Word to the Wise
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 - St. Elizabeth of Hungary
[2 Maccabees 6:18-31 and Luke 19:1-10]Zaccheus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your home.
Zaccheus should be the patron saint of tax collectors! I think St. Matthew the apostle beat him to the job! One could easily get the impression that it's a good thing to be a tax collector when reading the gospels. They are among the ones Jesus sought! Zaccheus and the anonymous guy who is contrasted with the smug Pharisee in the temple are both examples of people who know they need God's mercy. In the case of Zaccheus, there is a combination of creativity in the face of necessity (running ahead and climbing a tree to make up for his shortness) and a willingness to accept the demands of discipleship. He makes amends for any dishonesty and he then welcomes Jesus into his home! He could have gladly sung those lines from "Amazing Grace": "I once was lost but now I'm found...." The desire to know Jesus must be accompanied by a desire for change/conversion! It cannot be simply a passive thing on our part. If we want to know Jesus, we have to make an effort - by recognizing our need and acting to meet it, like Zaccheus! In Walt Disney's version of Alice in Wonderland, Alice gets lost in the woods and sits down to sing, "I'd give myself some very good advice but I don't know where I am!" The enigmatic Cheshire Cat helps her out. In the world of discipleship, Jesus is not a Cheshire Cat! He is, however, seeking out the lost. We can do our part to be found! AMEN
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