“The Gospel today begins with a trap. The Pharisees and the Herodians ask Jesus: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

It seems like a simple question, but it is actually a dangerous one. If Jesus says yes, some people will accuse Him of siding with the Roman occupiers. If He says no, He can be reported as a rebel.

But Jesus sees beyond the trap. He asks for a coin and says: “Whose image is this and whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they reply.

And Jesus answers: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

At first, this sounds like a lesson about taxes. But Jesus is teaching something much deeper. The coin bears the image of Caesar, so it can be returned to Caesar.

But what bears the image of God? You do. I do. Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God.

If the coin belongs to Caesar because it carries Caesar’s image, then we belong to God because we carry God’s image.

This means that what God wants from us is not merely a few prayers, a few donations, or one hour on Sunday. God wants our hearts. God wants our lives. God wants the person He lovingly created.

Many people give God leftovers: leftover time, leftover attention, leftover energy. We spend hours on our phones, hours worrying, hours pursuing success, but sometimes only a few minutes with God.

Yet the Lord never treats us as leftovers. Every morning He gives us life again. Every day He forgives us. Every day He waits for us.

My dear brothers and sisters, there is nothing wrong with fulfilling our duties as citizens. We should be honest, responsible, and concerned for the common good. But let us never forget that while our money may belong to the government, our souls belong to God.

Our deepest identity is not our profession, our status, our achievements, or even our nationality. Our deepest identity is this: We belong to God.

And perhaps the most beautiful prayer we can offer each day is simply: “Lord, everything I am comes from You. Today I give myself back to You. Amen.”