29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Innermost Truth

I am the Lord and there is no other, there is no God besides me.

The god that we make of power, the domination of others and the exercise of control
over their lives, is a false god.

The god that we make of possessions, the accumulation of wealth far beyond that re-
quired for a dignified life, is a false god.

The god that we make of pleasure and comfort, soothing our senses with physical satis-
faction and enjoyment, is a false god.

The god that we make of security, lulling us to sleep in the midst of a world filled with
chaos and turmoil, is a false god.
Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, but give to God what is God’s. What is God’s is the only place
as God, and so we give the Lord glory and honor. We who belong to God the Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ know that all the gods of the nations are things of naught, and so we reject the false
gods of power, possessions, pleasure, and security. We place all our hope in the almighty
and ever-living God who is our source of power and inspiration.
Gerald Darring

“Since it has been entrusted to the Church

to reveal the mystery of God, who is the ul-
timate goal of man, she opens up to man at
the same time the meaning of his own exis-
tence, that is, the innermost truth about
himself. The Church truly knows that only
God, whom she serves, meets the deepest
longings of the human heart, which is
never fully satisfied by what this world has
to offer.”
Vatican II, Constitution on the Church in the
Modern World (1965) 41
October 19, 2008
Some καιρός / kairos thoughts…
καιρός / kairos—Greek—time—viewed as an occasion rather than an extent
Discussion Questions
First Reading
Isaiah, Chapter 45, Verses 1, 4-6
1. Cyrus was a Gentile and a pagan. Yet he ac-
complished good things for the chosen people.
Did he have any idea that God was working
through him? Do you always know when God is
using you to help others? What is the message
here for you?
2. Are there other non-Christian people whom
God has used to bring about good? Can you
name some?
Second Reading
First Thessalonians, Chapter 1, Verses 1-5
1. How do the following help your own recep-
tion of the word?
1) The presence of the Holy Spirit;
2) people living the gospel with much
conviction.
2. Is the word a way of life or is it a code of con-
duct? On a scale of 1 to 10, where would you put
your “work of faith, labor of love and endurance
in hope”?
Gospel
Matthew, Chapter 22, Verses 15-21
1. Even if the coin bears Caesar’s image, doesn’t
the universe and everything bear God’s image?
Where do you find God’s image?
2. Do God’s and Caesar’s worlds have to be
separated? What would the world be like if they
were joined together?
“Give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to
God the things of God” is Jesus’ response to
a trick question about paying taxes and living
in the Spirit. We, living in between the time of
Jesus’ first and second comings and with a
foot in both camps, are called to do both. Out
of the good news given to us through words,
power and the Holy Spirit, we can influence
the things of Caesar toward a course that
leads to God. It is a risky and complex job.
Are you prepared to try?
Text, Philip J. Sandstrom, S.T.D. © 2002, OCP. All rights reserved.
Prayer List
Pray the rosary for world peace, Avis Cox, Fr. Clarence Biggers, Gladys and
Ben Kramkowski, Rita Moenk, Doug Bearden, Sarah Snider, Thornton/
Lynch family, Julian Campbell, Annie & family, Connie, her mother &
family, Blake, Erik, Jonathan & family, Sharon & family, Will, FMS, Cap.
Corp., Patrick & Brittany, Broughman family, Fannie Crowder & family,
VAL, Father Ingram’s father & family, Karen’s mother, Cheryl Mobley &
family, William Hudson, Robert, Walter, Danielle, Christopher, Barbara,
Katherine, Nicholas, Kaylin, Kasie, Mary Beth & family, Mary Ann Mahoney
& family, Donna & family, Ann Chancellor & family, Sheila & family, cancer
patients & families, military & families, Brandon, Plantation Villa residents,
Don, Mrs. Carpenter, Mr. & Mrs. Rooks, Katherine & family, Mr. Dunn, Mr.
& Mrs. Barlow, Jane & family, Scott & family, Diane & Peter, Michele &
Gary, Lucy’s father & family, Bobbie, Joan & family, Karl’s mother & family,
June & family, Tina & family, Belinda & family, OLM family, Kat, Delgratia
& family, Mr. Gomez & family, Sara’s mother, Dr. Lynch & family, Rob/
Allie & family, Chuck & family, Frank & family, Liesa & family, mother of
Dr. Petros, Dr. Issa & family, Odessa, Anita’s mother & family, Ruby,
Ruby’s mother & family, Davies family, Katie & family, family of Angie, Ann
& family, Gretchen & family, Eileen, Scott & family, Robert, Flavia & family,
Tony’s family, Roy & Martha Wright, Roy, Alice Swygert, Alan, Nard, Tony,
Glenda, Nelson, J. Bob, Munn, Vogt, Wolfe families, Russell & family, Ola,
Gene Wilson & family, Jane Brock & family, Janet Kramer & family, Elayne
& family, Winnie, Phil & family, Tony, Stan, Emily & family, Ruthie & Ed,
Mr. Bergin & family, Russell & family, Mrs. Sanseverino & family, CC
Center, veterans & families Jessie Emmett, Mark, Michael’s mother, Carrie,
VAMC, Rambo’s mother & family, Josephine Mary, Mary Anna, S. Paul,
Tony, J. W. Wilson & family, Jason & Kim, Josie, Kelly, Mickey’s family, Jon
& Janet Cook & family, Karen’s cousin, Mike Aguado & family, Carl &
family, Dr. Lopez & family, Dr. Vanapalli & family, Dr. Nair & family,
Garrett & family, family of Duffie, Aaron Christian, Marina & family,
Mitchell’s father & family, Estella’s mother & family, Kerry’s mother &
family, Gail & family, Beth & family, Bernard, Anna & family, Sara Lucas &
family, Mary Gilliam & family, Delgratia & family, Bobbie Elayne & family,
Carol, Cheryl Mobley & family, Bettie & family, Jane & family, Scott, Chris
& family, Michael & family, Carolyn Williamson, Berger family, Mendez
family, Ikai family, Joshua Moser, Stephanie Christian, Chris B., Justine
McGuire, Anna & Henry, Mary & Leonard, Heidi, Mary Ondovchik, Ann
Rudy, Peggy Cable, Claude Rickman, Dames gang, Chris & Stevie, Paula,
Dan & kids, Jim Cannon, Marcus Osborn, Amy & family, Phil Lee, Jack
Sexton, Denise & Sam Kell, Chad Nostrant, Randy Taylor, Brian Strickland,
Florence & Vincent Santaniello, Anderson family, Chris Stahler family,
Frank, Mary Jo Shamas, Frances Homsey, Gus Kneidinger, Barbara, Carole
Chiani, Paul Williams, Gary & Sharon Creed, Barbara Carl, James & Phyllis
Wham, Dan Kessler, Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Fry, David Hempen, Steve
Kirkland, Michael Cofer, Buddy Brasher, Lana Adams-Tidwell, Kathy
McGhee, rain, Helen Anderson, Kelly Timken, Carol Ross, Heather & Heidi,
Sonya Robinson, Gary Toler, Lamont Davis, Beverley, Emilia, JT, Russ
family, Robert S. & family, Louis Talbot, Wright family, Katie Doane, Jeremy
& Erica Granier, Michael Coates, John Crowe, Raymond & Virginia Jones,
Beth Phillips, Charles & Connie Sullivan, Marsha Bassi, Paul Morrell, Olivia,
Carla Smith, Mary Scarnati, Bonnie