Lent- Day 4: Matthew 22-24

Mt: 22: 21: "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God"

Before I was even committed to be received into the Catholic Church, I did contemplate reading the Bible just for moments like this one. How different is it compared to One thousand Arabian nights as a string of interesting, well-told stories with good moral lessons? Yes, I do believe Jesus made jokes, and this one is especially witty. Theological significance asides on this one, it also testifies that the gospel truth can triumph by the mean of reason only, too (also is the spirit of the Gospel of Matthew).

Mt: 23: 3: Do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.

This doesn't seem like a fair, quote-worthy moment. This verse at the beginning of Chapter 23 is followed by Jesus' heavy rebuke of the Pharisees and hypocrites ("Oh you hypocrites" appears to be one of his favorite sayings), which speaks to me like a long, passionate lament for the humankind. Nonetheless, verse 3 stuck out to me, as he also advises us to observe the teaching of the Pharisees. Perhaps the bad example of the teacher does not discredit the teaching. We must learn to separate them.

 Mt: 24: 26-27: So if they say to you, 'He is in the desert,' do not go out there; if they say, 'He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For just as lighting comes from the east and is seen as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

This chapter foretells the second coming. Again, there seem to be many more quote-worthy verses (are there, really?) on keeping watch and preparing for the second coming. This verse in particular warns about false prophet. What it speaks to me is to follow God's testimony over human testimony. Do not let false prophets limit your relation to God. You yourself has the capacity to search and find Him. Don't worry, because it will become clear to you. When it's lighting on the east, it can be seen as far as the west.

Bonus picture: When I visited a pig farm as a Catholic Worker House, which smelled awesome for a pig farm (or my preconception of a pig farm). Perhaps there'll be a story written about this experience later.