Word to the Wise
Sunday, November 4, 2007 - Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
[Wisdom 11:22 - 12:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11 - 2:2; Luke 19:1-10]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.
"Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was heeeee........" Perhaps you or your children or grandchildren learned this song in religious education class? I remember my nephew as a tot singing it to me when I was on a visit at my brother's house. It became implanted in my mind so that Zacchaeus became one of my favorite characters in the New Testament. One can only imagine how his compatriots disliked him. As a chief tax collector he would have been the regional boss for a larger number of the despised tax collectors! And not only that, he was wealthy, which made him an object of envy as well. One can see from the parable that he was a creative thinker. Running ahead and climbing a tree for a better view because of his small stature shows some initiative. The interesting irony is that this little guy, lowest of the low, becomes greater in moral stature because of his acceptance of Jesus. One might note that the murmuring comes from "the crowd" and not just from Pharisees! As far as some folks were concerned tax collectors were beyond saving! How could Jesus go and stay at that guy's house? Jesus' own answer says it all as quoted above! I wonder how many of us just don't here him say that he'd like to come and stay at our house because we don't think it's necessary! Eating and drinking with sinners was a hallmark of Jesus' ministry. If we get an invitation, I hope we don't say: "Well, I'M not a sinner!" AMEN
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