Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according Saint Luke 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.”
Jesus saw him
1. Zacchaeus. The gospel describes a man who appears to have no needs and who seeks appearances above all else. This is similar to the many influencers of modern times that have a lot of followers on Instagram or YouTube and will do anything to maintain and grow their subscriber base. However, people who prioritize outward appearances are really people who are small on the inside but appear big on the outside. Zacchaeus is looking to fill the empty space inside of him with money and power. I wonder if you are similar to Zacchaeus and the material things you own, like the latest car, the most prestigious job, or the best looks are enough to make you happy. Are you sure of yourself? How is your self-esteem? Any extreme is a bad place to be.
2. He saw. Jesus, the Son of God, looked up at Zacchaeus. This is interesting to notice, since we look at authority as being above us. Jesus, on the other hand, is looking up from below. This lesson reminds all Catholics that when we have authority within the Church and act on it, we too must see everyone else from below. We command from a position of humbleness. From where do you see your brothers and sisters, from above or from below?
3. I will give back. When you find Jesus, your perspective changes. You are not the same person. It is something we have to work on a daily basis since there are times we adapt our faith and the sacraments. I’m thinking of the first Christians and how they experienced the fervor of the Eucharist. They lived in fear of being caught and killed but their courage and love led them to confront great obstacles. I’m thinking about the Crusades and all the Christians who left everything behind, including their families, in order to defend their faith. I’m thinking about all the Christians that cannot attend Mass because of their illnesses and have to be satisfied with Mass on YouTube or by listening to it on an audio. I’m thinking about all the Christians who are laughed at, ignored, or seen as fanatics in their own homes. Today, how do you live your faith?
Remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you, be with you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
