme); "I Fiammiferi di Maria - La Madre di Dio in prosa e poesia"; "Tenerezza Scalza - Natura di donna"; co-autrice di "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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We would also like to set an example ourself, even if the smallness of our means might prevent anyone from appreciating the practical and quantitative significance of it. We want to see our own charitable institutions undergo a new development in the struggle against hunger and toward meeting the main needs of the world. This is the way and the only way to build peace (Pope Paul VI)
Vorremmo anche Noi dare l'esempio, sebbene l'esiguità dei Nostri mezzi ci impedisca di farne apprezzare la rilevanza pratica e quantitativa: Noi vogliamo dare alle Nostre istituzioni caritative un nuovo sviluppo in favore della fame e dei bisogni del mondo: è in questo modo, e non altrimenti, che si costruisce la pace (Papa Paolo VI)
As St. Ambrose put it: You are not making a gift of what is yours to the poor man, but you are giving him back what is his (Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progressio n.23)
Non è del tuo avere, afferma sant’Ambrogio, che tu fai dono al povero; tu non fai che rendergli ciò che gli appartiene (Papa Paolo VI, Populorum Progressio n.23)
Here is the entire Gospel! Here! The whole Gospel, all of Christianity, is here! But make sure that it is not sentiment, it is not being a “do-gooder”! (Pope Francis)
Qui c’è tutto il Vangelo! Qui! Qui c’è tutto il Vangelo, c’è tutto il Cristianesimo! Ma guardate che non è sentimento, non è “buonismo”! (Papa Francesco)
Christianity cannot be, cannot be exempt from the cross; the Christian life cannot even suppose itself without the strong and great weight of duty [Pope Paul VI]
Il Cristianesimo non può essere, non può essere esonerato dalla croce; la vita cristiana non può nemmeno supporsi senza il peso forte e grande del dovere [Papa Paolo VI]
The horizon of friendship to which Jesus introduces us is the whole of humanity [Pope Benedict]
L’orizzonte dell’amicizia in cui Gesù ci introduce è l’umanità intera [Papa Benedetto]
The Church invites believers to regard the mystery of death not as the "last word" of human destiny but rather as a passage to eternal life (Pope John Paul II)
La Chiesa invita i credenti a guardare al mistero della morte non come all'ultima parola sulla sorte umana, ma come al passaggio verso la vita eterna (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
The saints: they are our precursors, they are our brothers, they are our friends, they are our examples, they are our lawyers. Let us honour them, let us invoke them and try to imitate them a little (Pope Paul VI)
I santi: sono i precursori nostri, sono i fratelli, sono gli amici, sono gli esempi, sono gli avvocati nostri. Onoriamoli, invochiamoli e cerchiamo di imitarli un po’ (Papa Paolo VI)
Man rightly fears falling victim to an oppression that will deprive him of his interior freedom, of the possibility of expressing the truth of which he is convinced, of the faith that he professes, of the ability to obey the voice of conscience that tells him the right path to follow [Dives in Misericordia, n.11]
L'uomo ha giustamente paura di restar vittima di una oppressione che lo privi della libertà interiore, della possibilità di esternare la verità di cui è convinto, della fede che professa, della facoltà di obbedire alla voce della coscienza che gli indica la retta via da seguire [Dives in Misericordia, n.11]
We find ourselves, so to speak, roped to Jesus Christ together with him on the ascent towards God's heights (Pope Benedict)
Ci troviamo, per così dire, in una cordata con Gesù Cristo – insieme con Lui nella salita verso le altezze di Dio (Papa Benedetto)

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