15-Nov-16

Gospel LK 19:1-10
At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.”
Reflection:
"At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man
was seeking to see who Jesus was...."
One of the most painful results of sinfulness is that it separates us from our rightful place in the community, leaving us feeling alone. Our sins create a yearning in our heart to be reunited with that which is good and pure.
The wealthy tax collector, Zacchaeus, was a notorious sinner having made his wealth by cheating others. A desire to change his ways dwelled deep within him.
"........but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way."
God is not intrusive; He will not force His ways upon us. But, He is always watching for any sign that we may be open to receiving His love. By climbing the tree, Zacchaeus was reaching out to Jesus, trying his best to reconnect with goodness.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
When we reach out to Jesus, He does not respond timidly; He opens His whole self to us. God's yearning to be with us is so intense that Jesus did not say to Zacchaeus, "I would like to stay at your house." No, He said, "I must stay at your house." The sinner's need for God is only surpassed by God's desire to embrace His lost child.
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
Here we see the smallness of man when he stands in comparison to His Maker. For where God looks only to forgive, man can remained captured by jealousy and division.
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over.”
Overjoyed at Jesus' graciousness toward him, Zacchaeus felt compelled to make restitution to those he cheated, even going beyond what was required by the law. Zacchaeus' generosity is proof that he no longer put his trust in his wealth but he took his new sense of well being from being one with God.
"Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.”
To be a "descendant of Abraham" means to be a member of the Jewish family, and "salvation" means to be saved.
By abandoning his sinful ways and reaching out to God, Zacchaeus had opened the door to being welcomed back into the family. And, Jesus had been able to complete His mission: "to seek and save what was lost."
"For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate." - - Luke 15:24