Sunday 18 October

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

World Mission Day

Isaiah 45:1, 4-6; Psalm 96; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5;
Matthew 22:15-21

The greater mission

St Augustine writes “So weak are our eyes, that a lamp suits them better than sunlight. We seek the sun by the light of a lamp”.

Today in the Gospel those who wish to trap Jesus underestimate him by attacking him at a political level with questions concerning the payment of taxes. Jesus easily sets this argument aside because of his greater mission in the bringing about of God’s kingdom.

On this Mission Sunday we are reminded to look further afield than just our local church and to support the wider vision of the mission of the Church in the world, lest we end up seeking the sun by the light of a lamp.