Salvation Has Come To This House

Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time 

November 16, 2021

Readings: Click here to read in full
    2 Mc 6:18-31 
    Ps 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
    Lk 19:1-10

Our Gospel today teaches us a lesson on how to invite salvation to come to our house. And this is filled with ironies. Zacchaeus, being the chief tax collector, was rich but powerless because he was despised by the people. He became wealthy out of the people’s poverty. He was above people’s status but he was small of stature. His name in Hebrew means "clean or pure" but he was considered impure, a sinner because of his corrupt practices of tax collection. He held himself high but was humble enough to climb a sycamore tree though it was shameful for a grown man to do so. He was not a righteous person but he was seeking Jesus.

 

It was this action of seeking Jesus and doing everything he can, even climbing a tree just to see Him that caught the attention of Jesus among so many people. With this, Jesus offered Himself to dine with Zacchaeus at his house. And of course, we see so much joy in his heart as he received Him as his guest, who later became his Host. Seeing this, the people grumbled, but Zacchaeus took this positively. The visit of Jesus transformed him from being corrupt to being generous as he gave half of his possessions to the poor and repaid 4x over those whom he extorted, from being a sinner to becoming a follower, a disciple of Jesus. He readily gave up his wealth for Jesus. He was no longer wealthy, yet he possessed a far greater wealth, Jesus. In response, Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house…" He was damned but transformed and saved.

Zacchaeus' sycamore tree in Jericho

 

This is how salvation came not only to Zacchaeus but to all his household as well. If we, like Zacchaeus, seek Jesus, humble ourselves before Him, dine with Him and receive Him, be generous with our wealth for Jesus' sake, and follow Him more closely, salvation will also come to our house.

Fr. Joel R. Lasutaz, SSS

Image credit: flickr.com