COINS

 A bit of numismatic trivia: the US Mint has a policy that no president may be depicted on a coin until at least five years after that president’s death. Exceptions were made for Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, who died in office. The purpose of this, I suppose, is to prevent coinage from being used for self-glorification or partisan political purposes.

 The Roman Empire had no such policy. Emperors and other prominent personages issued coins with their images. The reverse, or “tails” side of the coin would often have a design of the emperor in the company of one god or another, or depicting the conquest of a new territory. The Romans in general did not consider modesty a virtue. The Emperor Augustus wrote of himself:

 “After I had extinguished civil wars, and at a time when with universal consent I was in complete control of affairs, I transferred the republic from my power to the dominion of the senate and people of Rome. For this service of mine I was named Augustus by decree of the senate, and the door-posts of my house were publicly wreathed with bay leaves and a civic crown was fixed over my door and a golden shield was set in the Curia Julia, which, as attested by the inscription thereon, was given me by the senate and people of Rome on account of my courage, clemency, justice and piety.”

 Jesus had rejected imperial power when it was offered to him by Satan during his time in the wilderness. In the Gospel according to John, he tells Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Jesus gives us an example opposite to the vainglory of the boastful emperors. He turns outward, extending a hand of love, service and justice.

 In this Advent season, may we give to God what is God’s—our care for others, our humility, and our living as Jesus calls us to as we rejoice in his coming into the world.

The Rev. John Borrego