Franciscan Gospel Reflection for the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2026 is here for your prayer. How do you feel about Jesus in the Gospel being caught in a political struggle?
The Gospel background and reflection questions are prepared and distributed by Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Anne Marie Lom, OSF and Joe Thiel, as edited from Reflections authored by Fr. Paul Gallagher, OFM. The excerpts from the Sunday readings are prepared by Joe Thiel. To read or download the complete pdf with excerpts for your prayer, please click here: Franciscan Gospel Reflection October 18 2026
Photos: Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity; Unknown authorUnknown author / French National Library, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons; St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Manitowoc, Wisconsin Father Michael Warden is pastor of this large, faith-filled community.
Matthew 22:15-21
The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
Background:
In the Gospels for the last three Sundays, Jesus has addressed the chief priests and the elders of the people with parables. Three weeks ago, Jesus told the parable of the father who told his two sons to go and work in the vineyard. Two weeks ago, Jesus addressed the elders with the parable of the landowner who had built a vineyard and entrusted its care to others but expected his share of the harvest. Last week Jesus again addressed the chief priests and the elders with the parable of a father who prepares a great wedding banquet for his son. Because many invited guests do not come, the father invites the sinners and the outcast until the banquet is full. All three of the parables contain a criticism of the religious leaders for failing to be authentic leaders.
Given that Jesus has been critical of the religious leadership of the day, it is no surprise that he would be challenged by them. The Pharisees in particular join with the Herodians and approach Jesus with a question that they hope will trap him and damage his credibility. Their effort to do so is our Gospel text for this Sunday.
The question before Jesus is based in the struggle between living what the Pharisees would understand as being faithful to God’s ways, or setting aside God’s ways in order to not cause a disturbance with the Roman authority. The Pharisees as a group were tolerant of Roman rule, but would have rejected any claim of Caesar’s divinity. The Herodians would have been supportive of Roman rule to preserve peace. Normally, these two groups did not share a common interest, but because Jesus is perceived as a threat to both the religious leaders and the Herodians, they have come together to try to discredit him. They begin by complimenting Jesus, but their goal is to protect their positions of power and authority.
In response to their questions, Jesus asks them to show him the coin used to pay the Roman tax. By producing the coin, they demonstrate that they are in possession of it. At that time, the coin was inscribed with the image of emperor Tiberius and the inscription “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus, high priest.” When Jesus asks them whose image is on the coin and what is the title given, he is making them publicly acknowledge their breach of faithful adherence to the ways of God that they have been preaching. Also, the coin would have been the typical daily wage for laborers, and ordinary peasants would not have the luxury of carrying such wealth. To possess such a coin would have been an embarrassment to the Pharisees.
Reflection Questions:
- Do you have political tolerance that affects your ability to hear God speaking through a politically charged Gospel passage?
- Have there been times in your life when you took a public stand for or against a position? What was it about that situation that was compelling you to take a stand?
- How do you feel about Jesus in the Gospel being caught in a political struggle?
- In the Gospel, those who approach Jesus compliment him as a person who is not concerned with anyone’s opinion. Where in the Gospels do you see examples of Jesus not being concerned with the opinions of others? Where is he also very much concerned with the opinions of others?
- They also say of him that he is not concerned with a person’s status. Where in the Gospels do you find examples of Jesus’ disregard of a person’s status? Are there also places where he seems to be concerned about the status of others?
- Jesus told those who came questioning him to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. Are there things you possess that do not belong to God?
- Are there places where you are struggling with how to live in a right relationship to the material possessions that have been entrusted to you?
- Can you take some time to talk with God about your desire to respect God and live in the world today, or about your awareness of how the opinions of others affect what you say or don’t say, or about some other awareness that arose in you from this Gospel?
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