REFLECTIONS TODAY
Jesus, the one sought by Zacchaeus, is really the first seeker. He is the Son of Man who “has come to seek and to save what was lost.” He takes the initiative. He calls Zacchaeus because he means to stay at his house; he “commands” to be invited. He is not disheartened by the grumbling of the crowd against his choice of host. Jesus knows his mission: to initiate relationships with those who do not know God and call them to come to know God who does not condemn but calls sinners to him for healing and salvation. For Jesus, Zacchaeus is like the prodigal son, the lost coin, the lost sheep (Lk 15). He is the sick who needs healing by the Great Physician.
GOSPEL • 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 to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they 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. 10For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”
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