Reflections for 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time C

 

If you only knew what God is offering

You would have been the one to ask,

And he would have given you living water.

Let anyone who is thirsty come to me!

Let anyone who believes in me come and drink!

“From his heart shall flow streams of living water”

He was speaking of the Spirit which those who believed in him were to receive.

There was no Spirit as yet because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

31^st Sunday in Ordinary Time C

Wisdom 11:22-12:2, Psalm144:1-2.8-11.13-14 Rv.1 2Thess 1:11-2:2.

In your sight the whole world is like a grain of dust.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love.

The name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you and you in him.

Zacchaeus, hurry, because I must stay at your house today.

Luke 19:1-10

 

He entered Jericho and was going through the town ² and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. ³ He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd; ⁴ so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. ⁵ When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.' ⁶ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. ⁷ They all complained when they saw what was happening. 'He has gone to stay at a sinner's house,' they said. ⁸ But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, 'Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.' ⁹ And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; ¹⁰ for the Son of man has come to seek out and save what was lost.'

Meet Jesus

            The Gospel is not a biography of Jesus. It is the means to meet Jesus. Using our imagination we can be part of the Gospel scene. Furthermore Jesus who was there is here today. You could relive the scene:

“Jesus, I remember Jericho. I was at your side as you walked along and the apostles were just behind. I wanted to be next to you, to be your special disciple. I didn’t notice how you moved towards the tree and then you suddenly stopped and looked up. I could see this little man sitting on a branch. I didn’t know him but you were amused and smiling. Then you called him – I was amazed you knew his name and you called him as if you had known him for years. His face lit up – he never dreamt you would notice him and with a smile on your face too. Then you said “Zacchaeus, I want to stay in your house today”. He was really excited. He had never expected anything like this.

            But then I could see and hear the reaction of the crowd. There was a sudden hush. People appeared stunned – did Jesus know who this man was? He was an extortioner. No one would speak to him. He wasn’t allowed even to set foot in the synagogue. He was lost, an outcast like a filthy rag. To them he stank. But you had called him from the tree and were going to be his guest! Then suddenly they all started talking and I could hear how they were grumbling about you. ‘How can he go to his house?  He should have publicly condemned him, or simply passed by.” Zacchaeus could hear them too. Then suddenly he looked straight at you. ‘Yes’, he said, ‘what they are saying is true but you have touched my heart. Lord, I will give half of my property to the poor and yes I have done injustice. Let them all come. I will give them back four times as much as I took from them’.

            Then I saw how you put one hand on his shoulder and turned to the crowd and said, ‘Zacchaeus is a son of Abraham too and today he and his family have been saved’. It was then that you shouted, “I have come to search for the lost and save them”.  I wanted to cheer and shout when I heard this. So that is why you came to Jericho, - to search for Zacchaeus! It was then that I tapped you on the arm. You turned and looked at me. ‘Jesus’, I said, ‘I too live in Jericho. My house is not far away. I’m a sinner too. Will you come to my house?’ You said, ‘sure I will. I’d love to’. Jesus, that word made my day and not just my day, my life as well.

Are you aware that Jesus is present?

Father, make Jesus a real person for me.