Tag: zacchaeus

The Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 26: Year C

 Luke 19:1 to10:

“Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” (Luke 19: 9 – 10)

I always see Danny De Vito as Zacchaeus; a short man in statue but very tall in his openness to change. Funny how the man (Zacchaeus) climbs a tree to see a man (Jesus) who will end his life on a tree.  This is something to ponder. 

Something else to ponder is that Zacchaeus is called a “chief” tax collector.”  This shows how he is considered even further removed from the House of Israel and from the Temple. He is perhaps the most repugnant among the excluded of the Hebrew people. But Jesus hears his change of heart and proclaims him also “a son of Abraham.”  Jesus bypasses all the Temple bureaucracy and puts Zacchaeus back into the Promise of God.

Jesus came for people like you and me.  And like Zacchaeus, we too must get ourselves into a place where we can see who Jesus is, and then allow him to come and visit with us.  We must make right the wrongs we’ve done and promise to do all we can to fix or mend what we’ve broken.  We too want to be placed back into the fold of Abraham.

Being lost is no problem because our Lord Jesus proclaims that he has come to seek out and save the lost. I am glad that our Lord Jesus is looking for us, how about you?  Climbed any sycamore trees lately?  He is coming!  We need to get to a place where we can at least be seen by Him and then accept Him into our homes and hearts.

Today is traditionally the day assigned for the faithful departed. Therefore, let us pray: (BCP p. 467)

Almighty God, look with pity upon the sorrows of your servants for whom we pray. Remember them, Lord, in mercy; nourish them with patience; comfort them with a sense of your goodness; lift up your countenance upon them; and give them peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 61 and 62; Evening, Psalm 68:
Deuteronomy 30:11 to 20; 2^nd Corinthians 11:1 to 21; Luke 19:1 to 10:

“Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” (Luke 19:8)

Meeting Jesus changed Zacchaeus in good ways. But this Jesus experience requires us to look deeper into what’s going on.  Zacchaeus is the only tax collector in the Bible referred to as “chief” tax collector.  Such a title would even further remove him from the house of Israel.

Zacchaeus says that, “if,” he has defrauded anyone he would pay it back four times as much.  This was the requirement of the Law of Moses, the upholders of which, have rejected Zacchaeus from their society.  But Zacchaeus remembers and respects the lineage from which he came.  

From pondering this statement it is quite possible that Zacchaeus has not knowingly cheated anyone. He limited his authority to only what was required. We can’t assume that people in positions of authority are evil.  Remember, our Lord Jesus was very deliberate when he stopped under that sycamore tree and looked up at Zacchaeus and invited himself to his home.  People are not always who we think they are, but they are always who Jesus knows them to be. And that includes you.

Regardless of how the temple authorities and the people have labeled Zacchaeus, our Lord Jesus has circumvented their authority and positioned Zacchaeus in a place of honor – a place of honor that predates the Law and its often misguided interpretations. “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham: (Luke 19:9). Yes, a son of Abraham. This is a place of real honor. Jesus says something that might get past an inattentive reader. He says “salvation has come to this house.”  Yes Lord, because you are the salvation of the world and you are in his house.

Lastly Jesus says, “For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost:’(Luke 19:10). I think some of us are lost. But I think, like Zacchaeus, some of us are thrown away. Being thrown away also makes us lost, but let us take a page from Zacchaeus’ playbook.  Even if we are rejected from our community of faith, let us remember the practices of prayer and our baptismal covenant and commandment of loving others anyway.  Zacchaeus remembered the Law of his tradition even though he was rejected by them. Bless Zacchaeus. Bless the lost of today. Our Lord Jesus has come to seek you out.

Today we remember Ephrem of Nisibis, Deacon and Hymn Writer (June 10, 373) and his information may be found at: Ephrem of Edessa.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (BCP p. 289)

O God, whose wonderful deeds of old shine forth even to our own day, you once delivered by the power of your mighty arm your chosen people from slavery under Pharaoh, to be a sign for us of the salvation of all nations by the water of Baptism: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may be numbered among the offspring of Abraham, and rejoice in the inheritance of Israel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.