"Agod indi sila masaklaw"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Mateo 17:22-27)
Lunes (Agosto 12)

Sang pagtilipon sang mga gintuton-an sa Galilea, nagsiling si Jesus sa ila, “Ang Anak sang Tawo madali na lang itugyan sa kamot sang mga tawo nga magapatay sa iya, pero sa ikatlo nga adlaw pagabanhawon sia.” Ang mga gintuton-an nagkasubo gid. 

Sang pag-abot ni Jesus kag sang mga gintuton-an sa Capernaum, ang mga manugsokot sang buhis sang templo nagpalapit kay Pedro kag nagpamangkot, “Nagabayad man bala ang inyo manunodlo sang buhis sa templo?” 

“Huo, e!” ang sabat ni Pedro. Sang pagsulod ni Pedro sa balay, nag-una si Jesus hambal, “Sa imo abi, Simon, sin-o bala ang nagabayad sa mga hari sini nga kalibutan sang balayran sa adwana ukon mga buhis? Ang mga pumoluyo bala sang pungsod ukon mga dumoluong?" 

Nagsabat si Pedro, “Ang mga dumoluong.” Si Jesus nagsiling, “Kon amo nagakahulogan nga indi kinahanglan magbayad ang mga pumoluyo. 

Ugaling agod indi sila masaklaw sa aton, kadto ka sa dagat kag magpamunit kag ang una nga isda nga imo mahulik sa iya baba makita mo ang kuwarta nga metal nga sarang makabayad sang imo kag sang akon buhis sa templo. Kuhaa kag ibayad para sa aton buhis.”

Prayers:

"Lord Jesus, your death brought life and freedom. May I always walk in that freedom and be guided by your love and truth that I may be generous towards all and give each their due."

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Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

Who likes to pay taxes, especially when you think they might be unreasonable or unjust? Jesus and his disciples were confronted by tax collectors on the issue of tax evasion. When questioned about paying the temple tax, Jesus replied to his disciples: We must pay so as not to cause bad example. In fact, we must go beyond our duty in order that we may show others what they ought to do. The scriptural expression to give no offense doesn't refer to insult or annoyance; rather it means to put no stumbling block in the way of another that would cause them to trip or fall. Jesus would not allow himself anything which might possibly be a bad example to someone else. Do you evade unpleasant responsibilities or obligations?

On three different occasions the Gospels record that Jesus predicted he would endure great suffering through betrayal, rejection, and the punishment of a cruel death. The Jews resorted to stoning and the Romans to crucifixion – the most painful and humiliating death they could devise for criminals they wanted to eliminate. No wonder the apostles were greatly distressed at such a prediction! If Jesus their Master were put to death, then they would likely receive the same treatment by their enemies. Jesus called himself the "Son of Man" because this was a Jewish title for the Messiah which the prophet Daniel wrote about (Daniel 7:13-14). Why must the Messiah be rejected and killed? Did not God promise that his Anointed One would deliver his people from their oppression and establish a kingdom of peace and justice? The prophet Isaiah had foretold that it was God's will that the "Suffering Servant" make atonement for sins through his suffering and death. Jesus paid the price for our redemption with his blood. Slavery to sin is to want the wrong things and to be in bondage to destructive desires. The ransom Jesus paid sets us free from the worst tyranny possible – the tyranny of sin and the fear of death. Jesus' victory did not end with death but triumphed over the tomb. Jesus defeated the powers of death through his resurrection. Do you want the greatest freedom possible, the freedom to live as God truly meant us to live as his sons and daughters?