It was a little more challenging filling out this year’s federal income tax forms. I had to include information on the Affordable Care Act (a boon for some of us who are self-employed). And for the first time since my wife, Monica, died in early 2013, I had to list myself as single, not married.
That was tough emotionally … and financially.
It ended up I had underestimated my quarterly tax contributions through the year and had to include a check when I sent in my material. Funny how the mind sometimes works (or doesn’t), but as I wrote that check, I thought of the story of Jesus and the temple tax and how Our Lord picked up the tab for Peter.
You probably remember the story. “Go to the sea,” he told Peter, “drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you” (Mt 17:27).
When I thought, “Why doesn’t Jesus pay my taxes?” I remembered what a friend used to point out: “Jesus doesn’t do your laundry for you.”
I suppose that’s in the same category as the time the apostles told Jesus the crowd was hungry and the people should head to town to get some food. He answered, “Give them some food yourselves.” (That’s Matthew 14:15-16.)
I don’t know what Scripture scholars call that, but in modern lingo, Jesus lobbed the ball right back in their court.
Which, at times, is how Jesus answers my prayers. And yours.
Yes, he gives us the grace and strength we need to accomplish a task or grow spiritually but … we’re the ones who have to get better at being patient by being patient. Get better at being more understanding by being more understanding. Get better at eating right, or quitting smoking or adapting to living with loss after the death of a loved one by …
You get the point.
“Dear Jesus, clean my clothes!”
“Dear beloved son or daughter, you have a washing machine and detergent. Get at it!”
There’s another well-known reference to taxes in the Gospel. Jesus tells the Pharisees who are trying to trip him up: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (Mk 12:17).
Apparently, Jesus isn’t going to write a check to the U.S. Treasury for me. (Yes, yes, my income and abilities are gifts from God but … you know what I mean.) He is, however, going to pick up the tab for repaying what belongs to God.
I belong to God. Created, sustained and always, always, always loved by him infinitely and unconditionally.
And I, time and again, fall short of “repaying” him. That’s what Jesus did at the crucifixion. Yes, for all of us but absolutely for each of us.
For me. And for you, singular.
Bill Dodds and his late wife, Monica, were the founders of the Friends of St. John the Caregiver (www.FSJC.org). He can be contacted at BillDodds@YourAgingParent.com.
