29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - 18 October 2026
18th October 2026
“In the same way as Caesar looks for his image on a coin, God looks for his in your soul. ‘Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,’ the Saviour says. What does Caesar demand from you? His image. But Caesar’s image is on a coin, whereas God’s is in you. If the loss of a coin causes you to weep because you have lost Caesar’s image, would not any damage brought in you to God’s image be for you a cause for tears.” - St Augustine of Hippo
A reflection on today's Gospel taken from an excerpt of the Commentary on Matthew by St Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, 367AD:
Oftentimes the Pharisees had been put to confusion, and could not find any cause to accuse Him of anything that He had hitherto said or done. Though His words and actions were faultless, these men, still from spite, set themselves to seek in every direction for some cause to accuse Him. They knew that He was calling all to turn away from the corruption of the world and the superstitious practices of devotion invented by men, and to fix their thoughts and hopes upon His kingdom of heaven. Therefore the Pharisees arranged a question calculated to entrap Him into an offence against the civil government, namely: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not? But since there is nothing in the heart of man that God does not see, Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt Me, ye hypocrites? Show Me the coin of the tribute. And they offered Him a penny. And Jesus said to them: Whose image and. inscription is this? They said to Him: Caesar’s. Then He said to them: Render, therefore, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.
How wonderful this answer, and how perfect the fulfilment of the prescribed Divine Law! So beautifully does He here indicate the middle way between not caring for the things of the world, on the one hand, and the offence of injuring Caesar, on the other, that He proves the perfect freedom of minds, however devoted to God, to discharge all human duties by commanding them to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. If we possess nothing that is Caesar’s, we are not bound to render anything to him; but since we are concerned with the things which are his, since we make justly use of his power, and are subject to him as paid servants to take care of property not our own, we cannot question our duty to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. But all of us are always bound to render to God the things that are God’s that is, our body, our soul, and our will. These things we hold from Him, for He is our Creator. It is, therefore, just that those who acknowledge that they owe to Him their being, life, and preservation, should render to Him all that they are and have.
Te Deum Prayer
O God, we praise Thee, and acknowledge Thee to be the supreme Lord.
Everlasting Father, all the earth worships Thee.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of Thy glory.
The white-robed army of Martyrs, praise Thee.
Also the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
O Christ, Thou art the King of glory!
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
Thou didst not disdain the Virgin's womb.
Thou sitest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.
We believe that Thou wilt come to be our Judge.
Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance!
Govern them, and raise them up forever.
Every day we thank Thee.
And we praise Thy Name forever, yes, forever and ever.
O Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in Thee.
O Lord, in Thee I have put my trust; let me never be put to shame.