The Love of God!

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to cover our religion classes in the Catholic School. After my talk I decided to play a game by asking questions from a stack of cards about our faith. One of the questions was a fill-in-the-blank. The question went as follows: "We are the made in the image and _________ of God." It was a simple question but I was surprised how many did not know the answer. Of course, the answer is, "Likeness." Yes, we have all been created in the image and likeness of God. We have been created out of love, by God, to share His love with others. I bring this up because our gospel for this weekend, Matthew 22:15-21, talks about this image, but in a rather unique way. The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus by asking him who is to pay their taxes. Jesus asks for a coin and so he asks them whose image this is. The image on the coin was Caesar and that leads Jesus to say, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." Everything belongs to God, even our very lives because we have been created in His image and likeness. Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, a doctor of the church, wrote this in the 17th century: "We are made in the image and likeness of God. So you, O Christian, because you are a human being, are God's tribute money - a little coin bearing the image and likeness of the divine emperor. Therefore, with Christ I ask, Whose likeness and inscription is this? Your answer is, God's, to which I reply, Then why not give God what belongs to him? We bear the imprint of your glorious face, O Lord" (St. Anthony Messenger Press, Oct. 16). That is a beautiful quote from Saint Lawrence of Brindisi and we live that goodness each day because of God's great love for us! Have a blessed weekend!!!