Every culture in the world has functioned out of some understanding of justice. Justice preserves order and peace. Justice ensures that individuals rights are respected, that we govern our affairs honestly, that we refrain from deceit, it protects the rights of the helpless and the lowly, it safeguards us from abuses of power by those in authority, it establishes the social order. Without justice we would have anarchy, warfare between rival interests, oppression of the weak by the strong, the triumph of evil. Justice is to be practiced by every citizen, and everyone who seeks to be a citizen of this country must pledge to uphold it.
In the gospel today, Jesus says, render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and render unto God what is God’s. He is certainly speaking here about Justice. Justice towards God, rendering unto God what is due to God is called the virtue of religion. What do we give to God? What do we owe to God? Our love, our devotion, our obedience, our reverence. In a sense, we are incapable of offering to God the infinite homage to which He is entitled.
But we seek to do our best, by acts of adoration, gratitude, penitence, and prayer. The Saints are those who have made this virtue of religion their life’s work.
For most of us, the spiritual life involves a growing realization of how important this work really is.
St. Norbert exemplifies this journey of faith. As a young cleric he was named personal chaplain to the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V. Though he was put in charge of dispensing alms to the poor, Norbert began to take on a lot of bad habits of the wealthy elite of the emperor’s court. As he grew in worldliness, his faith began to diminish.A close brush with death caused Norbert to reexamine his priorities. He decided to give up his position in the imperial court and dedicate his life to the contemplation of Christ.
He was ordained a priest later that year. He renounced all of his worldly possessions and formed a religious order of like-minded men now known as the Norbertines.
Growth in this virtue of rendering God what belongs to God involves striving to enter into the spirit of filial love, obedience, and self-sacrifice Jesus had for the Father. Jesus is the supreme worshiper of the Father, who in His life and death glorified God to an infinite manner. Jesus, and the saints in imitation of Him, show this to be the purpose of our existence: to render unto God what belongs to God, to render Him everything, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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To God the Father Almighty, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for it is His will that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.
For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them, and deepen in them the virtues of justice and religion.
That the Norbertine Order and all those consecrated religious may inspire us to strive for greater holiness.
For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war and terror and natural disaster.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.
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