Give everyone what he deserves.

 Maybe it will surprise someone, but we are God’s debtors. We owe him respect. Illustration photo: cathopic.com They say that only taxes and death are certain in life. Paying taxes is rare. On the one hand, they finance public services such as education and healthcare, but it seems to most that they pay too much. We are not against taxes, only if we spend less. The hesitant willingness to pay is fueled by constant information about the tax fraud some individuals do and accomplish. Many will always need help to figure it out. Paying taxes is not just about collecting money from earning individuals. It’s a question of justice. We live in society; we are not abandoned islands; we bear joint responsibility for the whole society, not just for ourselves. The more successful we are, the more we should be in solidarity with those who, for various reasons, are not successful. Failure is not a matter of (in)ability. Sometimes, it is due to a bad social environment, few opportunities, lack of education, or simple illness. This is also what taxes are for. Jesus didn’t give many instructions about money, but most people know the phrase “give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” He should have uttered it to present economic theories. He responded to legal experts who looked for weaknesses in his communications and statements to question his authority. The fact that the Jewish people lived under the rule of the hated Romans offered them an excellent opportunity to pressure Jesus into a response that they believed would expose him as a traitor. His mission would be discredited and de facto over if that were the case. But the Master took the question of whether taxes should be paid from a different angle and presented a principle that is still valid: to give every one what is due to them. If we look at things this way, we will rather understand that each person has certain obligations that result from the environment in which they live. We are employees, students, parents, spouses, believers, citizens. Each of these categories has not only its rights but also obligations. We know about them, and we try to preserve them. If we don’t do it, our conscience will accuse us. But justice in the spirit of Jesus’ words has two scales. Justice to the “emperor,” society, school, work, family – various worldly realities. And then there is righteousness toward God. It may surprise someone, but we are God’s debtors. We owe him respect. We are to treat God as God. To realize that there is an insurmountable difference between us. “If a person stops worshiping God, it does not mean that he stops worshiping. Worse, he can bow down to anything.” We need him, not him us. God does not owe us anything; we do owe him. We are to worship God. This is not a matter of debate or discretion but an obligation from which one cannot be freed. That belongs to the Lord. Honoring God can be divided into small things in the form of prayer, but especially in the form of liturgical life. For Catholics, the peak of worship is the Holy Mass. Some people have such a mistaken image of themselves that they think this topic does not concern them. It is a fact that in today’s over-individualized world, many live in an illusion. They are said to be in complete control of life and its possibilities. They are self-sufficient, often have excellent material security, and think they are independent of anyone and anything. Even independent of God. They live as if they don’t need it. This lie leads to a dead end. The classic says that if a person stops worshiping God, it does not mean that he stops worshiping. Worse, he can bow to anything. As St. Paul says in the Letter to the Romans, it is not so difficult to exchange the Lord for some material things on an imaginary scale of values. People can worship success, money, beauty, education, and music. Transient things that will play a small role in the final reckoning before God’s face. Giving everyone their due thus remains a lifelong task. We will not get rid of her. Every camouflage, cheating, insincerity, and falsehood will return to us with interest. So, let’s be reasonable and not experiment with life. Let’s behave responsibly so that no people can say we are egoists without solidarity. It’s a matter of justice. We are giving everyone what is due, not forgetting the Lord. To believe in him, to worship him. Every day as long as we live, because we need it. He is not a despot who punishes our mistakes but a kind, merciful Father who waits patiently for us to come to our senses.