What Does The Prayer Really Say?
W D T P R S

St. Cyril of Alexandria has a comment on today’s Gospel reading in which Jesus is confronted about paying the tax and he instructs his disciple to go fishing:

"He was also able to take the coin out of the earth, but he did not do so.  [Instead he] made the miracle out of the sea, so that he might teach us the mystery rich in contemplation.  For we are the fish snatched from the bitter disturbances of life.  It is just as if we have been caught out of the sea on the apostle’s hooks.  In their mouths the fish have Christ the royal coin, which was rendered in payment of debt for two things, for our soul and for our body.  Also for two peoples, the Jews and the Gentiles.  Also in the same way for the poor and the wealthy, since the old law clearly demanded the payment of the half-shekel from both rich and poor alike.  (Frag. 212: MKGK: 222-23)