The Gospel for TUESDAY, June 7, 2005
Luke 19:1-10
He entered Jericho and was going through the town and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. 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.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house,’ they said. 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.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’ -- The New Jerusalem Bible. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1995, c1985
Seeking What is Lost
The Jewel in this story comes at its ending. Yes, Zacchaeus reformed his life; but why? Jesus places trust in Zacchaeus, but only after doing what Jesus must do, "seeking out and saving what was lost."
A Reflection
I wonder if people made fun of "short people" then, as we are thought to do, today. Randy Newman had quite a pop-music hit in his song of the same name. I've never seen the humor in it, or even "gotten" why people would disparage other people based on physical characteristics. But, hey, it's "Biblical," right?
Zacchaeus' shortcoming [sorry] required him to hustle in order to see this man Jesus about whom so much had been said. It's likely, too, that in the crowd, Zacchaeus' small stature allowed those around him to vent their displeasure at him for being "one of them," the despised Roman/Herodian oppressors who were milking Palestinian society for all they were worth. Probably a few "accidental" elbows, knees, and fists were in the mix for this man as he tried to make his way through the crowd. He may have escaped to the tree to avoid the physical insults as much as to be able to see.
And so, there he was, just wanting to watch, and Jesus picks him out -- by name -- to be His host for the evening. It's as if the Prime Minister of Israel were visiting a kibbutz in the disputed occupied territories, and chose an Arab policeman to spend the evening with. "It's not done," comes to mind.
But Jesus was always doing the things that weren't supposed to be done, and he encouraged His followers to do the same: to love one another as He loves us, for example.
We can be seekers of the lost on Jesus' behalf, when we love one another, when we find that sparkle of Jesus that sits in the eyes of those whom we barely know.
And when we find them, we must begin the process that makes them ask, finally, "What is it about you? You seem to have found something that others don't have."
And then the fun begins.
A Collect
Despite our loathing to come into your all-illuminating love, Father, you look for us and gather us under your Spirit. We ask that you accept our attempts at reflecting your love with the same grace you use in sharing it with us, always to your Glory. Amen
4:46:06 PM 
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