You call it

The Text today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary from the Gospel of Matthew tells of how the Herodians and the Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus with a question about the legality of paying taxes to the empire of the oppressor, Rome.  Jesus uses the coin of the realm, the denarius, to make the point that the obligation we owe the civil authorities and the obligation we owe to God are different. The Book of the Prophet Isaiah tells of the action of God to liberate the captives in Babylon through the political and military power of the Persian, Cyrus who eventually subdued Babylon and issued an Edict of Restoration for the Jews to return to Jerusalem. The civil authorities are capable of good and bad initiatives. Paul addresses the Thessalonians with thanksgiving to God for the way they have witnessed to the presence of the Holy Spirit through their word and action. The movements in the society around us which are rendering unto God that which is holy, good, compassionate and loving are worthy of our support, thanksgiving and praise for the power of God, as echoed by the psalmist. Rushing to judgement of people, political parties or movements because of their image may be missing the point the Jesus is teaching today.