In my study today, I was reading the story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector, as related in Luke 19: 1-10. (I'll post the scriptures below.) Zacchaeus was a man detested among all in his town, for he was a tax collector- who made profits off of the locals when collecting taxes for the hated Romans. Imagine if your town had one chief Revenue Collector, an IRS man, who got to keep part of what he could squeeze out of you when he collected your taxes. You wouldn't like him very much, would you?
Besides being rich at the expense of the locals, Zacchaeus had anther problem, he was short. For some men, this can be a problem. It's hard to look important if you're always having to jump up to see anything, or if people have to look down to see you.
When Zacchaeus heard Jesus of Nazareth was coming to town, he wanted to see the famed teacher and healer. So did a lot of other people. They crowded the streets to see Jesus, and Zacchaeus probably did a lot of, "Excuse me, could you let me pass," or "Can I get through" ....but no one let him through, remember, they didn't like him very much. So what to do, what to do? Zacchaeus had an "ah-ha" moment, if he couldn't get past the crowds, or see over their shoulders, he'd get to where he could have a clear view. He'd climb a tree!
As Jesus was passing by, He looked up, and saw this short man, most likely in rich robes, up in a Sycamore tree. He didn't pass by, He didn't ignore Zacchaeus, but called to the tax collector, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." Zacchaeus was thrilled, scripture tells us "he hurried" to go make Jesus welcome. But the people grumbled. They didn't want this wise teacher, this holy man, this healer to eat at the home of Zacchaeus, a collaborator with the Romans (for that is how the Jews saw tax collectors), a leech who had gotten rich off of them.
The line that most resonated with me as I studied this scripture was, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." How often do we, the faithful, not want to carry Christ's message to those we disagree with, or who are of a different lifestyle, faith, whatever, from us? Who do we look at as "a sinner" and feel shocked by the idea that Christ longs to dine with exactly that person? Christ wants to meet exactly that soul, and might want us to help make the introduction.
Jesus does indeed dine with Zacchaeus, who is converted and saved at that meeting, who makes right all the monetary wrongs he had committed and who becomes generous with the poor. An encounter with Jesus can change any heart, redeem any soul and right any wrong. Let us not get in the way of Christ dining with someone because we disagree with them, let us instead help to make that introduction. Let's not force the Zacchaeuses of our life to climb trees in order to see the Savior, let's make room up front for them.
God's grace be with you,
Fr. Charles Butler
Luke 19: 1-10
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." 9 Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."
Besides being rich at the expense of the locals, Zacchaeus had anther problem, he was short. For some men, this can be a problem. It's hard to look important if you're always having to jump up to see anything, or if people have to look down to see you.
When Zacchaeus heard Jesus of Nazareth was coming to town, he wanted to see the famed teacher and healer. So did a lot of other people. They crowded the streets to see Jesus, and Zacchaeus probably did a lot of, "Excuse me, could you let me pass," or "Can I get through" ....but no one let him through, remember, they didn't like him very much. So what to do, what to do? Zacchaeus had an "ah-ha" moment, if he couldn't get past the crowds, or see over their shoulders, he'd get to where he could have a clear view. He'd climb a tree!
As Jesus was passing by, He looked up, and saw this short man, most likely in rich robes, up in a Sycamore tree. He didn't pass by, He didn't ignore Zacchaeus, but called to the tax collector, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." Zacchaeus was thrilled, scripture tells us "he hurried" to go make Jesus welcome. But the people grumbled. They didn't want this wise teacher, this holy man, this healer to eat at the home of Zacchaeus, a collaborator with the Romans (for that is how the Jews saw tax collectors), a leech who had gotten rich off of them.
The line that most resonated with me as I studied this scripture was, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." How often do we, the faithful, not want to carry Christ's message to those we disagree with, or who are of a different lifestyle, faith, whatever, from us? Who do we look at as "a sinner" and feel shocked by the idea that Christ longs to dine with exactly that person? Christ wants to meet exactly that soul, and might want us to help make the introduction.
Jesus does indeed dine with Zacchaeus, who is converted and saved at that meeting, who makes right all the monetary wrongs he had committed and who becomes generous with the poor. An encounter with Jesus can change any heart, redeem any soul and right any wrong. Let us not get in the way of Christ dining with someone because we disagree with them, let us instead help to make that introduction. Let's not force the Zacchaeuses of our life to climb trees in order to see the Savior, let's make room up front for them.
God's grace be with you,
Fr. Charles Butler
Luke 19: 1-10
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." 9 Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."
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