Today we read in the Gospels the story of Jesus’ encounter with Zacheus. It is, perhaps, one of the greatest stories of the revelation of God’s Mercy to a sinner and the perfect response to that Mercy.

Zacheus is a tax collector, and not only a tax collector but the chief tax collector. He is considered a grave sinner because he is “in bed” with the Romans. He does their dirty work. He is greedy and a thief and an extortionist. Up until his meeting with Christ, his only care is for himself and his own pocket. Interestingly enough, the Scriptures tell us that he was short of stature. He is the only person in the New Testament that gives us a description of height. And there is a reason for this.

Zacheus hears the rumors of the miracles of Jesus. The news has spread to Jericho that Jesus had just cured the blind man, Bartameus. Miracle upon miracle is circling the town. The news reaches Zacheus. There is a stirring in his heart. Even though he is a public sinner and a thief, filled with corruption, there is a longing in his heart for the truth, for freedom from his sins. There is a longing for one who could possibly show him mercy and free him from this imprisonment.

As Jesus approaches the town, Zacheus is among the multitude that seeks to see Jesus. Being too short to see over the crowd, he uses his ingenuity and climbs the sycamore tree. From his new height, he can see the God who lowered himself to become man for the salvation of sinners. As far as we know, Zacheus said nothing. He didn’t call out or yell. As far as we can tell, he was just there to get a glimpse. Our Lord looks up at Him! Jesus takes notice of this man who has climbed on high. Be attentive to the fact that Jesus knew his name. “Zacheus,” He says, “hurry down from that tree”. Jesus knows him, calls him by name and then invites Himself to Zacheus house; “I mean to stay at your house today.”

This act on our Lord’s part draws out from Zacheus a response. Zacheus’ heart melts in the face of Divine Love. He repents, makes restitution by repaying those he cheated four fold. Incidentally this is, according to the Law of Moses, the greatest act of restitution that one can do. Then he sells half of what he has and distributes it to the poor.

Zacheus was shown divine Mercy and he responds to that Mercy. The Love of God receives a loving response. Zacheus receives Mercy and then he becomes a distributor of Mercy. He doesn’t keep that Mercy to himself. What God has done for him he now does for others.

We can say that he was small of stature not just in physical height but also in spiritual height. He was short because of Sin. He could not see Christ because the crowd of his sins. It was not until he climbed above his sins that he was able to see Jesus with a clear and perfect view. Let's face the fact that we are all like Zacheus. Every sin that we commit, or the sins that we are attached to, make us small of stature. They degrade us and truly make us less of a person. Someone once said that to sin is human. No! This is not true! Sin detracts from our humanity. The more we sin, the less human we become. The smaller we are and our vision becomes blurred or crowded.

What sins do we commit that are detracting from our humanity? What sin is clouding our vision of the truth? What sin or sins are so real in our lives that we just can't get any closer to Christ?

We all know the Word of God. We come here to Mass each Sunday. But do we hear Him calling us? Are we building within ourselves an intense desire for God? In the depths of our hearts we know that we need Him. We know that He is the only one who can make sense out of this life of ours. It is Christ who can give us direction, hope and meaning. He alone can rescue us from our sin. That is why you are here. Perhaps you come to Mass because it is the traditional thing to do. Or your family drags you. But at the heart of who you and I are, there is an innate desire for Christ, faith, and religion. Why don’t we go to Him?

Knowing our sinfulness, do we do everything to see him? Do we pray? Read Scripture? Read good books on the Faith and lives of the saints? Why not? I think sometimes we avoid these things; we avoid encountering Christ because we know that it will mean change. I know that if I am really attached to a sin, I don’t want to let it go. And I know that if I approach God, He will ask me to let it go, and so it is easier to avoid him than seek him. It is the fear of having to convert the fullness of our lives to Christ that makes us afraid to truly seek Him.
We cannot be afraid! We must seek Him in prayer, meditation, Mass and spiritual reading. We cannot be afraid to see Him. Like Zacheus, we must risk seeing him and being seen by Him.

As Zacheus climbed the Sycamore tree to see Christ, so we too have a tree to climb. That tree is the wood of the Cross. We need to go to the throne of Divine Mercy, and there, at the Cross,-receive his Mercy and see Him. The tree of the Cross-is the Mercy that flows from His sacred Heart. This new Sycamore tree, the Cross that we must climb, is the confessional. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation we climb above our sins. By submitting our sins to Christ and receiving His forgiveness, our vision of life becomes clear. We grow tall again. Our dignity is renewed, restored and we can see again. Through the Mercy that is dispensed in this most holy and wonderful Sacrament we can see Christ and He calls to us, “Hurry down I intend to stay with you this day.”

He knows us by name. He loves us, died for us, and now wishes to make His home with us. He desires us more than we could ever desire him! He desires us so much that He invites Himself into our “homes”. He seeks to imbue Himself into our Lives, our families, our work places, and even into the most intimate aspects of our being.

At Mass, when we are properly disposed by the State of Grace, Jesus looks up to us and calls out, “I mean to stay with you.” In the Most Holy Eucharist Jesus comes into our very bodies and into our souls. His Divine presence touches our intellects, our wills, our bodies and the very core of our hearts. There he wishes to stay!

For us conversion is the response that Zacheus made. We repent of our sins. We reject them. We renounce them. We form a firm resolve in our will not to commit them again.

Like Zacheus we confess them with humility and accept the responsibility of making restitution for them. This is the call to do penance for our sins. To make right what we have down wrong. To make selfless acts of love to God in reparation for our selfish acts of self love. It is a necessary part of any relationship, particularly of the Divine.

Finally we change our lives. We not only avoid sin and the occasions of sin but we live lives of charity. Lives that are focused on sanctity and holiness of purpose. To serve God in prayer, worship and the service of God but reflecting His love and Mercy to others.

Today Jesus Himself declares that He came to save the lost. The fact is that we are all lost. Perhaps we are only lost in one sin or we may be lost in a thousand sins. The fact remains that He came to save us all. To raise us from the shortness of sin and lift us up to the heights of sanctity. Today Let us make a firm resolve to truly listen to the voice and workings of God. Let us commit to seeking him out. Let us commit to seeking out, on at least a monthly basis, His Mercy in the confessional. Let us commit to the transformation of our lives with repentance, restitution, prayer and works of Charity. And most importantly, let us welcome him into the homes of our soul by receiving him in Holy Communion with dignity, love and holy reverence.

May God bless you and Mary keep you.


 

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