Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church

Homily for November 4, 2007
Liturgical Year C - Cycle I
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Andrew Moyo
 Topic: Today, salvation has come to this house
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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, "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."
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Today’s Gospel is an encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus.  The Gospel describes Zacchaeus as the chief tax collector and he is rich.  As a tax collector, he was hated and despised because he collaborated with the oppressors.  He is rich materially but socially poor.  He is in search for true happiness – hence, his desire to see who Jesus was.  His efforts are hindered by the crowd and also by the fact that he is of small stature.  He is ready to do something about it.  He runs ahead and climbs a tree.  This next part is merely my imagination to spice up the story though in real life, I do not eat very spicy food.  Just imagine for a moment, a big, fat man running and climbing up a tree.  It’s very unusual to see people of high social ranking running, let alone climbing trees!
 
Thank God, Jesus passes that way, “When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”  Jesus looks up - he does not despise Zacchaeus, nor condemn him. According to our way of thinking, the Son of God would ordinarily look down on this sinner, but Jesus looks up at Zacchaeus.  He looks up and calls him by name, he says: “Zacchaeus.”  
 
One of the most beautiful things in the world is to be called by ones name.  God calls each one of us by name: Fear not, I have redeemed you; I have called you by name (Is 43, 1.  About the good shepherd, Jesus says: The sheep hear his voice and he calls his own by name and leads them out. Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name.  This in sharp contrast to the crowd.  When Jesus goes to dine with Zacchaeus, the crowd grumbled saying: He has gone in to be a guest of a man who is a sinner.  Do you see the difference! Jesus looks at people differently. He knew Zacchaeus was a sinner, but he knew his potential, and the fact that he could change his ways. The crowd continues to see Zacchaeus with dark glasses.  In Zacchaeus, they only see a tax collector, the sinner, the grasping moneylender, and nothing more.
 
As we hear today’s Gospel, let us ask ourselves this question: With what eyes are we looking at those near us? With the eyes of Jesus or with the eyes of the crowd that only see the evil in Zacchaeus. Do we also sometimes fall into the trap of describing people by defects? Sometimes, do we not use terms like, The drunkard! The drug addict.  The violent man!  That drop out!  These are not their names; their names are Andrew, Zacchaeus, Mary, Bob, etc.  They have limits and defects of course but they also have many good qualities.  They are children of God; they are created in the image and likeness of God.  The challenge is to see good in others.
 
Jesus then invited Zacchaeus to come down.  He accepted this offer, “Because of this great joy, he decided to give half his goods to the poor and to pay back four times the amount to anyone he had cheated.”  This is true conversion.  Jesus did not preach a sermon to him or ask him to change his profession.  But from his heart, Zacchaeus decided to make reparation to gain the peace of mind and heart.
 
 
This is what the church teaches:
Every offense committed against justice and truth entails the duty of reparation, even if its author has been forgiven. (CCC 2487)
True conversion demands that we deal justly with the other people.  True conversion leads to the healing of broken family and social relationships.
 
Seeing his actions, Jesus says, “Today salvation has come to this house. . .”
TODAY. This word is used twice in the same passage.  Today means now and not tomorrow. It means the present.  Now is the moment of salvation, now is the moment of change, now is the moment conversion. Now is the moment to open the doors of the heart to let Christ into our lives.  Zacchaeus only wanted to take a glimpse; he was not at all expecting to host Jesus. But he hastened and welcomed Jesus immediately to his house.  Act immediately when it is a matter of faith. God’s love can not be postponed to the near or distant future.
 
Let me illustrate this point with this story:
A rich man complained to his friend. People do not like me. They say I am selfish and stingy. And yet in my last will and testament, I have donated all that I won to a charitable institution.  His friend said, “Well, may be the story of the cow and the pig has a lesson for you. The pig came to the cow and complained, “People always talk about your friendliness. Well it’s true, you give them milk. But actually they get more out of me. They get ham, bacon, barbeque ribs, and they even cook my feet. And yet no one like me….to all of them I am just a pig, a hog. Why is that?” The cow thought it over a bit and then said, “Perhaps it’s because I give while I am alive.”
 
Dear friends, this is a subtle story.  Serve God while there is yet time, that is, today. Like Zacchaeus let us open the doors of our hearts to welcome the Lord.
 
"Lord, come and stay with me.  Fill my home with your presence and fill my heart with your praise.  Help me to show kindness and mercy to all, even to those who cause me harm."