The Feast of St Dominic, OP. Founder of the Dominicans.

"ARM YOURSELF WITH PRAYER INSTEAD OF A SWORD; BE CLOTHED WITH HUMILITY INSTEAD OF FINE RAIMENT." (ST DOMINIC, OP).

"As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were overwhelmed with grief.

"When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes,” he said. When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” When he said, “From foreigners,”

"Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, 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.” (Matthew 17: 22 - 27).

Monday 8th August 2022, 19th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Dominic, OP. Born August 8th, 1170. Died August 6th 1221. Priest. Spanish. St Dominic founded the Order of Preachers, popularly known as Dominicans. They fought and marginalized the Albigensian heresy in France. The Blessed Virgin Mary gave Dominic the Holy Rosary as a potent tool in the fight against all heresies. The Holy Rosary with its mysteries is the Whole of the Gospel and a nuclear weapon against heresies. I have said the Rosary every day for 26 years to protect the Daily Bible Verse ministry against heresy. Think about this: The Dominican order has contributed to the mission of the Church for some 800 years. The Dominicans promote the study of Sacred Scripture and the Holy Rosary.

There are two tracks in today's Gospel:
#1. How did Jesus handle tax matters?
#2. How did Jesus handle money?

The first is easy. Jesus paid His taxes.
Throughout His ministry, there is no single incident where we see Jesus handling money directly. Jesus and the Twelve had a bursar who was charged with keeping the donations and buying the necessities for the Group. Jesus seemed to have a disdain for money. He called money  dishonest wealth and the Bible calls it filthy lucre. Money taints and corrupts everything it touches.

When Jesus sent His disciples to evangelize, He discouraged them from carrying large amounts of cash. Trust completely in the mighty and merciful Providence of God to provide all your needs.

When the Temple Tax collectors challenged Jesus over tax, Jesus and the Twelve probably had no money in their purse. Not wanting to delay the payment of the Temple tax, Jesus did an interesting thing.

"But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, 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.” Jesus knew precisely where the fish with the golden coin in its mouth would be hiding.

In our work for the Gospel, we trust in the mighty and merciful Providence of Jesus, to provide our necessities.

"His Eucharistic love surpasses all the laws of perishable nature: there is no greater miracle on the face of the earth than the real presence of my Son in the Sacrament of the Altar." (Mary in IN SINU JESU page 184).

The greatest miracle according to Jesus and His Mother is the Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Do we appreciate this?

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