Today’s gospel about Jesus’ novel approach to paying the “temple tax” reminds Fr Paul how his father always managed to find the family’s weekly church contribution. While he never had to send his son Paul out to catch a well-heeled fish, as Jesus did with St Peter, Fr Paul’s dad, like Jesus, always seemed to find a way.
[The Lord] executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and befriends the alien, feeding and clothing him. So you too must befriend the alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.
DT 10:12-22
“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.”
MT 17:22-27