Fr. LOUIS BIRA SX
Again a tax collector! Like the tax collector of last Sunday’s Gospel, the one who went back forgiven because of his humble prayer: “Lord have mercy on me a sinner” (Lk 18: 13), this coming Sunday another tax collector teaches us who Jesus is and how to follow him. In fact, the Gospel of this coming Sunday focuses on the happy end of Zacchaeus because he was fund by Jesus: “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” From being a tax collector, a notorious sinner, Zacchaeus becomes beneficiary of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Salvation comes to his house. Thus his journey reveals Jesus a son of a merciful God whose purpose in life was always “to seek out and save what was lost” (Lk 19: 10).
What a happy end! Zacchaeus ended up well though his journey was not easy. We may not be Zacchaeus because of his strange life and journey to conversion. But the same Jesus who saw him is also on our ways. Therefore, Zacchaeus’ journey is for every Christian a good lesson on being disciple.
Who was Zacchaeus? The Gospel described him as a senior, wealthy tax collector. By his profession, he was a famous sinner. Because of his social status, he couldn’t enter into the temple. But the Gospel says: He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature (Lk 19: 3). Whatever his faults may have been, Zacchaeus took great trouble to look for some contact with Jesus. He wanted to see what kind of man Jesus was. For this, he was prepared, quite literally, to go out and to really encounter him. Putting aside his social status of being a ‘big man’, without shame, he climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus.
Then the miracle of his life happened. In the process he found that the one he was searching for was also searching for him. Instead of finding Jesus, Zacchaeus is found by Jesus. “Come down, for I must stay at your house today,” said Jesus. Being found by Jesus meant that Zacchaeus the tax-collector had to let go of any arrogance based on his wealth. He humbled himself and then promised to hand over much of his wealth, to pay back those he had defrauded. In return, Jesus set aside his dignity as rabbi and a man of God by going to dine in the house of such a notorious sinner. St Luke adds that the conversion of Zacchaeus brought such joy not only to himself but to everyone around him because his readiness to share with the poor and to pay back anyone he has extorted (Lk 19: 8).
As Zacchaeus, if we recognize a certain looseness in ourselves, if we humble ourselves, we will be found by Jesus. Our way to be saved is to trust in him, and let him find us. Just as he found Zacchaeus. Surely, God’s mercy is abundant and reaches us at a time we do not even expect. But from Zacchaeus’ experience, we are told that on our way to see Jesus, we may find obstacles. In the case of Zacchaeus, it is his profession. One may assume that Zacchaeus, as chief tax collector in that city, had enriched himself at the expense of the pilgrims passing through Jericho on their way to religious festivals in Jerusalem. Becoming rich by cheating, by corruption does not allow us to be in company of Jesus. Therefore, as Christians, there is a need to pray that Jesus protects us against the temptation of double life: One in the church and one in the office. But to help us to become his disciples in the Church and in the office.
Also Zacchaeus could not see Jesus because of the crowd, because he was short in stature (Lk 19: 3). His physical condition is an obstacle. His company, those around him was an obstacle. If we cannot change our natural physical condition, we can at least avoid bad company, the one not allowing us to see Jesus. Everyone has his crowd. Some kind of friendship may be a crowd. Today, we have to consider the reality of a virtual crowd, all virtual friends. Those we encounter on Facebook. Those with whom we spend hours and hours to chat day and night on WhatsApp. They may be a real crowd not allowing us to see Jesus. So our way to conversion implies finding means to encounter Jesus by avoiding the obstacle of the crowd. As Zacchaeus, may Jesus find us on our different ways far from the crowd.
Again a tax collector! Like the tax collector of last Sunday’s Gospel, the one who went back forgiven because of his humble prayer: “Lord have mercy on me a sinner” (Lk 18: 13), this coming Sunday another tax collector teaches us who Jesus is and how to follow him. In fact, the Gospel of this coming Sunday focuses on the happy end of Zacchaeus because he was fund by Jesus: “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” From being a tax collector, a notorious sinner, Zacchaeus becomes beneficiary of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Salvation comes to his house. Thus his journey reveals Jesus a son of a merciful God whose purpose in life was always “to seek out and save what was lost” (Lk 19: 10).
What a happy end! Zacchaeus ended up well though his journey was not easy. We may not be Zacchaeus because of his strange life and journey to conversion. But the same Jesus who saw him is also on our ways. Therefore, Zacchaeus’ journey is for every Christian a good lesson on being disciple.
Who was Zacchaeus? The Gospel described him as a senior, wealthy tax collector. By his profession, he was a famous sinner. Because of his social status, he couldn’t enter into the temple. But the Gospel says: He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature (Lk 19: 3). Whatever his faults may have been, Zacchaeus took great trouble to look for some contact with Jesus. He wanted to see what kind of man Jesus was. For this, he was prepared, quite literally, to go out and to really encounter him. Putting aside his social status of being a ‘big man’, without shame, he climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus.
Then the miracle of his life happened. In the process he found that the one he was searching for was also searching for him. Instead of finding Jesus, Zacchaeus is found by Jesus. “Come down, for I must stay at your house today,” said Jesus. Being found by Jesus meant that Zacchaeus the tax-collector had to let go of any arrogance based on his wealth. He humbled himself and then promised to hand over much of his wealth, to pay back those he had defrauded. In return, Jesus set aside his dignity as rabbi and a man of God by going to dine in the house of such a notorious sinner. St Luke adds that the conversion of Zacchaeus brought such joy not only to himself but to everyone around him because his readiness to share with the poor and to pay back anyone he has extorted (Lk 19: 8).
As Zacchaeus, if we recognize a certain looseness in ourselves, if we humble ourselves, we will be found by Jesus. Our way to be saved is to trust in him, and let him find us. Just as he found Zacchaeus. Surely, God’s mercy is abundant and reaches us at a time we do not even expect. But from Zacchaeus’ experience, we are told that on our way to see Jesus, we may find obstacles. In the case of Zacchaeus, it is his profession. One may assume that Zacchaeus, as chief tax collector in that city, had enriched himself at the expense of the pilgrims passing through Jericho on their way to religious festivals in Jerusalem. Becoming rich by cheating, by corruption does not allow us to be in company of Jesus. Therefore, as Christians, there is a need to pray that Jesus protects us against the temptation of double life: One in the church and one in the office. But to help us to become his disciples in the Church and in the office.
Also Zacchaeus could not see Jesus because of the crowd, because he was short in stature (Lk 19: 3). His physical condition is an obstacle. His company, those around him was an obstacle. If we cannot change our natural physical condition, we can at least avoid bad company, the one not allowing us to see Jesus. Everyone has his crowd. Some kind of friendship may be a crowd. Today, we have to consider the reality of a virtual crowd, all virtual friends. Those we encounter on Facebook. Those with whom we spend hours and hours to chat day and night on WhatsApp. They may be a real crowd not allowing us to see Jesus. So our way to conversion implies finding means to encounter Jesus by avoiding the obstacle of the crowd. As Zacchaeus, may Jesus find us on our different ways far from the crowd.