An expression of Christian faith?

Controversy in our country is rife and often about trivial matters. The choice of the image of Christ's baptism for Malta's euro coin has predictably ignited heated debate.

We live in a democracy and, therefore, if this image proved to be the most popular in the SMS and phone poll, the majority should have their way.

But the minority who hold a different view have a right to be heard even if their reasons for differing from the overwhelming opinion are varied and if some are more persuasive than others.

Many opted for the image of the Baptism of Christ statue as an expression of their Christian faith and an a act of veneration to Our Lord and his Precursor. But I have to say that my humble opinion - which I realise few will agree with - differs from that of the majority of voters.

I do not think it occurs to many people that the image of Our Lord baptised by St John being imprinted on a coin amounts to a sort of desecration.

Moreover, the opinion of Maltese citizens about what image should be struck on the euro coins may have been thoroughly explored, but it seems no one thought about how the two Holy Persons in question would have reacted if they were asked for their opinion. So I have indulged in a flight of imagination in an effort to find a reasonable clarification of my doubt.

Surely, the lifestyle of the Baptist, the austere prophet who lived in the desert deprived of everything, "living on locusts and wild honey", is a far cry from the financial world where money matters most. I can see no affinity between him and the coins.

The incongruity between Our Lord and currency is even more evident since He is the one who cleansed the temple, drove away the money-changers and overturned their tables.

When asked by St Peter about the tax to be paid to the Romans, Jesus told him to catch a fish and open its mouth, where he would find a coin to pay the collectors. This incident seems to imply that Jesus, in order not to be defiled, did not even want to touch the coin with his hand, and left that task for Peter.

In an attempt to trap him, the malicious Pharisees asked Jesus whether it was lawful to give money to Caesar. When he saw the Roman emperor's image on the coin, he said: "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God, the things that are God's". For centuries this has been misinterpreted. Time and again the demarcation line between the things of God and the things of Caesar, between the sacred and the profane, became blurred - the experiment of putting the effigy of Christ on coins is exotic mixture of two elements that are incompatible with one another.

Jesus was even betrayed by Judas for silver coins, and this has continued throughout history in pounds, dollars, rubles, dinars and even euros.

It is a characteristic of our people to express their religious feelings and worship the saints in a slightly peculiar manner which amuses foreign visitors. The bacchanalia of our feasts is one example; the image of the Baptism on the euro coin may perhaps be another. The pieces of silver, which represent the plutocratic kingdom, have nothing to do with the expression of faith and devotion to the saints. There are surely many other ways and means that are far better and more appropriate to reach that end.

Mgr Cauchi is the Bishop Emeritus of Gozo.