November 3, 2019: Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading: Luke 19:1-10

At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way.

When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy.

When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

Reflection:

Don’t you just love Zacchaeus! Talk about going to any lengths to see Jesus! Remember he was a prominent man — a chief tax collector and a man of dignity and wealth. Not exactly the person you would expect to see scampering up a sycamore tree! And Zacchaeus not only saw Jesus, he was invited to host Jesus in his home, even mentioning how he was going to change his ways. Indeed, the lost was saved that day.

Action:

To what lengths do I go to encounter Jesus at prayer, at Mass and the sacraments, in the neighbor, the stranger, the child and the elder?
Does “What will other people think?” ever deter me from a good act?
What is lost in me that I need Jesus to save?