THE LORD IS KIND AND FULL OF COMPASSION

XXXI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 19:1-10

At every turn of his journey, Jesus surprises his disciples. He never conforms himself to the politically correct or to the accepted rules of good behaviour. For Jesus, people - whoever they are - are his first concern, and he never rejects anybody, because for him nobody is beyond redemption. Even those who seem to be beyond salvation and who are already condemned by the human justice, find the welcoming arms of Jesus embracing them. It is for them that he came. And the story of Zacchaeus is one example of that. 

Zacchaeus was an important and rich man, but he was despised and hated. Working for the Roman State as a chief tax collector, he was seen as a collaborator, and therefore as a traitor. The tax collectors were considered thieves, who enriched themselves by overtaxing people and then keeping a share of the taxes. And people hated and rejected them, considering them to be always in a state of sin and impurity. They had no friends, but their colleagues, and all those who were collaborated with the colonial power. Describing Zacchaeus, Luke tells us that he was rich, but short. His wealth was not enough to give him status among the people. From the crowd that surrounded and followed Jesus, nobody would allow him through so that he may be able to have a good look at Jesus, much less to talk to him or even to touch him. Before the people, he was a nobody - very short indeed. However, his strong desire to see Jesus made him full of imagination, and he decided to climb a tree, ignoring the possibility that people might find him out and laugh at him.  However, we may try to hide from others, but never from God, and so Jesus found Zacchaeus, called him and made himself invited to his house. Jesus does not impose himself on anybody, but he discovered in Zacchaeus’ attitude an invitation, and he could not let it pass by. Full of joy, Zacchaeus came down and welcomed Jesus into his home. Seeing what was happening, everybody complained and reproached Jesus for entering the house of a sinner.

In the encounter of Jesus with Zacchaeus, we have in real life a repetition of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, which was read last Sunday. In Zacchaeus, we have a real tax collector, hated and despised by all, and not only by the Pharisees. And in this real life story, the Pharisee does not represent only a class of people (the pharisees), but he stands for all  - the whole crowd surrounding Jesus. How quick they were in judging  and condemning Zacchaeus! Indeed, how quick we are to see ourselves as saints and the others as sinners, who deserve condemnation.

The encounter with the welcoming Jesus made it possible for Zacchaeus to convert, not only accepting Jesus, but changing his life and atoning for his misdeeds. And Jesus explained once more his mission: “The Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.” (Lk 19:10)

The book of Wisdom praises God for his merciful love and for his patience, giving us time to repent and to turn back to him:

Yet you are merciful to all, because you can do all things

and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent.

Yes, you love all that exists, you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence,

for had you hated anything, you would not have formed it. (Wis 11:23-24)

Let us give thanks to God with the psalmist:

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,

  slow to anger, abounding in love.

How good is the Lord to all,

  compassionate to all his creatures.

(Ps 145:8-9)