Whose Image Are You Carrying?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees and Herodians think they have Jesus trapped. They approach Him with a question that seems simple: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But it isn’t really a question. It’s a trap. If Jesus says, “Pay the tax,” He risks losing the support of many Jews who resent Roman rule. If He says, “Don’t pay,” He could be accused of rebellion against Rome.

Jesus sees right through their intentions. He asks for a coin and says, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They reply, “Caesar’s”  Then Jesus gives one of the most famous answers in all of Scripture: “Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

Most of us have heard these words many times. But I think the real question of the Gospel is not about taxes. The real question is: Whose image are you carrying? The coin belonged to Caesar because it bore Caesar’s image. But what bears God’s image? You do.

From the first pages of Scripture, we are told that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God. The coin may belong to Caesar, but your heart belongs to God. And this is where the Gospel becomes challenging. Many of us are willing to give God some things. An hour on Sunday. A few prayers. A donation. Some good intentions. But God is not asking for a portion of our lives. He is asking for the whole thing. Because His image is stamped on every part of us. Our thoughts, choices, relationships, work, dreams, even our wounds.

The world constantly tries to stamp its image upon us. It tells us our worth comes from success, appearance, popularity, wealth, or power. But the Christian life is the lifelong journey of allowing God’s image to become visible again in us. The saints were not extraordinary because they possessed something others lacked. They were extraordinary because they allowed God to reclaim what was already His.

Maybe that is the question we should carry with us today: When people look at my life, whose image do they see? The image of the world? The image of my ego? Or the image of Christ?

Every day we render many things to many people. We give our time, energy, attention, and effort. But have we given ourselves completely to God? Because the greatest truth of this Gospel is that God does not simply want something from us. He wants us.

The One whose image we bear is the One to whom we belong.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You created me in Your image and called me by name. So often I allow other things to define me and claim my heart. Help me remember that I belong to You. Remove whatever hides Your image within me. Teach me to give You not just a part of my life, but my whole life. May others see Your face reflected in my words, choices, and actions. Amen.

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko