Cycle C - Year II:  

30 October 2022: Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Wisdom 11:22--12:2

Second Reading:   2 Thessalonians 1:11-22

Gospel:  Please Read  Luke 19:1-10 

The God who searches for us!

The famous passage from the Confessions by St. Augustine of Hippo: "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You."  For nothing in this world will give us the rest and the peace that only God can give. God is the key to a successful and happy heart.

In this Sunday's Gospel we will hear the story about a tax collector eager to search for God. And he found God in a rather dramatic way, and some say in a humorous way.

On His way to Jericho our Lord Jesus was surrounded by a big crowd of followers. There was a man of power and money by the name of Zacchaeus who wanted to see Jesus. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector and thus didn't have the best of reputation among his own people. In fact, he was hated for being a thief and corrupt. (Bingo, even in those times!)   Nonetheless, Zacchaeus' heart, like any human heart, sought God.

The story describes Zacchaeus as physically short in stature, and because of the crowd surrounding Jesus it was impossible for him to see our Lord. But that did not discourage him, and he became creative, as he was determined to see our Lord Jesus that he climbed up a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was about to pass his way. And the way St. Luke describes the meeting between Jesus and Zacchaeus, the evangelist has a sense of humor too.

The Gospel describes Zacchaeus as a rich man who has everything he needed. So, we may ask, why does he need to see Jesus face to face?

Well, Zacchaeus must have been restless even before this encounter, seeking for meaning in his life. He has heard of the many stories about Jesus and he knows deep in his heart that this Jesus does not promise a great worldly life but an everlasting one in heaven.  That is why he was determined to do whatever it takes to get a close look at Jesus. And his efforts were rewarded because our Lord Jesus noticed him up in the tree. As the story goes, Jesus invited Himself to be the guest in Zacchaeus' house that day, and this shocked the sensibilities of Jesus' own disciples and those of the crowd. They murmured that Jesus was going to be the guest with a man reputed to be a sinner.

Yet, Jesus saw past Zacchaeus' crimes to his heart, which was open to grace that prompted him to climb the tree just to see Jesus. And when our Lord Jesus invited Himself to Zacchaeus' house it means an offer of forgiveness, mercy, and acceptance by God.

On the part of Zacchaeus, he knew that accepting Jesus into his house meant that his life will have to change for the better. Zacchaeus realized that his wealth had come at the expense of the people. Clinging to it would mean letting Jesus go from his life. So he had to choose, and he chose wisely. So Zacchaeus told Jesus, "Behold, half of my possession, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I had extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." (Lk 19:8)     

Thus, the Gospel story teaches us about determination and humbling ourselves before God. Christians know that God is not about forced entry, meaning God doesn't force Himself on us.  The door must be opened from the inside when we invite Him to our lives.  We must make the decision to yield to His mercy and receive the gift of forgiveness. To receive God's gifts means that our hands must be empty of worldly concerns. These are the things we must let go to grasp the hands of God.

Now, almost all religions tell stories about man's search for God. But Christianity tells us about God Himself in search for man. That is the big difference. For we believe that God has not left us on our own. Rather, He Himself has come in search of us. So we do not look for God in the sky, but search His presence within our heart. "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."    (Lk 19:10)    

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!