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TAXES, since the resurrection, I hear they are the only thing that’s still absolutely definite.

Taxes…..

When I was young, I saw my dad as an immovable rock and impenetrable wall of protection. This made me feel very safe. No one could hurt my daddy and, consequently, no one could hurt me. He was super-dad. One day, I noticed he was working really hard and I asked if I could help.

He handed me some papers, an envelope and advised me to be very careful; they were important. He told me to fold them, put them in the envelope but I should not seal the envelope. He reiterated that the papers were very important; they were going to Uncle Sam.

I remember walking to the other table, task in hand and thinking, “I know I have a lot of uncles, but I don’t remember an Uncle Sam. I resolved to find out more about him later.

I carefully folded the papers and was fascinated by the one with all the little boxes and numbers. ‘Wow,” I thought, Uncle Sam must be important.” I decide, there and then, to make this ‘stuff’ going to yet another uncle, special.

I took that paper, the one with all the little boxes and numbers, and my box of crayons. I proceeded to color all the squares different colors. It looked so nice; I went to show my dad.

My dad took a look, turned white, then he turned red and proceeded to say some things that Id never heard him say before.

Later, as I sat in my room, miserable, I decided that my dad and Uncle Sam didn’t like each other very much.

Taxes…. or take over

Years later, I had a class while in Seminary; it was “a no credit elective” that turned out to be incredibly helpful. It was a class on clergy taxes, and it was entitled, “Render unto Caesar ONLY that which is Caesar’s!”

Needless to say since we’re rapidly approaching an election year..... big surprise to everyone that, while we all talk we hear very little about where our presidential candidates really stand and that is a loss.

Taxes..... during the last election, one side of the aisle claimed it would be able to increase services while maintaining the current tax rates. Right, thought I, having grown to know Uncle Sam just a little better.

This election time, both sides tell us there is a tax cut in the making; we just don’t know which one yet. My advise? Don’t worry about it. God’s response ……..Maybe something like : take my name off your money

Economies much like stress, they are not a phenomenon of this time. Matthew
speaks about it, and so do Mark and Luke.

In Israel, at the time this story was written...I’m not sure when it was first spoken,...at the time this story was written, taxes were a real issue. There were three different kinds of taxes.

There was a ground tax, which consisted of 1/10th of the grain harvested and 1/5th of the oil pressed.

There was an income tax of 1%, and than there was the poll tax, or a head
count tax.

This was complicated by the issue that, when this story was written down, it
was after 70bc, and the temple had already been destroyed. It was the 1%
that was previously collected for the Temple that was now being collected by
Rome. It was collected by Rome and used for the support of the temple of
Jupiter Capitolina in Rome........just to add insult to injury. This was the implication behind the question, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not?” Answering no made you guilty of sedition; answering yes made you an idolater.

Social and religious tension, a change in circumstances and the principals the
Lord gave us to live by.

In this first to second century after the death and Resurrection of Our Lord, Christians were doing exactly what Christians have done through the ages. They were interpreting their particular circumstances in light of the Gospel teachings. Like us also, they were dealing with social unrest, a lack of trust in the system , and an inability to decipher the impact of the transition they were a part of. They were at the end of an age, and they would help rock the world.

Stress; economics , they are not a phenomena of our time alone.. And then, as now, political
Change often brings with it a spiritual reassessment as well. The real question is: are we just
repeating history, or are we part of an upward spiral? Are we going somewhere?

To be a Christian is to be set apart; however; Jesus’ words, while
distinguishing between God and Caesar, doesn’t isolate them.

The Incarnate Lord in the world, and the Church in the world; they are the
same redeeming movement that was begun so long ago....begun mellinia ago,
and continuing to move through transition of every kind, moving towards
completion.

So, as a good friend often says don’t get your knickers in a twist. God is still in control.

Amen

The Rev. Denise P. Mantell

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