Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 498
Lectionary: 498
I, John, heard the Lord saying to me:
“To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this:
“‘The one who has the seven spirits of God
and the seven stars says this: “I know your works,
that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die,
for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent.
If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief,
and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.
However, you have a few people in Sardis
who have not soiled their garments;
they will walk with me dressed in white,
because they are worthy.
“‘The victor will thus be dressed in white,
and I will never erase his name from the book of life
but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father
and of his angels.
“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
“To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this:
“‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the source of God’s creation, says this:
“I know your works;
I know that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth.
For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’
and yet do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich,
and white garments to put on
so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed,
and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.
Be earnest, therefore, and repent.
“‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him,
and he with me.
I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne,
as I myself first won the victory
and sit with my Father on his throne.
“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
“To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this:
“‘The one who has the seven spirits of God
and the seven stars says this: “I know your works,
that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die,
for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent.
If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief,
and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.
However, you have a few people in Sardis
who have not soiled their garments;
they will walk with me dressed in white,
because they are worthy.
“‘The victor will thus be dressed in white,
and I will never erase his name from the book of life
but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father
and of his angels.
“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
“To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this:
“‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the source of God’s creation, says this:
“I know your works;
I know that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth.
For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’
and yet do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich,
and white garments to put on
so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed,
and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.
Be earnest, therefore, and repent.
“‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him,
and he with me.
I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne,
as I myself first won the victory
and sit with my Father on his throne.
“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Responsorial
PsalmPS 15:2-3A, 3BC-4AB, 5
R. (Rev. 3: 21) I will
seat the victor beside me on my throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Alleluia1 JN 4:10B
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
God loved us, and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God loved us, and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 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.”
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.”
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)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, LUKE
19:1-10
Weekday
(Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22; Psalm 15)
Weekday
(Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22; Psalm 15)
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' willingness to change his life was contrasted with the rich official who was unable to renounce his possessions and follow Jesus (Lk 18:18-23). As Jesus passed through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem, Zacchaeus tried to get a glimpse of him. Because he was short in stature, he could not see over the crowds, and so he perched atop a sycamore tree. When Jesus invited himself to the tax collector’s house there was murmuring in the crowd about Jesus' habit of dining with sinners. As the chief tax-collector, Zacchaeus had the opportunity to acquire more revenue 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 saw this little man as a true "son of Abraham," worthy of God's salvation.
TO LOVE: Am I willing to go out on a limb to see Jesus?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to use my earthly goods to serve the poor.
Optional Memorial of
Saint Albert the Great, bishop and doctor of the Church
Albert is traditionally known as Albertus Magnus (Albert the Great). He was born in Swabia within a few years of 1200, the eldest son of a family belonging to the equestrian nobility. He was educated at the University of Padua, already a scientific center, and joined the Dominicans as a young man. After completing his studies he taught theology, going to Paris about 1240, where he took the degree of master in sacred theology. For the next thirty years he led a life as teacher and administrator, and later as bishop of Ratisbon. His printed works fill thirty-eight volumes and cover every field of learning. At Cologne and Paris he had Thomas Aquinas as his pupil, and one of his prophetic missions was to defend some of Thomas's writings against attacks at Paris in 1277. He died in 1280 and was canonized and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1931.
Tuesday 15 November 2016
Tue 15th. St Albert the Great.
Apocalypse 3:1-6, 14-22. The one who is victorious I
will sit beside me on my throne—Ps 14(15):2-5. Luke 19:1-10.
'Today salvation has come to this house'
Tax-collectors definitely received a bad
rap in Jesus' day and 2,000 years later not much has changed—the 'tax-man'
still has an unenviable reputation for greed and oppression, whether warranted
or not. But the tax-collector Zaccheus is the key figure in today's Gospel, a
short-statured man who climbed a tree to catch a better view of Jesus as he
passed through the town of Jericho. Jesus ordered Zaccheus to come down from
the tree so that he might stay at his. Despite the crowds complaining that
Jesus would stay at the house of a sinner, Zaccheus 'stood his ground' and
demonstrated he wanted to become a better man by donating half of his property
to the poor.
How often do we take the time to 'catch a glimpse' of Jesus? To seek him out as we go through our daily life? To recognise what we need to do in order to make our own houses worthy for Jesus to stay?
How often do we take the time to 'catch a glimpse' of Jesus? To seek him out as we go through our daily life? To recognise what we need to do in order to make our own houses worthy for Jesus to stay?
ST. ALBERT THE GREAT
St. Albert the Great is a Doctor of the Church and
the patron saint of scientists. The native German joined the newly formed Order
of Preachers (Dominicans) in the early 13th century. He earned
a doctorate from the University of Paris and taught theology there and in
Cologne, Germany.
Albert became known as “Great” because of his
intellectual abilities; he was a respected philosopher, scientist, theologian
and teacher, and was well-versed in Arabic culture. One of his students, who
later became a great friend and built upon his Scholastic method, was Thomas
Aquinas.
He died Nov. 15, 1280.
LECTIO
DIVINA: LUKE 19,1-10
Lectio
Divina:
Tuesday,
November 15, 2016
Ordinary Time
1) Opening
prayer
Father of all
that is good,
keep us faithful in serving you,
for to serve you is our lasting joy.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
keep us faithful in serving you,
for to serve you is our lasting joy.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel
reading - Luke 19,1-10
Jesus entered
Jericho and was going through the town and suddenly a man whose name was
Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a
wealthy man. He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too short and
could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to
catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way.
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.'
And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.
They all complained when they saw what was happening. 'He has gone to stay at a sinner's house,' they said. 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.'
And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man has come to seek out and save what was lost.'
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.'
And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.
They all complained when they saw what was happening. 'He has gone to stay at a sinner's house,' they said. 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.'
And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man has come to seek out and save what was lost.'
3) Reflection
• In today’s
Gospel we are reaching the end of the long journey which began in chapter 9 (Lk
9, 51). During the journey, it was not easy to know the way Jesus was
following. It was only known that he was going toward Jerusalem! Now at the
end, the geography was clear and definite. Jesus reaches Jericho, the city of
the palm trees, in the Valley of Jordan. The last stop of the pilgrims, before
going up toward Jerusalem! He went to Jericho where the long road of exodus of
40 years in the desert ended. The exodus of Jesus was also ended. In entering
into Jericho, Jesus meets a blind man who wanted to see him (Lk 18, 35-43). Now
in going out of the city, he meets Zacchaeus, a tax collector: he also wants to
see him. A blind man and a Publican. Both of them were excluded. Both of them
bothered and disturbed the people: the blind man because he was shouting out to
Jesus, the Publican because of the taxes. Both are accepted by Jesus, each one
in his own way.
• Luke 19, 1-2: The situation. Jesus enters into Jericho and crosses the city. “And behold a man whose name was Zacchaeus, head of the tax collectors and a rich man”. The tax collector was the person who collected the public taxes on selling and buying of merchandise. Zacchaeus was the head of the tax collectors in the city. He was very rich and closely linked to the system of domination of the Romans. The more religious Jews argued in this way: “The king of our people is God. Therefore, the dominion of the Romans on us is against God. Anyone who collaborates with the Romans, sins against God!” Thus, the soldiers who served in the Roman army and the tax collectors, like Zacchaeus, were excluded and avoided because they were considered sinners and impure.
• Luke 19, 3-4: The attitude of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus. But being small, he ran ahead and climbed on a tree and waited for Jesus to go by. He really had a great desire to see Jesus! Before in the parable of the poor Lazarus and of the rich man who has no name (Lk 16, 19-31), Jesus had said that it was truly very difficult for a rich person to be converted and to open the door that separates him from accepting poor Lazarus. Here we have a rich man who does not close himself up in his riches. Zacchaeus wants something more. When an adult, a person who is prominent in the city, climbs up on a tree, it is because he does not care much about the opinion of others. Something more important moves him inside. He wants to open the door for poor Lazarus.
• Luke 19, 5-7: Attitude of Jesus, reaction of the people and of Zacchaeus. Getting and seeing Zacchaeus on the tree, Jesus does not ask nor does he demand anything. He only responds to the desire of the man and says: “Zacchaeus come down, hurry because I am to stay at your home today!” Zacchaeus gets down and receives Jesus, in his house, with great joy, “All complained: He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house!” Luke says that all complained! That signifies that Jesus was remaining alone in his attitude of accepting the excluded, especially the collaborators of the system. But Jesus does not care about the criticism. He goes to the house of Zacchaeus and defends him from the criticism. Instead of calling him sinner, he calls him “son of Abraham” (Lk 19, 9).
• Luke 19, 8: Decision of Zacchaeus. “Look, Lord, I am going to give half of my property to the poor; and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount!” This is the conversion produced in Zacchaeus because of the acceptance that he received from Jesus. To give back four times was what the law prescribed to do in certain cases (Ex 21, 37; 22, 3). To give half of my possessions to the poor was the novelty which the contact with Jesus produced in him. In fact, sharing was taking place.
• Luke 19, 9-10: Final word of Jesus. “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham”. The interpretation of the Law by means of the ancient Tradition excluded the tax collectors from the race of Abraham. Jesus says that he comes to seek and save what was lost. The Kingdom is for all. Nobody can be excluded. The choice of Jesus is clear, and also his call: It is not possible to be Jesus’ friend and continue to support a system which marginalizes and excludes so many people. By denouncing the unjust divisions, Jesus opens the space to a new way of living together, directed by the new values of truth, of justice and of love.
• Son of Abraham. "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham!” Through being a descendant of Abraham all nations of earth will be blessed (Gn 12, 3; 22, 18).It was very important for Luke’s communities, formed by Christians, both of Jewish and of Pagan origin, the affirmation that Jesus calls Zacchaeus “son of Abraham”. In this we find the confirmation of the fact that in Jesus, God was fulfilling the promises made to Abraham, addressed to all nations, both to Jews and to gentiles. They are also sons of Abraham and heirs of the promises. Jesus accepts those who were not accepted. He offers a place to those who do not have it. He receives as brothers and sisters the persons whom the religion and the government excluded and considered:
- immoral: the prostitutes and the sinners (Mt 21,31-32; Mk 2,15; Lk 7, 37-50; Jn 8, 2-11),
- heretic: pagans and Samaritans (Lk 7, 2-10; 17,16; Mk 7, 24-30; Jn 4, 7-42),
- impure: lepers and possessed (Mt 8, 2-4; Lk 17,12-14; Mk 1, 25-26),
- marginalized: women, children and the sick (Mk 1,32; Mt 8,16;19,13-15; Lk 8, 2-3),
- fighters: publicans and soldiers (Lk 18, 9-14;19,1-10);
- the poor: the people of the place and the poor who had no power (Mt 5, 3; Lk 6, 20; Mt 11,25-26).
• Luke 19, 1-2: The situation. Jesus enters into Jericho and crosses the city. “And behold a man whose name was Zacchaeus, head of the tax collectors and a rich man”. The tax collector was the person who collected the public taxes on selling and buying of merchandise. Zacchaeus was the head of the tax collectors in the city. He was very rich and closely linked to the system of domination of the Romans. The more religious Jews argued in this way: “The king of our people is God. Therefore, the dominion of the Romans on us is against God. Anyone who collaborates with the Romans, sins against God!” Thus, the soldiers who served in the Roman army and the tax collectors, like Zacchaeus, were excluded and avoided because they were considered sinners and impure.
• Luke 19, 3-4: The attitude of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus. But being small, he ran ahead and climbed on a tree and waited for Jesus to go by. He really had a great desire to see Jesus! Before in the parable of the poor Lazarus and of the rich man who has no name (Lk 16, 19-31), Jesus had said that it was truly very difficult for a rich person to be converted and to open the door that separates him from accepting poor Lazarus. Here we have a rich man who does not close himself up in his riches. Zacchaeus wants something more. When an adult, a person who is prominent in the city, climbs up on a tree, it is because he does not care much about the opinion of others. Something more important moves him inside. He wants to open the door for poor Lazarus.
• Luke 19, 5-7: Attitude of Jesus, reaction of the people and of Zacchaeus. Getting and seeing Zacchaeus on the tree, Jesus does not ask nor does he demand anything. He only responds to the desire of the man and says: “Zacchaeus come down, hurry because I am to stay at your home today!” Zacchaeus gets down and receives Jesus, in his house, with great joy, “All complained: He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house!” Luke says that all complained! That signifies that Jesus was remaining alone in his attitude of accepting the excluded, especially the collaborators of the system. But Jesus does not care about the criticism. He goes to the house of Zacchaeus and defends him from the criticism. Instead of calling him sinner, he calls him “son of Abraham” (Lk 19, 9).
• Luke 19, 8: Decision of Zacchaeus. “Look, Lord, I am going to give half of my property to the poor; and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount!” This is the conversion produced in Zacchaeus because of the acceptance that he received from Jesus. To give back four times was what the law prescribed to do in certain cases (Ex 21, 37; 22, 3). To give half of my possessions to the poor was the novelty which the contact with Jesus produced in him. In fact, sharing was taking place.
• Luke 19, 9-10: Final word of Jesus. “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham”. The interpretation of the Law by means of the ancient Tradition excluded the tax collectors from the race of Abraham. Jesus says that he comes to seek and save what was lost. The Kingdom is for all. Nobody can be excluded. The choice of Jesus is clear, and also his call: It is not possible to be Jesus’ friend and continue to support a system which marginalizes and excludes so many people. By denouncing the unjust divisions, Jesus opens the space to a new way of living together, directed by the new values of truth, of justice and of love.
• Son of Abraham. "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham!” Through being a descendant of Abraham all nations of earth will be blessed (Gn 12, 3; 22, 18).It was very important for Luke’s communities, formed by Christians, both of Jewish and of Pagan origin, the affirmation that Jesus calls Zacchaeus “son of Abraham”. In this we find the confirmation of the fact that in Jesus, God was fulfilling the promises made to Abraham, addressed to all nations, both to Jews and to gentiles. They are also sons of Abraham and heirs of the promises. Jesus accepts those who were not accepted. He offers a place to those who do not have it. He receives as brothers and sisters the persons whom the religion and the government excluded and considered:
- immoral: the prostitutes and the sinners (Mt 21,31-32; Mk 2,15; Lk 7, 37-50; Jn 8, 2-11),
- heretic: pagans and Samaritans (Lk 7, 2-10; 17,16; Mk 7, 24-30; Jn 4, 7-42),
- impure: lepers and possessed (Mt 8, 2-4; Lk 17,12-14; Mk 1, 25-26),
- marginalized: women, children and the sick (Mk 1,32; Mt 8,16;19,13-15; Lk 8, 2-3),
- fighters: publicans and soldiers (Lk 18, 9-14;19,1-10);
- the poor: the people of the place and the poor who had no power (Mt 5, 3; Lk 6, 20; Mt 11,25-26).
4) Personal
questions
• How does
our community accept the persons who are despised and marginalized? Are we
capable, like Jesus to perceive the problems of persons and to give them some
attention?
· How do we perceive salvation today entering into our house and into our community? The welcoming tenderness of Jesus produced a total change in the life of Zacchaeus. Is the tenderness of our community producing some change in the neighbourhood? Which one?
· How do we perceive salvation today entering into our house and into our community? The welcoming tenderness of Jesus produced a total change in the life of Zacchaeus. Is the tenderness of our community producing some change in the neighbourhood? Which one?
5) Concluding
prayer
With all my
heart I seek you,
do not let me stray from your commandments.
In my heart I treasure your promises,
to avoid sinning against you. (Ps 119,10-11)
do not let me stray from your commandments.
In my heart I treasure your promises,
to avoid sinning against you. (Ps 119,10-11)
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