When I was a child, the highest award at my elementary school was the “good citizen” award. It was a tremendous honor to come home and be able to tell my parents that I had been recognized as a good citizen at school. In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus recognizes that it is important to be a good citizen, but he also emphasizes the importance of putting God first in everything that we do.

         So often, we are told to put God first. We are told when we get married that it is necessary for God to be first for a marriage to thrive. Similarly, we are told that to love our children we must first be able to love God. At times, these commands can feel like choices, namely to put God above the needs of our families. 

         Fortunately, Jesus came to fulfill our love, not to separate it. Love for God does not divide us from our other obligations. Instead, our love for God strengthens our own ability to strengthen and to preserve these relationships. When I put God first, I am better able to be a husband and a parent. This same approach applies to citizenship, as love for God nourishes our ability to be good and productive citizens. When we act out of love in everything that we do, we truly return to God that which “belongs to God.” 

. — Scott Gray