October 18, 2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Lord’s words in today’s Gospel are striking. As Jesus points out the image of the emperor stamped on a coin, he says, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.” The disciples probably wondered what exactly does belong to God, that it should be repaid to him. And the answer to that question is simple: we ourselves are stamped with the image of God. After all, the Scriptures tell us, that God formed man and woman in his image and likeness. Which means that all that we have and all that we are come from him. Every talent and every moment are his. He has given the gifts of life and breath through his generosity, and Jesus’ teaching is clear: “Repay to God what belongs to God.” We give him back ourselves. As we continue with Stewardship Month, we have an opportunity to do exactly that. Our focus this weekend will be on putting our time and talent at God’s service. Particularly for new and returning parishioners, I’d invite you to become involved in a ministry. As you’ll see in our bulletin, there are lots of things going on: Bible studies, prayer groups, campus ministry, social concerns, youth formation. Or perhaps you feel called a liturgical ministry, such as the choir or our lector team? We call the Mass “the source and summit of our faith”—so what better way to bear God’s image than to serve him in the place where he is most powerfully present? If you feel that call, just speak with Dcn David or myself after Mass, and we’ll help connect you. I think it’s important for every parishioner to be involved in some form of parish life outside of coming to Sunday Mass. The Mass is the centerpiece of our community’s worship, and we experience it so much more deeply when we feel connected to what God is doing in our parish. Through the intercession of Mary Immaculate and our patron St. Thomas, let’s be faithful stewards of the image of God that we bear. God bless,

Father Jantz