Princes Don't Pay Tax

Monsignor Moran had an interesting insight pertaining to paying taxes, referring to Matt 17: 22-27.  In this gospel, the temple tax collectors wanted Jesus to pay the temple tax and Jesus has Peter catch a fish and take the coin out of the fish's mouth to pay the tax.

But do princes of a kingdom pay tax?  No, their subjects do.  The people pay taxes to the king, but the sons of the king aren't expected to pay. They're exempt.

Well...isn't Jesus a prince?  Isn't His Father a King?

Fishing for Money

The Gospel this morning was Matt 17: 22-27.  I was surprised to see a lady taking notes during the homily.  I know her.  I may not know her name, but she is a daily communicant.  My point being that she wasn't a "spy", taking notes.  She is a serious, religious person.

The Gospel is the story of the temple tax collectors asking Peter if Jesus paid.  Father explained that earlier in Jewish history, the Jews paid as much as one third of their income to the temple.  They were happy to do so.  The temple tax was a significant form of prayer.  However, when the Romans came, the temple tax wasn't all for the temple.  After the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem, the Romans actually still collected the temple tax and gave it to their pagan god, Jupiter.

The point of the story is not about giving money.  It's about God providing.  The fish had enough coins in its mouth to pay for two temple taxes.

Monseigneur Moran always gives a culturally, historical, homily.  No wonder people take notes.