Much of my walk to Pamplona was solitary, except for a nice conversation with a man named Mike from Nashville. He is on the Camino as a tribute to his pastor who was killed in a car crash with his daughter. The pastor had expressed his deep desire to walk the Camino but life intervened in a most horrible way. I will keep Mike, his pastor and daughter in prayer.

In my walk I noticed the strident messages spray-painted over walls, viaducts, on storefronts and on the pavement. I refused to take any photos due to the horrific language, expressing hateful and bigoted attitudes. Why do people feel that they have the freedom to express themselves in such vile and violent terms on public structures?

Jesús says in today’s gospel, He makes it clear that civil authority and Divine authority need not be at odds. We can, and must, pay taxes to support ordinary, everyday life and its realities: education, transportation, health care, fortification of infrastructure, just to name a few.

The coin has on it Cesar’s image, engraved and etched; it belongs to civic authority. But it’s what follows: “but give to God what is God’s. Since God created the world, and the pinnacle of that creation is Humanity, the only creation made in God’s image and likeness, EVERYTHING belongs to God. The Incarnation of Christ is the the absolute climax, pinnacle of millions of years of human evolution; Christ is the Cornerstone connecting all expressions of humanity…ALl. We are all ONE, we are connected!! EVERYONE is a sister or brother.

Yes, social injustice, racism, bigotry of all forms, and economic disparity divide us but the solution is never violent destruction. Graffiti is just one example of how creation can be marred. The degradation of the earth, water, and air are only outer expressions of inner pollution, a pollution of spirit and heart. Think of what is happening in Paris at this moment. Protesting is a right that must be protected; but looting stores and engaging in physical violence is simply criminal.

Christ is calling us to not be hypocrites who claim to be his disciples while harboring within the heart hateful attitudes that are given expression in thought, word and deed. The world is changed when we undergo a complete conversion of the heart heart by living the eight beatitudes, being the “Good Samaritan” , caring for the enemy in need , and becoming a neighbor to all people.

Each one of us, without exception, had God’s IMAGE “etched, engraved” on our hearts. The challenge is to reflect God’s LIKENESS by becoming another Christ.