Love of neighbor is the love of life

Encourage believers that the Lord Jesus is the Source and Strength in the life of a Christian. One rhetorical principle is that if you want to rebuke someone, then first praise and encourage him to bear the words of criticism easily. And it’s true because we can easily encourage the person we get to do better.
In the Gospel pericope, we have heard Jesus say: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17). The Pharisees come to Jesus and are first treated: “Teacher, we know that you tell the truth and teach the way of God ”(Mark 12:14). Then they ask him if he freely pays taxes to the emperor to catch him in his speech and accuse him. If they were the Lord Jesus, he answered in the affirmative, and he would pit all pious Jews against himself. If he replied in the negative, he could be charged as a farmer by the Roman authorities. But he knew their cunning (cf. Mk 12:15) and the thoughts of their hearts and therefore did not remain in your answer only outside. His answer reaches the inside of a man. “Give it to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and what is God’s to God ”(Mark 12:17). Jesus wants to avoid putting on one level of secular and spiritual duties but points to fulfilling them.
During his earthly life, Christ recognized the authority of the time’s
social establishment, which was the Roman Empire. Although it was imperfect, an establishment marked by slavery, cruelty, and autocracy. The first Christian after Jesus’ resurrection, the community followed its Master in obedience against the lords. In his letters, Paul often admonished believers to work; they lived honestly and were role models in the performance of their status duties for the Gentiles.  He calls for prayer for the superiors. Whoever opposes the lords oppose the God of order. The rulers do not have to be afraid of the one who does well but does badly. Therefore, secular power must be subordinated not only out of fear but out of conscience. That’s why you pay two taxes, for those who ask them are God’s servants (cf. Rom 13: 1-7).
The Lord Jesus invites us to participate in His divine life. Let’s not leave be discouraged by the various pitfalls we encounter daily. God’s word is current at all times, as was the case 2000 years ago, when the world at that time was under the domination of Rome, even today when the political situation is completely different. Man is weak in the world creature. He is not equipped with such senses and abilities as animals to survive in the world. Thus, the philosopher Pascal says: “Man is only a reed tossed in the wind …” A yet, he is the crown of creation, the lord of the world. How is it possible? The answer is the completion of Pascal’s statement: “… man is only a reed, but a thinking reed.” That’s her the ability by which man surpasses all creation. That’s why we need other people.
One person alone would probably have a hard time surviving on earth. But connecting people into big makes life easier for all. So, everyone adds a hand to the work, and together we can create great things. However, one great temptation is that one forgets to God, from whom he has life, body, soul, and reason. He wants to be like God. This is where it comes from every hatred of neighbor, anger, and finger-pointing. Gradually, respect for life is lost. The mother feels responsible for deciding whether she wants to give birth to a child or a corpse. And that then returns to parents like a boomerang in their old age when their children make decisions about life or death in old age so that they no longer suffer. Holy Father John Paul II. says about such a way of life as a civilization of death. When a person considers himself God, nothing is God anymore, and everything is an emperor. The Lord Jesus is addressing us today, and he invites us to be propagators of the civilization of love and life. Love your neighbor, in reality, means loving life.
God embraces us with His love. We are his children. He does not leave us orphans. He offers himself to us; he gives himself to us in his son.
He forgives us of our iniquities, even all our secret mistakes. Let’s give it back to him to our love, and then we will fill in the words: “Give to the emperor what is the emperor and to God what is God ”(Cf. Mk 12: 7). How can we do that? So, that we will be faithful to him in words, attitudes, and deeds. Let’s learn to see Jesus in our neighbor. Too in those who do us wrong. Let this example also encourage us: In a Muslim village in Lebanon, a small group of people became Christians. By closing all Muslim doors to them. Christians could no longer stop at the square with other people to smoke and talk; women could no longer walk on water to the village well. New Christians were forced to dig a well at their expense.
Once, however, the village well dried up, and it was over water. Christians called on their countrymen to go and take water from their wells. And they did something else. They put a sign on all their houses:
“Christians live here.” So, everyone knew that he would find help in that house and an outstretched hand.