Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 153
Lectionary: 153
Before the LORD the whole universe is as a grain from a balance
or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.
But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things;
and you overlook people's sins that they may repent.
For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing that you have made;
for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.
And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it;
or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?
But you spare all things, because they are yours,
O LORD and lover of souls,
for your imperishable spirit is in all things!
Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little,
warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing,
that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!
or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.
But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things;
and you overlook people's sins that they may repent.
For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing that you have made;
for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.
And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it;
or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?
But you spare all things, because they are yours,
O LORD and lover of souls,
for your imperishable spirit is in all things!
Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little,
warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing,
that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!
R. (cf. 1) I will
praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
Brothers and sisters:
We always pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling
and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose
and every effort of faith,
that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,
and you in him,
in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.
We ask you, brothers and sisters,
with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our assembling with him,
not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed
either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement,
or by a letter allegedly from us
to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.
We always pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling
and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose
and every effort of faith,
that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,
and you in him,
in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.
We ask you, brothers and sisters,
with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our assembling with him,
not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed
either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement,
or by a letter allegedly from us
to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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 all 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.”
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 all 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.”
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Wisdom 11:22-12:1
The Book of Wisdom, or Wisdom of Solomon as it is called in some translations of the Bible, is believed to have been written in Greek, in Alexandria, around 50 B.C.. Although the book itself claims that it was written by Solomon, it was in fact written some 870 years later with the author, in order to highlight the importance of the work, using the prestige of Solomon, the greatest of the wise men of Israel. This attribution to another is called “pseudonimity” and was also used in the book of Ecclesiastes.
The author abominates any kind of polytheism and is proud to belong to a “holy and blameless race.” The first part of the book (chapters 1 - 5) is prophetic in style and somewhat Hebraic in the concepts it uses. It exhorts people to practice righteousness and sincerely seek God. The second part (chapters 6 - 9) concentrates on the source of wisdom and the need to obtain wisdom. The third part (chapters 10 - 19), from which our reading today comes, speaks of the magnificence of wisdom as demonstrated by the history of the chosen people. Today we hear that God spares men because He loves them.
22 Indeed, before you the whole universe is as a grain from a balance,
A grain is a tiny particle used for weighing in scales.
or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. 23 But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook the sins of men that they may repent.
He can be merciful too.
24 For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. 25 And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? 26 But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls, 12:1 for your imperishable spirit is in all things!
This refers either to wisdom as the agent of God’s immanence or to the breath of life put in creatures by God.
2 Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them, and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!
God, whose power is irresistible and who is therefore free of constraint, loves the things that His creative power has made, for only love can explain His having created and preserved them. Because of His love, He pardons them and is patient in their regard so that they might repent. God even gave the wicked Canaanites a chance to repent because they too were men whom He had created.
2nd Reading - 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2
Today we begin our study of Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians.
Accompanied by Silas, St. Paul arrived at Thessalonica in the course of his second apostolic journey (A.D. 49-52) after leaving Philippi around the summer of the year 50.
Thessalonica, now known as Salonica, is situated on the Aegean Sea and was a flourishing center of trade in St. Paul’s time. Founded in 315 B.C. by Cassander, who named it after his wife, a sister of Alexander the Great, the city came under the Romans in 186 B.C.. As far as religion was concerned it was a typical pagan city. Archaeology has unearthed the remains of many statues of gods and priestesses which give an idea of the religious practices of the Thessalonians. Inscriptions discovered indicate that they were very ignorant of religious truth and had no clear view of the survival of the soul after death.
There were quite a number of Jews living in Thessalonica. In keeping with his custom, St. Paul went first to the synagogue to proclaim the good news: Jesus was the messiah, the Old Testament prophecies had come true in Him, He had redeemed mankind by His passion and resurrection. We know that he preached in the synagogue on three successive Sabbaths (Acts 17:2) but he may have stayed there for as long as two months, lodging in the house of Jason. As a result of his preaching many Jews and Gentiles came to believe, including “not a few of the leading women” (Acts 17:4). His success earned him the envy of certain Jews, who organized demonstrations and attacked Jason’s house, looking for Paul and Silas. Not finding them, they brought Jason before the city authorities and he had to go bail for the two apostles (Acts 17:5-9). This led to St. Paul and his companions leaving the city in a hurry the same night – going first to Beroea (Acts 17:10) and later to Athens (Acts 17:15).
Paul’s unexpected departure from Thessalonica meant that the instruction of the recent converts was cut short; also their situation became difficult due to persecution by the Jews. This led the apostle to send Timothy to confirm them in the faith (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2) and bring back news of them.
Timothy caught up with Paul in Corinth and gave him a good report of the Thessalonians: they were persevering in faith and charity, despite still being harassed. Timothy also reported that certain questions were troubling the Thessalonians – things to do with life after death, and the second coming.
The apostle wrote the first letter, which he sent via Timothy, to complete his interrupted preaching and teaching. It had the effect of reassuring the Thessalonians about the fate of those who had already died in the Lord. However, some did not understand him correctly; some so misunderstood him in fact that they began to give up working (2 Thessalonians 3:11). When Paul heard of this he wrote the second letter to clear up the misunderstanding.
11 [ ] [W]e always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith,
Moral fulfillment depends on God’s own power. It is His grace that will make the faithful worthy of the Father’s call. Accordingly, this fulfillment will amount to mutual glorification at the parousia of their intimate personal relationship to the Lord Jesus.
12 that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. 2:1 We ask you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him,
The writer appeals for sober judgment about Christ’s triumphal coming, which he regards not as a date, but as the fulfillment of Christian life.
“When the resurrection will be, he has not said: ‘It will come in due order’; he has said ‘and our assembling with him.’ This point in quite important. Observe how Paul’s exhortation is accompanied by praise and encouragement, for he makes it clear that Jesus and all the saints will certainly appear at that time with us.” [Saint John Chrysostom (between A.D. 398-404), Homilies on the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians 3]
2 not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly,
Sort of a mania, if you would, about the coming of the end time.
or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement,
A charismatic gift of prophecy.
or by a letter allegedly from us
A forged letter. It is not clear that forged letters were actually circulating.
to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.
“Therefore, not to know the times is something different from moral decay and the love of vice. For when the apostle Paul said ‘Don’t be shaken out of your minds suddenly or be alarmed either by a spirit, or an oral statement, or a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand,’ he obviously did not want them to believe those who thought the coming of the Lord was already at hand. Neither, moreover, did he want them to be like the wicked servant and say,’My Lord will not be coming for a long time,’ and deliver themselves over to destruction by pride and immoral behavior. Thus Paul’s desire that they should not listen to false rumors about the imminent approach of the last day was consistent with his wish that they should await the coming of their Lord fully prepared and ready for the journey, with lamps burning.” [Saint Augustine of Hippo (ca. A.D. 418), Letters 199,1.2]
Gospel - Luke 19:1-10
As Jesus draws closer to Jerusalem and His passion, He continues to outrage the Pharisees by associating with people whom the Pharisees consider less than worthy – the poor, the afflicted, the sinners. Since to the Pharisees a man is known by the company he keeps, Jesus surely cannot be from God because His associates don’t keep all the ritual commandments. Today we hear the story of Zacchaeus the Publican.
19:1 He came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. 2 Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
The name means “clean.”
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
The tax collector received his funds from whatever “excess” tax he collected – over and above what had been levied. Like other rich men, he was probably “attached” to his riches as well.
3 was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
A short trunk and wide lateral branches made it easy to climb.
who was about to pass that way. 5 When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”
Today; the waiting is over. God’s salvation is not something to be considered sometime in the future, it is already being inaugurated.
6 And he came down quickly and received him with joy. 7 When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
The generic “all” murmur against Jesus’ crossing the boundaries separating the “clean” from the “unclean.”
8 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
There is controversy over these words being translated in the present tense – if one interprets the tense as futuristic, then Zacchaeus is saying he is no longer a sinner – he resolves to change his ways. If one views it as present tense, then Zacchaeus is arguing that he is not a sinner because it is his customary conduct to be generous and just. In this case Jesus, in verse 9, vindicates the good reputation of Zacchaeus. The futuristic interpretation is preferred.
I shall repay it four times over.”
Zacchaeus goes way beyond the requirements of the law in restitution. Numbers 5:5-7 requires that full restitution plus 20 percent be returned.
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
Because of Jesus’ offer to stay with Zacchaeus, his acceptance of Jesus, and his change of live, salvation has come to his entire household.
10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”
This brings to mind the three parables on finding what was lost that we had in this Cycle on the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (lost sheep, lost coin, prodigal son) and the joy which heaven celebrates when a repentant sinner returns.
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Wisdom 11:22-12:1
The Book of Wisdom, or Wisdom of Solomon as it is called in some translations of the Bible, is believed to have been written in Greek, in Alexandria, around 50 B.C.. Although the book itself claims that it was written by Solomon, it was in fact written some 870 years later with the author, in order to highlight the importance of the work, using the prestige of Solomon, the greatest of the wise men of Israel. This attribution to another is called “pseudonimity” and was also used in the book of Ecclesiastes.
The author abominates any kind of polytheism and is proud to belong to a “holy and blameless race.” The first part of the book (chapters 1 - 5) is prophetic in style and somewhat Hebraic in the concepts it uses. It exhorts people to practice righteousness and sincerely seek God. The second part (chapters 6 - 9) concentrates on the source of wisdom and the need to obtain wisdom. The third part (chapters 10 - 19), from which our reading today comes, speaks of the magnificence of wisdom as demonstrated by the history of the chosen people. Today we hear that God spares men because He loves them.
22 Indeed, before you the whole universe is as a grain from a balance,
A grain is a tiny particle used for weighing in scales.
or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. 23 But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook the sins of men that they may repent.
He can be merciful too.
24 For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. 25 And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? 26 But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls, 12:1 for your imperishable spirit is in all things!
This refers either to wisdom as the agent of God’s immanence or to the breath of life put in creatures by God.
2 Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them, and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!
God, whose power is irresistible and who is therefore free of constraint, loves the things that His creative power has made, for only love can explain His having created and preserved them. Because of His love, He pardons them and is patient in their regard so that they might repent. God even gave the wicked Canaanites a chance to repent because they too were men whom He had created.
2nd Reading - 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2
Today we begin our study of Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians.
Accompanied by Silas, St. Paul arrived at Thessalonica in the course of his second apostolic journey (A.D. 49-52) after leaving Philippi around the summer of the year 50.
Thessalonica, now known as Salonica, is situated on the Aegean Sea and was a flourishing center of trade in St. Paul’s time. Founded in 315 B.C. by Cassander, who named it after his wife, a sister of Alexander the Great, the city came under the Romans in 186 B.C.. As far as religion was concerned it was a typical pagan city. Archaeology has unearthed the remains of many statues of gods and priestesses which give an idea of the religious practices of the Thessalonians. Inscriptions discovered indicate that they were very ignorant of religious truth and had no clear view of the survival of the soul after death.
There were quite a number of Jews living in Thessalonica. In keeping with his custom, St. Paul went first to the synagogue to proclaim the good news: Jesus was the messiah, the Old Testament prophecies had come true in Him, He had redeemed mankind by His passion and resurrection. We know that he preached in the synagogue on three successive Sabbaths (Acts 17:2) but he may have stayed there for as long as two months, lodging in the house of Jason. As a result of his preaching many Jews and Gentiles came to believe, including “not a few of the leading women” (Acts 17:4). His success earned him the envy of certain Jews, who organized demonstrations and attacked Jason’s house, looking for Paul and Silas. Not finding them, they brought Jason before the city authorities and he had to go bail for the two apostles (Acts 17:5-9). This led to St. Paul and his companions leaving the city in a hurry the same night – going first to Beroea (Acts 17:10) and later to Athens (Acts 17:15).
Paul’s unexpected departure from Thessalonica meant that the instruction of the recent converts was cut short; also their situation became difficult due to persecution by the Jews. This led the apostle to send Timothy to confirm them in the faith (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2) and bring back news of them.
Timothy caught up with Paul in Corinth and gave him a good report of the Thessalonians: they were persevering in faith and charity, despite still being harassed. Timothy also reported that certain questions were troubling the Thessalonians – things to do with life after death, and the second coming.
The apostle wrote the first letter, which he sent via Timothy, to complete his interrupted preaching and teaching. It had the effect of reassuring the Thessalonians about the fate of those who had already died in the Lord. However, some did not understand him correctly; some so misunderstood him in fact that they began to give up working (2 Thessalonians 3:11). When Paul heard of this he wrote the second letter to clear up the misunderstanding.
11 [ ] [W]e always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith,
Moral fulfillment depends on God’s own power. It is His grace that will make the faithful worthy of the Father’s call. Accordingly, this fulfillment will amount to mutual glorification at the parousia of their intimate personal relationship to the Lord Jesus.
12 that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. 2:1 We ask you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him,
The writer appeals for sober judgment about Christ’s triumphal coming, which he regards not as a date, but as the fulfillment of Christian life.
“When the resurrection will be, he has not said: ‘It will come in due order’; he has said ‘and our assembling with him.’ This point in quite important. Observe how Paul’s exhortation is accompanied by praise and encouragement, for he makes it clear that Jesus and all the saints will certainly appear at that time with us.” [Saint John Chrysostom (between A.D. 398-404), Homilies on the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians 3]
2 not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly,
Sort of a mania, if you would, about the coming of the end time.
or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement,
A charismatic gift of prophecy.
or by a letter allegedly from us
A forged letter. It is not clear that forged letters were actually circulating.
to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.
“Therefore, not to know the times is something different from moral decay and the love of vice. For when the apostle Paul said ‘Don’t be shaken out of your minds suddenly or be alarmed either by a spirit, or an oral statement, or a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand,’ he obviously did not want them to believe those who thought the coming of the Lord was already at hand. Neither, moreover, did he want them to be like the wicked servant and say,’My Lord will not be coming for a long time,’ and deliver themselves over to destruction by pride and immoral behavior. Thus Paul’s desire that they should not listen to false rumors about the imminent approach of the last day was consistent with his wish that they should await the coming of their Lord fully prepared and ready for the journey, with lamps burning.” [Saint Augustine of Hippo (ca. A.D. 418), Letters 199,1.2]
Gospel - Luke 19:1-10
As Jesus draws closer to Jerusalem and His passion, He continues to outrage the Pharisees by associating with people whom the Pharisees consider less than worthy – the poor, the afflicted, the sinners. Since to the Pharisees a man is known by the company he keeps, Jesus surely cannot be from God because His associates don’t keep all the ritual commandments. Today we hear the story of Zacchaeus the Publican.
19:1 He came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. 2 Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
The name means “clean.”
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
The tax collector received his funds from whatever “excess” tax he collected – over and above what had been levied. Like other rich men, he was probably “attached” to his riches as well.
3 was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
A short trunk and wide lateral branches made it easy to climb.
who was about to pass that way. 5 When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”
Today; the waiting is over. God’s salvation is not something to be considered sometime in the future, it is already being inaugurated.
6 And he came down quickly and received him with joy. 7 When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
The generic “all” murmur against Jesus’ crossing the boundaries separating the “clean” from the “unclean.”
8 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
There is controversy over these words being translated in the present tense – if one interprets the tense as futuristic, then Zacchaeus is saying he is no longer a sinner – he resolves to change his ways. If one views it as present tense, then Zacchaeus is arguing that he is not a sinner because it is his customary conduct to be generous and just. In this case Jesus, in verse 9, vindicates the good reputation of Zacchaeus. The futuristic interpretation is preferred.
I shall repay it four times over.”
Zacchaeus goes way beyond the requirements of the law in restitution. Numbers 5:5-7 requires that full restitution plus 20 percent be returned.
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
Because of Jesus’ offer to stay with Zacchaeus, his acceptance of Jesus, and his change of live, salvation has come to his entire household.
10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”
This brings to mind the three parables on finding what was lost that we had in this Cycle on the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (lost sheep, lost coin, prodigal son) and the joy which heaven celebrates when a repentant sinner returns.
Meditation: "Zacchaeus
received Jesus joyfully"
What would you do if
Jesus knocked on your door and said, "I must stay at your home
today"? Would you be excited or embarrassed? Jesus often
"dropped-in" at unexpected times and he often visited the
"uninvited" - the poor, the lame, and even public sinners like
Zacchaeus, the tax collector! Tax collectors were despised and treated as
outcasts, no doubt because they over-charged people and accumulated great
wealth at the expense of others.
Zacchaeus was a chief
tax collector and was much hated by all the people. Why would Jesus single him
out for the honor of staying at his home? Zacchaeus needed God's merciful love
and forgiveness. In his encounter with Jesus he found more than he imagined
possible. He shows the depth of his repentance by deciding to give half of his
goods to the poor and to use the other half for making restitution for fraud.
Zacchaeus' testimony included more than words. His change of heart resulted in
a change of life, a change that the whole community could experience as
genuine.
Faith welcomes Christ in
our heart and home
Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) urges us to climb the sycamore tree like Zacchaeus that we might see Jesus and embrace his cross for our lives:
Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) urges us to climb the sycamore tree like Zacchaeus that we might see Jesus and embrace his cross for our lives:
Zacchaeus climbed away from the crowd and saw Jesus without the crowd
getting in his way. The crowd laughs at the lowly, to people walking the way of
humility, who leave the wrongs they suffer in God’s hands and do not insist on
getting back at their enemies. The crowd laughs at the lowly and says, 'You
helpless, miserable clod, you cannot even stick up for yourself and get back
what is your own.' The crowd gets in the way and prevents Jesus from being
seen. The crowd boasts and crows when it is able to get back what it owns. It
blocks the sight of the one who said as he hung on the cross, 'Father, forgive
them, because they do not know what they are doing... He ignored the crowd that was getting in his way. He instead climbed
a sycamore tree, a tree of 'silly fruit.' As the apostle says, 'We preach
Christ crucified, a stumbling block indeed to the Jews, [now notice the
sycamore] but folly to the Gentiles.' Finally, the wise people of this
world laugh at us about the cross of Christ and say, '“What sort of minds do
you people have, who worship a crucified God?' What sort of minds do we have?
They are certainly not your kind of mind. 'The wisdom of this world is folly
with God.' No, we do not have your kind of mind. You call our minds foolish. Say
what you like, but for our part, let us climb the sycamore tree and see Jesus.
The reason you cannot see Jesus is that you are ashamed to climb the sycamore
tree.
Let Zacchaeus grasp the sycamore tree, and let the humble person climb the cross. That is little enough, merely to climb it. We must not be ashamed of the cross of Christ, but we must fix it on our foreheads, where the seat of shame is. Above where all our blushes show is the place we must firmly fix that for which we should never blush. As for you, I rather think you make fun of the sycamore, and yet that is what has enabled me to see Jesus. You make fun of the sycamore, because you are just a person, but 'the foolishness of God is wiser than men.'[Sermon 174.3.]
Let Zacchaeus grasp the sycamore tree, and let the humble person climb the cross. That is little enough, merely to climb it. We must not be ashamed of the cross of Christ, but we must fix it on our foreheads, where the seat of shame is. Above where all our blushes show is the place we must firmly fix that for which we should never blush. As for you, I rather think you make fun of the sycamore, and yet that is what has enabled me to see Jesus. You make fun of the sycamore, because you are just a person, but 'the foolishness of God is wiser than men.'[Sermon 174.3.]
The Lord Jesus is always ready to make his home with
each one of us. Do you make room for him in your heart and in every area of
your life?
"Lord Jesus, come
and stay with me. Fill my life with your peace, my home with your presence, and
my heart with your praise. Help me to show kindness, mercy, and goodness to
all, even to those who cause me ill-will or harm."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: To see Christ, by
Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"Come and let us
see what was the method of Zacchaeus's conversion. He desired to see Jesus and
therefore climbed into a sycamore tree, and so a seed of salvation sprouted
within him. Christ saw this with the eyes of deity. Looking up, he also saw
Zacchaeus with the eyes of humanity, and since it was his purpose for all to be
saved, he extends his gentleness to him. To encourage him, he says, 'Come down
quickly.' Zacchaeus searched to see Christ, but the multitude prevented him,
not so much that of the people but of his sins. He was short of stature, not
merley in a bodily point of view but also spiritually. He could not see him
unless he were raised up from the earth and climbed into the sycamore, by which
Christ was about to pass. The story contains a puzzle. In no other way can a
person see Christ and believe in him except by climbing up into the sycamore,
by making foolish his earthly members of fornication, uncleanness,
etc." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 127)
THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, LUKE 19:1-10
(Wisdom 11:22―12:2; Psalm 145; 2 Thessalonians 1:11―2:2)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, LUKE 19:1-10
(Wisdom 11:22―12:2; Psalm 145; 2 Thessalonians 1:11―2:2)
KEY VERSE: "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham" (v 9).
TO KNOW: Only Luke tells the story of Zacchaeus the tax-collector whose determination enabled him to find salvation in Jesus. Zacchaeus was short in stature but lofty in his resolve to meet the Lord. The little man was unable to see over the crowds gathered around Jesus. So he perched atop a sycamore tree hoping to catch a glimpse of him as he passed through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem. Jesus told Zacchaeus that he would be a guest at his house, and he was overjoyed. When the crowd heard this, they complained about Jesus' habit of dining with sinners. As the chief tax-collector, Zacchaeus had the opportunity to acquire more than he was entitled to receive, but he promised to make restitution for everything that he had gained by unjust means. He even went beyond what the law demanded by promising to give half of his earnings to the poor. Jesus told Zacchaeus that he was a true "son of Abraham," worthy to inherit God's promise of salvation.
TO LOVE: Am I willing to go "out on a limb" for my faith?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to set aside my pride so that I might come to you.
Sunday 30 October 2016
Sun 30th. 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Wisdom 11:22-12:2. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God—Ps
144(145):1-2, 8-11, 13-14. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2. Luke 19:1-10.
'I came to call sinners'
A beautiful story of forgiveness takes
place between Jesus and Zaccheus. It's a well-known story where Zaccheus and
Jesus have a dialogue. Zaccheus is a tax collector, and thus, not well‑liked.
One would assume he has defrauded some of his neighbours considerably, so we can imagine their frustration that he is then the host to Jesus at his house. Deirdre Brown IBVM wrote a well-known hymn called 'Come as you are' and I remember it being a favourite at a homeless men's ministry in Melbourne when they would have their weekly Mass. They always requested it.
The line 'I came to call sinners, not just the virtuous' is so very crucial to our understanding of how God works. God desires for us to move beyond a life of sin, but he does not condemn us, he instead restores us to our original creation as he did with Zaccheus.
One would assume he has defrauded some of his neighbours considerably, so we can imagine their frustration that he is then the host to Jesus at his house. Deirdre Brown IBVM wrote a well-known hymn called 'Come as you are' and I remember it being a favourite at a homeless men's ministry in Melbourne when they would have their weekly Mass. They always requested it.
The line 'I came to call sinners, not just the virtuous' is so very crucial to our understanding of how God works. God desires for us to move beyond a life of sin, but he does not condemn us, he instead restores us to our original creation as he did with Zaccheus.
ST. ALONSO RODRIGUEZ
On October 30, the Catholic Church honors a man whose humble
occupation gave the world only glimpses of his extraordinary holiness. During
his lifetime, Brother Alonso Rodriguez never became a priest, published a book,
or advanced professionally. But writings discovered after his death revealed a
true mystic, who attended to a rich spiritual life while he worked as a
doorkeeper and porter.
Born in Spain during 1532, Alonso married at 26 and worked as a
cloth merchant, coming to religious life only through a string of crushing
tragedies. His wife and two of their children died by the time he was 31, and
his turn toward a life of prayer and penance could not prevent the subsequent
death of his third and last remaining child -- nor the discouraging failure of
his business.
Without his wife and children, and having few prospects due to
his lack of a higher education, the Spanish layman turned his thoughts to
religious life. Even there, however, he faced difficulties. In his early years,
Alonso had met one of the first Jesuits, Bl. Peter Faber, and with his old life
in ruins, he developed an interest in joining the recently established Society
of Jesus.
Alonso's lack of education prevented him from pursuing their
course of priestly ordination, and he failed to acquire a diploma from the
College of Barcelona despite attending for two years. The Jesuit Fathers in
Valencia said he was unfit to join. But Alonso's years of prayer had not been
in vain: they were answered when a provincial of the society, sensing his
dedication, admitted him as a lay-brother.
In modern times, Jesuit Brothers work in a wide range of fields,
with few limitations apart from their lack of priestly ordination. During the
16th and 17th centuries, however, the lay-brothers of the Society of Jesus were
known as “temporal coadjutors,” and assisted the priests of the order by
performing its more routine duties such as cooking, construction and farming.
The Jesuits sent Rodriguez to the college of Montesión on the
island of Majorca, to work as a porter and door-keeper. He assumed the
responsibilities of receiving visitors and guests and carrying their luggage,
tracking down students or priests when they were needed, delivering messages,
and distributing alms to the poor. While other Jesuits traveled the globe evangelizing
whole nations, and undertook a vast reform of the Catholic Church throughout
Europe, Alonso carried bags and ran errands for 46 years.
But students began to seek him out, realizing that their
doorkeeper was a man of unusual wisdom and faith. His Jesuit superiors started
to take notice as well, and asked him to begin a private record of his life and
thoughts. Rodriguez struck up a notable friendship with one young man,
Peter Claver, and advised him to volunteer for the South American missions.
Following his advice, St. Peter Claver eventually catechized, baptized and
spoke out for the rights of 300,000 slaves in South America.
When Brother Alonso died in 1617, his superiors examined the
written records he had left behind describing his spiritual life. What they
found was the life of a saint and mystic. His approach was simple: Christ was
appearing in every person who appeared at the door; the task was to encounter
God in any task. From this awareness, he proceeded to a life of contemplation
akin to the renowned saints of his era (such as St. Ignatius or St. Teresa of
Avila), whose grand achievements are better known.
Brother Alonso Rodriguez was declared a saint in 1887. He is
buried on the same island of Majorca where he answered the door and carried bags
for five decades.
LECTIO
DIVINA: 31ST SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (C)
Lectio
Divina:
Sunday,
October 30, 2016
The conversion of Zacchaeus
Luke 19:1-10
Luke 19:1-10
1. LECTIO
a) Opening prayer:
a) Opening prayer:
O God, creator and Father of all the children of
Abraham, grant us the light of your Spirit that we may serve you well and
worthily, grant that we may follow in the footsteps of your Word and that our
actions may reflect that we are disciples of the one Master who became man for
love of us and for our salvation.
b) A reading of the Gospel:
1 He
entered Jericho and was going through the town 2 and suddenly a man whose name
was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and
a wealthy man. 3 He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too short
and could not see him for the crowd; 4 so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore
tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. 5 When Jesus reached
the spot he looked up and spoke to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I
am to stay at your house today.' 6 And he hurried down and welcomed him
joyfully. 7 They all complained when they saw what was happening. 'He has gone
to stay at a sinner's house,' they said. 8 But Zacchaeus stood his ground and
said to the Lord, 'Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor,
and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.' 9 And
Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man
too is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of man has come to seek out and save
what was lost.'
c) A
moment of silence:
so that
the Word of God may penetrate us and enlighten our life.
2.
MEDITATIO
a) A
key to the reading:
In the
Gospel story, Luke likes to show the mercy of the Master towards sinners and Lk
19: 1-10 is one example. The story of the conversion of Zacchaeus tells us that
no human condition is incompatible with salvation: Today salvation has come
to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham, (Lk 19: 9) says Jesus.
The opening text of chapter 19 comes after the teachings and attitudes that
Jesus presents to us in chapter 18. In that chapter we find the parable of the
Pharisee who judges and the Publican who humbles himself before God and begs
for pardon (Lk 18: 9-14). Then there is the scene where Jesus welcomes the
children, warning the disciples that it is to anyone who is a child such
as these that the kingdom of God belongs…anyone who does not welcome the
kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it (Lk 18: 16-17).
Immediately after this, Jesus tells the rich aristocrat who wishes to obtain
eternal life (Lk 18: 18) of the need to sell everything and distribute the money
to the poor in order to follow Jesus and obtain treasure in
heaven (Lk 18: 22). Then comes the teaching of Jesus on riches that are an
obstacle to salvation and the promise of a reward for those who renounce all
for the sake of the Kingdom of God (Lk 18: 24-30). These parts of chapter 18
seem to lead us to the story of the conversion of Zacchaeus. Before the story
of Zacchaeus we have two texts which contain important details:
1. The
third prophecy of the passion where Jesus reminds us thatnow we are going up to
Jerusalem (Lk 18: 31). It would seem that Luke wishes to place everything
within the context of the following of Christ; and
2. The healing of the blind man of Jericho, who called Jesus, even though the crowd stopped him from going to the Master (Lk 18: 35-39). Once more, Jesus gives light to darkened eyes and says that faith has saved this blind man (Lk 18: 42). After regaining his sight, the blind man was able to follow Jesus praising God (Lk 18: 43).
2. The healing of the blind man of Jericho, who called Jesus, even though the crowd stopped him from going to the Master (Lk 18: 35-39). Once more, Jesus gives light to darkened eyes and says that faith has saved this blind man (Lk 18: 42). After regaining his sight, the blind man was able to follow Jesus praising God (Lk 18: 43).
These
two texts together with the previous ones shed light on the story of the
conversion of Zacchaeus. In this story we find surprising details that are
already present in the abovementioned texts:
1.
Zacchaeus is a rich man and chief of the Publicans – Lk 19: 2
2. He sought to see Jesus, but was not able because of the crowd – Lk 19: 3
3. He was short – Lk 19: 3
4. The crowd’s judgment that stamps Zacchaeus: a sinner - Lk 19: 7
5. The distribution of goods to the poor – Lk 19: 8
6. Jesus’ proclamation that salvation has come to the house of Zacchaeus – Lk 19: 9.
2. He sought to see Jesus, but was not able because of the crowd – Lk 19: 3
3. He was short – Lk 19: 3
4. The crowd’s judgment that stamps Zacchaeus: a sinner - Lk 19: 7
5. The distribution of goods to the poor – Lk 19: 8
6. Jesus’ proclamation that salvation has come to the house of Zacchaeus – Lk 19: 9.
Zacchaeus,
a short man, one who is rich and chief of the Publicans, welcomes the Kingdom
of God like a child. He humbles himself and repents of his past and thus finds
the salvation that comes from God in Jesus Christ the good Samaritan (Lk 10:
29-37) who comes to us to seek out and save what was lost (Lk 19:
10). This is a theme dear to Luke and we find it in other parts of his
Gospel story (e.g.: Lk 15: 11-31).
b) A
time for personal reflection:
Place
yourself silently before the word of God and reflect on the texts presented in
this key to the reading. Ask yourself:
1. What
is the connection between these texts?
2. What does salvation mean to you?
3. Zacchaeus, a short man, shows his availability to welcome the Lord by climbing a sycamore tree. His curiosity was rewarded with Jesus’ visit. What do you do to show your availability to welcome the salvation of God?
4. Zacchaeus’ action reminds us of the curiosity of Moses that urges him towards the burning bush. There too Moses found salvation. Do you approach the Lord? Do you feel attracted to Him?
5. Jesus goes to Zacchaeus in his sinfulness and in the house he brings him salvation. How attached are you to sin? Do you allow the Master to come to you, in that dark house?
2. What does salvation mean to you?
3. Zacchaeus, a short man, shows his availability to welcome the Lord by climbing a sycamore tree. His curiosity was rewarded with Jesus’ visit. What do you do to show your availability to welcome the salvation of God?
4. Zacchaeus’ action reminds us of the curiosity of Moses that urges him towards the burning bush. There too Moses found salvation. Do you approach the Lord? Do you feel attracted to Him?
5. Jesus goes to Zacchaeus in his sinfulness and in the house he brings him salvation. How attached are you to sin? Do you allow the Master to come to you, in that dark house?
3.
ORATIO
a) The
prayer of the community:
O God,
who in your Son have come to seek and save the lost, make us worthy of your
call: bring to fulfilment our every wish for good, so that we may know how to
welcome you joyfully into our house to share the goods of the earth and of
heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
b) A
moment of silence:
for personal prayer.
for personal prayer.
4.
CONTEMPLATIO
You
will reveal the path of life to me,
and at your right hand everlasting pleasures.
(Psalm 15/16: 11)
and at your right hand everlasting pleasures.
(Psalm 15/16: 11)
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