"Kon indi kita magbayad basi kon maglain ang ila buot sa aton"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Mateo 16:13-23)

Samtang nagatilipon ang iya mga sumulunod didto sa Galilea, nagsiling si Jesus sa ila, "Ako nga Anak sang Tawo kinahanglan nga itugyan sa mga tawo nga magapatay sa akon. Pero sa ikatlo nga adlaw mabanhaw ako." Nagkasubo gid ang iya mga sumulunod.

Sang pag-abot nila ni Jesus sa Capernaum, ginpalapitan si Pedro sang mga manugsukot sang buhis sa templo kag ginpamangkot. "Nagabayad bala ang inyo manunudlo sang buhis para sa templo?"

Nagsabat si Pedro sa iya, "Huo, nagabayad siya."

Pagsulod ni Pedro sa balay ginpamangkot siya dayon ni Jesus. "Simon, kon sa imo abi, sin-o bala ang ginapabayad sang mga hari diri sa kalibutan sang buhis, ang ila bala mga anak ukon ang iban?"

Nagsabat si Pedro, "Siyempre ang iban." Dayon nagsiling si Jesus, "Kon amo sina, nagakahulugan nga ang mga anak indi kinahanglan nga magbayad.

Ugaling kon indi kita magbayad basi kon maglain ang ila buot sa aton, gani magkadto ka sa dagat kag magpamunit. Abrihan mo ang baba sang una nga isda nga imo makuha kag makita mo didto ang kuwarta nga sarang naton ibayad para sa aton buhis nga duha. Kuhaon mo ang kuwarta kag ibayad dayon sa mga nagasukot sang buhis para sa templo."

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."

***

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 common Jewish title for the Messiah. 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?