Preached the weekend of October 30, 2016

One of the blessings of having gone to Catholic grade school was to learn about Gospel stories such as this one – the story of Zacchaeus.  I still remember it pretty vividly, from maybe fourth or fifth grade, this story that resonates, I think, with young people, with little people.  I still remember some of the words of the song we learned, which went something like this -

           

There was a man in Jericho called Zacchaeus

            There was a man in Jericho called Zacchaeus

            Now Zacchaeus, he couldn’t see,

            So he climbed a sycamore tree,

            Til the Lord said “Zacchaeus, come on down”

It’s a vivid picture, huh?  I mean this short little dude, jumping up and down trying to see over the crowd gathering as Jesus would soon be passing by.  Zacchaeus had to have known something about the Lord, had to have heard of Him, maybe from his fellow tax-collector Matthew, now one of His apostles. And there must have been some charisma, something incredibly attractive, about the Lord, that so many would gather to catch a glimpse of Him. 

And somehow, Zacchaeus must have wanted to know more, to find out what this Jesus fellow was all about.  Something must have been missing in his life, not quite right in his life.  His riches weren’t fulfilling.  He had to have been feeling torn and I would guess anxious.  His loyalty to the God of Abraham on one hand, his quite lucrative profession on the other hand.  A tax collector, a collaborator of the hated Romans, which made his the scorn of everyone in Jericho.

So he climbs this tree.  This little, well-dressed, wealthy man, up there in the tree.  And the Lord stops.  Speaks to him.  To his heart.  Invites himself to come stay at this man’s house.  This public sinner’s house. 

And Luke tells us Zacchaeus hurries down the tree to meet the Lord and welcome Him to stay with him, welcomes Him into his home, his heart.   And everyone grumbles – this man eats with sinners.

A captivating story, huh?  Not completely different than the parable Jesus told a few weeks ago about the prodigal son.  This passage, like the parable of the prodigal, is a story of conversion, of repentance. And like that story, with three main characters.  In the parable of the prodigal, we remember the father, the prodigal son, the grumbling brother.  In this passage, there’s Zacchaeus, and the Lord, and the grumbling people. 

And like the parable of the prodigal, we’re invited, I think, to ask ourselves which character we identify with, which we’re most like. Which we’re called to be.

Perhaps we identify with Zacchaeus.  This man with something missing in his life.  Who is already generous with his riches, as I read one commentator say.  But knows there must be more.  Knows deep down inside that he’s gotta change, must turn away from his sin, must repent and be converted.  A man who probably doesn’t love himself very much, because of his sinfulness, his shame, and so has no idea how much he’s loved by the God who created him.  The God who, walking by, stops and calls him by name, calls him to climb down out of that tree. 

We’re all, I think, Zacchaeus, for we’re all sinners.  None of us really comprehends the depth of God’s love for us, huh?  All of us are searching for more, for meaning, for joy.

We here in these four walls are truly blessed because here we have found and continue to find the only thing that can bring us true joy, and that’s not a thing but a love relationship with a person, the same person who called Zacchaeus down out of that tree – Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ.  Who is the only source of true joy, of true fulfillment, of peace, of mercy, of healing.

But isn’t it true that those of us in these four walls can sometimes find ourselves grumbling, like “everyone” else in this story?  Not just the scribes and Pharisees, but “everyone.”  Including the disciples and apostles.  Who might have claimed some “ownership” of the Lord and their own interpretation of what His presence among them signified.  Who grumbled that he would speak to such a sinner, much less invite himself to go stay with such a person.

I know I can be that way.  Judgmental.  Convinced that my understanding of the Lord is the correct one.  Not open to His spirit.  Not open to change, to conversion of my heart. Maybe more interested in wall-building than door-opening.  Not very attractive.

If that describes you, too, sisters and brothers, then perhaps He’s calling us to look for Him anew.  To open our hearts to His invitation to climb out of the tree, to come stay in our homes, in our hearts.  To humbly admit our own sinfulness and open ourselves anew to His call to repent and be converted.  To again experience the peace, the joy that only His mercy can bring.

For if we find here the only thing that brings true fulfillment, true joy, we will have hearts on fire to share that good news with everyone.  We won’t want to hoard Jesus to ourselves but share Him and His message.  We will want to open doors, not build walls.

In this way, you and I as individuals but above all as His Church are called to be the third character in this Gospel – Jesus Himself.  We are called by our baptism to share in His mission and what is that mission?  It’s right there in the last few words of this Gospel – The Son of Man came to seek, and to save, the lost. 

It’s right there, too, in our parish mission statement, which reads “Our mission is to invite and welcome people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life to embrace and celebrate our vocation – to be Christ to the world.”  And to be Christ to the world means to do what He did - to seek, and to save the lost. 

You see, crazy as it may sound, He ascended into heaven and left you and me to carry on His mission.  Not alone mind you, but guided by and filled with His Holy Spirit, and fed here at His altar with His very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, it’s up to you, and me, all of us to be like Him - charismatic, attractive, above all joyful, and to go forth from here be His mercy, His love, in our world.  To seek the lost so that He can save them.

That is our mission - it’s up to you, and me, and us - to welcome and gather them in, where they, too can hear the call we hear, the call to repent, to convert, to change our hearts.  To experience as Zacchaeus did, that life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Lord.