RBWords

     "This man..." is  "Zaccheus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man."  It would have been hard to find someone disliked more than he in today's story.  Tax collectors were private contractors who were given a franchise to collect taxes by either the local ruler (such as Herod) or the occupying Roman empire.  The franchisee got a commission on what he collected.  That explains Zaccheus' wealth.  If he was the chief collector, he probably had subcontractors and received a commission from them as well.  Yet, for all that, he was curious to "see who Jesus was."  As if his low moral standing in the community wasn't enough, Zaccheus also was low to the ground, being short.  One must, however, admire his creativity in climbing a tree to get a view.  This creativity plus his desire gets him Jesus' attention.

     Many of us know the story from a Sunday school song about this encounter.  But the situation was fraught with tension.  The proper folks in the crowd are also unforgiving folks.  Zaccheus was a hated figure.  Jesus was going to dine at Zaccheus' house!  One wonders what they thought even after Zaccheus promises to return any ill-gotten gains four times over and give up half his possessions to the poor.  One wonders what the crowd thought even after Jesus pronounces Zaccheus saved, and especially when Jesus states his own mission is to seek out "what was lost."

     We have a very fine example of Jesus' mission in the person and teaching of Pope Francis, who consistently urges us all to be "missionaries of mercy" seeking out the lost and wounded and bringing them back to the Church - the "field hospital."  It is clear that some in the crowd who consider themselves already saved are not happy with him.  It is a good thing for all of us today and the whole world that Jesus did not allow their opinion to stop him!  Will we stay in the crowd or will we join Jesus and Pope Francis and Zaccheus at the banquet table?  AMEN