Jesus holds the key to the universe

 

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Friday 27 November 2020

Jesus holds the key to the universe

 

First reading

Apocalypse 20:1-4,11-21:2

The book of life was opened, and the dead were judged

I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven with the key of the Abyss in his hand and an enormous chain. He overpowered the dragon, that primeval serpent which is the devil and Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and shut the entrance and sealed it over him, to make sure he would not deceive the nations again until the thousand years had passed. At the end of that time he must be released, but only for a short while.

Then I saw some thrones, and I saw those who are given the power to be judges take their seats on them. I saw the souls of all who had been beheaded for having witnessed for Jesus and for having preached God’s word, and those who refused to worship the beast or his statue and would not have the brand-mark on their foreheads or hands; they came to life, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. In his presence, earth and sky vanished, leaving no trace. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing in front of his throne, while the book of life was opened, and other books opened which were the record of what they had done in their lives, by which the dead were judged.

The sea gave up all the dead who were in it; Death and Hades were emptied of the dead that were in them; and every one was judged according to the way in which he had lived. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the burning lake. This burning lake is the second death; and anybody whose name could not be found written in the book of life was thrown into the burning lake.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband.

 

Prayerful reflection

The Church is suffering persecution at the hands of the Romans. This book is to encourage and strengthen Christians in their sufferings. The author writes using language that the Romans would not understand. He writes with the imagery of the Old Testament. We cannot take it literally but must look for the truth he is proclaiming.

Nowadays we do not talk much of hell but stress the goodness and love of God and his desire for all to be saved. Yet when we reflect on the Scriptures taken as a whole, we cannot avoid the truth that there is a judgement on everyone and that those who have sided with Satan in this life will receive the judgement that Satan has received. They adamantly refused the call of God in this life and so will live separately from God for all eternity. Their adamant refusal is eternal. Satan whom they listened to in this life becomes their eternal master.

On the other hand, those who gave their lives for Jesus in this life, first the martyrs who shed their blood for him, will be held in highest honour, then those who gave their life for him day by day in humble loving obedience will reign with him too.

Those who thus belong to the Lord Jesus will the members of the new Jerusalem, the new and perfect creation in which God as Father will live with them. How that will be no one in this life has any idea. It is beyond imagination.

Gospel

Luke 21:29-33

My words will never pass away

Jesus told his disciples a parable: ‘Think of the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as you see them bud, you know that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.’

 

Prayerful reflection

The new creation began with the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. His Death and Resurrection, his Paschal Mystery – his passing over from the state of sin and corruption to the glory of God in his mortal body - is the beginning. The old creation of sin, rebellion, and war is doomed. Before his Death Jesus proclaimed ‘the Kingdom of God is close at hand.’ With his Resurrection it finally came. Those who accept him and become members of his Mystical Body through faith and Baptism become members of his Kingdom, here on earth.

We are able to live with God in intimate love and union even now – ‘in God we live and move and have our being.’ This life with God is real and true, but now in the hiddenness of faith. If we allow God to increase our faith and purify us from the stain of the old creation, we will live in communion with God now. Then when death, the last enemy to be overthrown, comes, the light of vision will shed upon us and we will be visibly what we have been in this life in the darkness of faith.

We are already either in or out of the Kingdom of God. Let us welcome the Lord Jesus who stands at the door knocking and appealing to us to let him in. In him, with him and through him we live in the Kingdom.

What is the fig tree and what are the buds? When we see the tree bud, we know summer is near. What is Jesus saying. When we see the Passion and Death of Jesus, we see the destruction of the old creation in bud. When we see his Resurrection, we see the new creation in bud. We now know that summer is near.  The new creation will flower for all those who are in Christ Jesus. Jesus is the fig tree and his Resurrection is the tree in bud. We now know that it will flower in the Resurrection of all believers. May we be one of them.

Are you on the winning side?

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

We are coming to the and of the liturgical year and the Catholic Church has us meditate on the purpose and end of human history. It is a lesson for us to get our priorities right.

Thursday 26 November 2020

Are you on the winning side?

 

First reading

Apocalypse 18:1-2,21-23,19:1-3,9

Babylon the Great has fallen

I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven, with great authority given to him; the earth was lit up with his glory. At the top of his voice he shouted, ‘Babylon has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, and has become the haunt of devils and a lodging for every foul spirit and dirty, loathsome bird.’ Then a powerful angel picked up a boulder like a great millstone, and as he hurled it into the sea, he said, ‘That is how the great city of Babylon is going to be hurled down, never to be seen again.

Never again in you, Babylon,

will be heard the song of harpists and minstrels,

the music of flute and trumpet;

never again will craftsmen of every skill be found

or the sound of the mill be heard;

never again will shine the light of the lamp,

never again will be heard

the voices of bridegroom and bride.

Your traders were the princes of the earth,

all the nations were under your spell.

After this I seemed to hear the great sound of a huge crowd in heaven, singing, ‘Alleluia! Victory and glory and power to our God! He judges fairly, he punishes justly, and he has condemned the famous prostitute who corrupted the earth with her fornication; he has avenged his servants that she killed.’ They sang again, ‘Alleluia! The smoke of her will go up for ever and ever.’ The angel said, ‘Write this: Happy are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb’, and he added, ‘All the things you have written are true messages from God.’

 

Prayerful reflection

God is ultimately the master of the universe, though he has entrusted it to human beings to care for it and develop it. He will judge and give the just reward for the actions of men and nations. Babylon is a name for Rome. It has persecuted believers in Jesus and encourage all to practice idolatry including the worship of the Emperor as a god. God will overthrow it and it will be lost to history. Ultimately, God through Jesus will triumph and rule. The wise will always be on the side of Christ. Even to lose one’s life in this world for him is no loss, but a great blessing. The Christian hymn is Alleluia – praise be to God.  

 

Gospel

Luke 21:20-28

There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you must realise that she will soon be laid desolate. Then those in Judaea must escape to the mountains, those inside the city must leave it, and those in country districts must not take refuge in it. For this is the time of vengeance when all that scripture says must be fulfilled. Alas for those with child, or with babies at the breast, when those days come!

‘For great misery will descend on the land and wrath on this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive to every pagan country; and Jerusalem will be trampled down by the pagans until the age of the pagans is completely over.

‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.’

 

Prayerful reflection

The destruction of Jerusalem and the massive and beautiful Temple was inconceivable to the Jews. So when it happened under the Romans, it was like the end of the world. It was a foretaste of how things would be at the end. Everything human beings treasured will disappear. Retribution for all injustice and sin will be meted out. No one will escape God’s judgement. So Jesus uses the destruction of Jerusalem as a lesson for us regarding the coming of Jesus as Lord of the universe.

For unbelievers, and all who practice evil and injustice it will be a time of fear and trepidation but for those who have followed Jesus their ‘liberation is now at hand.’

Whose side are you on?

God’s Bride

 

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Saturday 21 November 2020

God’s Bride

 

First reading

Apocalypse 11:4-12 ·

The prophets will die who have been a plague to the world

I, John, heard a voice saying: ‘These, my two witnesses, are the two olive trees and the two lamps that stand before the Lord of the world. Fire can come from their mouths and consume their enemies if anyone tries to harm them; and if anybody does try to harm them he will certainly be killed in this way. They are able to lock up the sky so that it does not rain as long as they are prophesying; they are able to turn water into blood and strike the whole world with any plague as often as they like. When they have completed their witnessing, the beast that comes out of the Abyss is going to make war on them and overcome them and kill them. Their corpses will lie in the main street of the Great City known by the symbolic names Sodom and Egypt, in which their Lord was crucified. Men out of every people, race, language and nation will stare at their corpses, for three-and-a-half days, not letting them be buried, and the people of the world will be glad about it and celebrate the event by giving presents to each other, because these two prophets have been a plague to the people of the world.’

After the three-and-a-half days, God breathed life into them and they stood up, and everybody who saw it happen was terrified; then they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, ‘Come up here’, and while their enemies were watching, they went up to heaven in a cloud.

 

Prayerful reflection

The book of Revelation is written in symbolic language so that the persecutors of the Christians would not understand. It is a subversive book to show that those who persecute the Church will ultimately be defeated.

Jesus sent his disciples to preach two by two. The two witnesses are symbolic of all proclaimers of the Good News of Jesus. They are anointed with the Holy Spirit and so full of power. However, in this hostile world, they will be persecuted and even killed. But all this is only temporary as it was with Jesus ministry too. As God raised up Jesus from the grave, so he will raise up all those who have been his witnesses. They will live in glory in heaven with God.

The responsorial psalm is aptly chosen. It can be the prayer of all those who go to preach the Gospel.

 

Psalm

Psalm 143(144):1-2,9-10

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,

who trains my arms for battle,

who prepares my hands for war.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

He is my love, my fortress;

he is my stronghold, my saviour

my shield, my place of refuge.

He brings peoples under my rule.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

To you, O God, will I sing a new song;

I will play on the ten-stringed lute

to you who give kings their victory,

who set David your servant free.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

Gospel

Luke 20:27-40

In God all men are alive

Some Sadducees – those who say that there is no resurrection – approached Jesus and they put this question to him, ‘Master, we have it from Moses in writing, that if a man’s married brother dies childless, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. Well then, there were seven brothers. The first, having married a wife, died childless. The second and then the third married the widow. And the same with all seven, they died leaving no children. Finally the woman herself died. Now, at the resurrection, to which of them will she be wife since she had been married to all seven?’

Jesus replied, ‘The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.’

Some scribes then spoke up. ‘Well put, Master’ they said – because they would not dare to ask him any more questions.

 

Prayerful reflection

Since we all die, it is essential that people marry and have children. Otherwise the race would die out. Heaven is not like earth. There, there is no death nor passage of time. it is an ‘everlasting now’. Though there are relationships, the love of God for each is superabundant. Heaven is a marriage with God. In him we are united with all in love. We do not know this experience now and so have no way of describing it.

Furthermore, we are all in some way eternal beings since God who conceived us is eternal. Hence, all are alive to him.

Celibacy in the Church is the desire to live the life of union with God in heaven, even now on earth. Like all things here, this is also imperfectly lived. Nonetheless, there are those who profess our faith in the life of the Kingdom and give witness to it, here and now.

Worship in spirit and in truth

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

                                                      

                                                       Friday 20 November 2020

Worship in spirit and in truth

 

First reading

Apocalypse 10:8-11 ·

I was told to swallow the scroll, and to prophesy

I, John, heard the voice I had heard from heaven speaking to me again. ‘Go,’ it said ‘and take that open scroll out of the hand of the angel standing on sea and land.’ I went to the angel and asked him to give me the small scroll, and he said, ‘Take it and eat it; it will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.’ So I took it out of the angel’s hand, and swallowed it; it was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, ‘You are to prophesy again, this time about many different nations and countries and languages and emperors.’

Prayerful reflection

The message of the Gospel is sweet to hear. God loves us infinitely, became man to search for us and save us. He has taught us the way of Truth and given himself to us. We can become as God is if we follow Jesus, God become man. No news could be greater and happier than that.

But it turns sour in the stomach. We follow Jesus in a world where the enemy of God, Satan, is everywhere active. Satan too has his followers. They persecute the children of God. Satan causes all kinds of hardships for those who love God. It is by no means easy to live and proclaim the Good News we have heard.

 

 

Gospel

Luke 19:45-48

You have turned God's house into a robbers' den

Jesus went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. ‘According to scripture,’ he said ‘my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’

He taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.

 

Prayerful reflection

God looks for sincerity, singlemindedness, humility and repentance. The Temple had become a place for trading and making money often at the expense of the simple folk. People came to the Temple to pray and experience God. It had become an empty ritual with noise. Those in charge were not interested in the spiritual welfare of the people and the true praise of God. They were interested in their own advantage.

Jesus rebels against this and drove out those who were desecrating the Temple. The people who wanted true religion were delighted and hung on to his every word.

Our religion and our services should be characterised by a sincere search for God and a worship that comes from our heart set on God alone.

 

 

Open yourself to Christ, our God who saves

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

God speaks to us through his Word in the Sacred Scriptures. His Word gives us wisdom and wisdom gives us life. His Word alone answers the deep questions we all ask.

Thursday 19 November 2020

Open yourself to Christ, our God who saves.

 

First reading

Apocalypse 5:1-10 ·

The blood of the Lamb bought men for God

I, John, saw that in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne there was a scroll that had writing on back and front and was sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a powerful angel who called with a loud voice, ‘Is there anyone worthy to open the scroll and break the seals of it?’ But there was no one, in heaven or on the earth or under the earth, who was able to open the scroll and read it. I wept bitterly because there was nobody fit to open the scroll and read it, but one of the elders said to me, ‘There is no need to cry: the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed, and he will open the scroll and the seven seals of it.’

Then I saw, standing between the throne with its four animals and the circle of the elders, a Lamb that seemed to have been sacrificed; it had seven horns, and it had seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits God has sent out all over the world. The Lamb came forward to take the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne, and when he took it, the four animals prostrated themselves before him and with them the twenty-four elders; each one of them was holding a harp and had a golden bowl full of incense made of the prayers of the saints. They sang a new hymn:

‘You are worthy to take the scroll

and break the seals of it,

because you were sacrificed, and with your blood

you bought men for God

of every race, language, people and nation

and made them a line of kings and priests,

to serve our God and to rule the world.’

 

Prayerful reflection

In ancient times and today too, there were and are many learned philosophers, but no one has answered the basic question: what is the meaning and purpose of history? What is the meaning and purpose of my life? that question is symbolised by the scroll sealed with seven seals which no one in heaven or on earth could open. God hid his plan from every creature.

But the angels says, there is no need to bemoan human ignorance. There is one man who has unravelled the mystery. It is Jesus in his Death and Resurrection. He is symbolised by the lamb – slain but living, the Risen Lord bearing the wounds of his Passion and Death. The lamb has seven horns, symbols of his infinite power. The Lamb has seven eyes, symbols of his infinite wisdom. He knows everything and is master of the universe. He is the Son of God, equal in every way with the Father. Creatures must bow down in adoration before him. They proclaim the canticle of praise and worship.

 

Gospel

Luke 19:41-44

Jesus sheds tears over the coming fate of Jerusalem

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem and came in sight of the city he shed tears over it and said, ‘If you in your turn had only understood on this day the message of peace! But, alas, it is hidden from your eyes! Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all round you, when they will encircle you and hem you in on every side; they will dash you and the children inside your walls to the ground; they will leave not one stone standing on another within you – and all because you did not recognise your opportunity when God offered it!’

 

Prayerful refection

God did not destroy Jerusalem. The Jews waged a four-year war of rebellion against the Roman super power of the day. It was a war of attrition. In the end the Romans decided enough was enough. They did what Luke describes in today’s Gospel. At the base of the Temple wall lie huge blocks of stone. The Roman soldiers, somehow, cast them down and they have lay there for two thousand years, a silent reminder to the destruction which took place, because the Jews did not recognise the day of the Lord’s visitation.

But not only the Jews, how many others have wasted their lives. They have not recognised that God loves them and calls them. They have not recognised that God came, in person as a human being, searching for them, that he is still longing for them.

In their lack of wisdom, they spend their time following their own wayward thoughts and desires, a war of sinful living against God. God will not destroy them. He weeps over them as they too go to eternal destruction. Their fate will be, like the Jewish fate, a result of their own folly. Satan is crueller than the Romans were.

May we learn to open our arms to the embrace of God and the eternal happiness he offers.

 

Jesus is Lord. He was, he is, and he is to come

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

We are in the last days before the new year of Advent. The readings look towards the end, to encourage to live now.

Since for many the Book of the Apocalypse is confusing and we are reading it now, you will find a reflection on it. May it help you to receive the encouragement to live the life of Christ as was the author's intention.

Wednesday 18 November 2020

Jesus is Lord. He was, he is, and he is to come

 

 

First reading

Apocalypse 4:1-11

He was, he is, and he is to come

In my vision, I, John, saw a door open in heaven and heard the same voice speaking to me, the voice like a trumpet, saying, ‘Come up here: I will show you what is to come in the future.’ With that, the Spirit possessed me and I saw a throne standing in heaven, and the One who was sitting on the throne, and the Person sitting there looked like a diamond and a ruby. There was a rainbow encircling the throne, and this looked like an emerald. Round the throne in a circle were twenty-four thrones, and on them I saw twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white robes with golden crowns on their heads. Flashes of lightning were coming from the throne, and the sound of peals of thunder, and in front of the throne there were seven flaming lamps burning, the seven Spirits of God. Between the throne and myself was a sea that seemed to be made of glass, like crystal. In the centre, grouped round the throne itself, were four animals with many eyes, in front and behind. The first animal was like a lion, the second like a bull, the third animal had a human face, and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle. Each of the four animals had six wings and had eyes all the way round as well as inside; and day and night they never stopped singing:

‘Holy, Holy, Holy

is the Lord God, the Almighty;

he was, he is and he is to come.’

Every time the animals glorified and honoured and gave thanks to the One sitting on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before him to worship the One who lives for ever and ever, and threw down their crowns in front of the throne, saying, ‘You are our Lord and our God, you are worthy of glory and honour and power, because you made all the universe and it was only by your will that everything was made and exists.’

 

Prayerful reflection

We are in these last days of Ordinary Time listening to the Book of Revelation/Apocalypse. This is a difficult book to understand for those who do not know why and for whom it was written, and the style of the author. I will show you what is to come in the future – don’t think the author was given secret information about what may happen in a hundred years or more. The author knows no more about the future than you or I do. It is not a prophecy in that sense. He doesn’t know when the end of the world will come.

He is writing to people undergoing persecution for their faith in Jesus. Many have had to die. Others have not had the courage to persevere. Others are feeling that the faith is too difficult and are tempted to give in. He wants to encourage them to be strong in the faith and persevere to the end.

The constant theme is ‘You will have trouble in this world, but do not fear, for I have overcome the world.’ Jesus, himself, was bitterly persecuted and killed. But, he is triumphant over all oppressors. He rose triumphantly from the dead to rule the whole of creation.

In words taken from the Old Testament he describes the victory of God and Jesus. He describes in Biblical terms the heavenly victory. We must look for the meaning of individual phrases in the Old Testament. For instance the Twelve Elders: the twelve tribes of Israel, the new people of God with  their foundation of the Twelve Apostles. White: purity, free from all sin and imperfection. Crowns, they are victorious and ruling creation. Peals of thunder and lightning: the theophany on Sinai. The rainbow: God’s promise of peace to Noah. The sea made of crystal: the sea is fearful and destructive in the O.T. but it is now harmless and placid. In heaven all is under God’s control. The animals: we g to Ezekiel for this. The whole of creation worships God and falls prostrate before him. They are there ony because of his mercy and power.

We too can even now share in this victory over the forces of evil in the world. The reality is already here, but we share in it through our faith. In every Mass we openly share in it when we join with all the creatures in heaven in their adoration when we sing the Sanctus, the Holy, Holy, Holy. We offer this through the one Mediator in Creation, the Lamb who was slain but now lives for ever. Jesus Christ.

Since none of us have witnessed the glory of heaven, including the author, how can we describe it. The author describes it through the images he found in the O.T.

Every time you go into a Catholic Church before the tabernacle you can be through faith in the scene we have just heard about. We are already victors and in faith in the presence of God and the Lamb who was slain. We join in the everlasting praise. Pray for the grace to persevere and enter into the visible reality.

Gospel

Luke 19:11-28

The parable of the talents

While the people were listening, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they imagined that the kingdom of God was going to show itself then and there. Accordingly he said, ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to be appointed king and afterwards return. He summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds. “Do business with these” he told them “until I get back.” But his compatriots detested him and sent a delegation to follow him with this message, “We do not want this man to be our king.”

‘Now on his return, having received his appointment as king, he sent for those servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made. The first came in and said, “Sir, your one pound has brought in ten.” “Well done, my good servant!” he replied “Since you have proved yourself faithful in a very small thing, you shall have the government of ten cities.” Then came the second and said, “Sir, your one pound has made five.” To this one also he said, “And you shall be in charge of five cities.” Next came the other and said, “Sir, here is your pound. I put it away safely in a piece of linen because I was afraid of you; for you are an exacting man: you pick up what you have not put down and reap what you have not sown.” “You wicked servant!” he said “Out of your own mouth I condemn you. So you knew I was an exacting man, picking up what I have not put down and reaping what I have not sown? Then why did you not put my money in the bank? On my return I could have drawn it out with interest.” And he said to those standing by, “Take the pound from him and give it to the man who has ten pounds.” And they said to him, “But, sir, he has ten pounds…”. “I tell you, to everyone who has will be given more; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

‘“But as for my enemies who did not want me for their king, bring them here and execute them in my presence.”’

When he had said this he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

 

Prayerful reflection

They are the point of entering Jerusalem. The follows od Jesus have got it all wrong. They think Jesus, the Messiah, is going to establish the kingdom of David again. He is going to establish it, but not in the way they think. So Jesus tells the parable. The man of noble birth is going to be appointed king by the emperor. That is in the future. Meanwhile he gives money to his servants to work with. Jesus will eventually be made king, not of Jerusalem, but of the whole of creation. That is in the future, for us. Meanwhile his enemies do not want him as king. The chief priests will crucify Jesus. Eventually, at the end of time, when Jesus is visibly Lord of creation there will a reckoning. Those servants who have worked hard for the king will be rewarded according to their zeal and hard work. Those who have persisted in hatred of Jesus will find their lot in hell along with the angels who eternally rebel.

The message: Jesus is the hidden king of creation. We are to work for him now with zeal and energy. He will give us the fruits of our labours. The day will come when all is revealed. That is when God’s plan for the universe is fulfilled. We too should now ‘be about our Father’s business’ (Luke 2:52).

Has the Searcher found you?

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

Tuesday 17 November 2020

Has the Searcher found you?

 

Gospel

Luke 19:1-10

Salvation comes to the house of Zacchaeus

1.      Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town

2.      when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance:

3.      he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man.

4.      He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd.

5.      So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way.

6.      When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’

7.      And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.

8.      They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said.

9.      But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord,

10. ‘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.’

11. And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham;

12. for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

 

Prayerful reflection

The last sentence is the punch line. Jesus, God the Father’s only Son, came into this world to seek for the lost. For this, he emptied himself of all his divine prerogatives and came as a slave searching for the lost in the holes in which they were hiding.

 

He came and is still here looking for us. As soon as we show the slightest interest, he will call us and if we respond, salvation will come to our house. We will have the joy of meeting Jesus, one to one.

 

There is no pressure. There are no threats. Like a father searching for his lost child, he searches for you. Has he found you? Have you come with him? He doesn’t drive us to hell. We are lost through out own sinfulness. If we don’t let him find us, the hell of this life will become an eternal one. We are blessed if we realise this and answer when he calls.