November 15,
2016
Have you ever had a wardrobe
malfunction like losing your bathing suit to a relentless wave at the beach? Or
have you ever gone through an entire dinner party with spinach in your teeth
and no one told you? One time I was walking across the church during Confirmation
mass with a packed house, of course, and my wedge heel toppled and I fell down
for everyone to see. There is the proverbial toilet paper trailing behind
someone right after they exit the bathroom. Ladies have been known to get their
skirts wadded up in their panty hose exposing their backsides. And the iconic
picture of Marilyn Monroe in her stunning white dress standing over a street
vent makes that embarrassing moment seem so glamorous and classy. You’re
probably wondering where the heck I’m going with all of this. Today’s gospel
has a potentially embarrassing moment in it that grabbed my attention and made
me really love the kind of friend that Jesus is.
It’s the classic story of the
short rich guy named Zacchaeus. I get a chuckle out of the fact that everyone
to ever read this story in all of history knows that Zacchaeus was short. I
wonder how short exactly and I just picture Danny DeVito always. I also picture
Zacchaeus having Danny DeVito’s tenacity because the first thing we know about
him is that he was bound and determined to get a look at this famous guy named
Jesus. The
narrative says, “he
ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus.” My Bible Study
teacher, Kevin Saunders, says that Middle Eastern men absolutely did NOT run
especially wealthy ones. So right away we know that Zacchaeus was bold, and his
next move proves it! He climbs a tree, which is another thing that Middle
Eastern men would never do!! Can you take a guess as to why Middle Eastern men
did not climb trees??? Yep, like an authentic Scotsman, there is nothing
underneath that kilt or, in Zacchaeus’ case, that tunic. He was giving the
crowd a commando performance! Just keeping it real people. Zacchaeus was
willing to let it all hang out there just to get a glimpse of Jesus (I know
it’s cheesy but I couldn’t resist)!
I
can just picture Jesus’ attention being pulled by all the people pointing up
and mocking poor foolish little Danny DeVito Zacchaeus in a tree! Jesus’ heart immediately
went out to him. He’s the friend that would tell you about the spinach in your
teeth or take the “kick me” sign off of your back. It says that, “Jesus looked
up and said, ‘Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your
house.’” Let’s focus on the fact that “Jesus looked up”!! He probably looked up
and thought, “Awe nuts!! Zacchaeus, get down here right now! Put that thing
away! No one needs to see that! What were you thinking???” But, instead he
honors Zacchaeus in this shameful situation by choosing to dine with him in his
home. You might think I am going out on a limb (hee hee, the pun) with this
commando performance scenario, but I do think there is some validity to it.
Jesus saw that Zacchaeus was being mocked and ridiculed (he was also the chief
tax collector – boo, hiss, boo, hiss!), when all he wanted was to merely see
Jesus, and Jesus in turn made a sincere effort to go to him and to invite
himself into his home and more intimately into his life. Jesus doesn’t need
much to draw his heart towards ours and sometimes it might even be our
foolishness that gets his attention where his compassionate spirit moves in
immediately to save us from disgrace. You see it does go deeper than just an
indecent exposure. Zacchaeus not only exposed his junk, he exposed his heart,
and Jesus could not help but to befriend him. I am convinced that Jesus’ whole
interaction with Danny DeVito in the tree that day was done with a huge smile
on his face because he delights in us most especially when we are willing to put
ourselves completely out there, exposed and vulnerable, for his sake.
Because
Jesus treated Zacchaeus with complete dignity in an undignified situation, he
was willing to respond accordingly, "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.’” Jesus wants to save us, he
wants to find us and for us to find him. He’s willing to meet us in any
situation if we but try to see him. Let’s not let our weak or short stature
deter us from looking for Jesus and welcoming him into our home.
I
am sure the Zacchaeus story was a family favorite for years to come in both
Zacchaeus’ household (“Hey remember the time dad climbed a tree and flashed the
Savior of the World?!!!!”) as well as among Jesus’ disciples (“Hey remember the
time when Jesus pulled the nut job Zacchaeus out of the tree?!!!!”). Jesus
wants your exposed heart today and every day so that he can come and dwell
there as your true friend who delights in you.
Reading 1 RV 3:1-6, 14-22
I, John, heard the Lord saying to me:
“To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this:
“‘The one who has the seven spirits of God
and the seven stars says this: “I know your works,
that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die,
for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent.
If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief,
and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.
However, you have a few people in Sardis
who have not soiled their garments;
they will walk with me dressed in white,
because they are worthy.
“‘The victor will thus be dressed in white,
and I will never erase his name from the book of life
but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father
and of his angels.
“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
“To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this:
“‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the source of God’s creation, says this:
“I know your works;
I know that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth.
For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’
and yet do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich,
and white garments to put on
so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed,
and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.
Be earnest, therefore, and repent.
“‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him,
and he with me.
I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne,
as I myself first won the victory
and sit with my Father on his throne.
“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
“To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this:
“‘The one who has the seven spirits of God
and the seven stars says this: “I know your works,
that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die,
for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent.
If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief,
and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.
However, you have a few people in Sardis
who have not soiled their garments;
they will walk with me dressed in white,
because they are worthy.
“‘The victor will thus be dressed in white,
and I will never erase his name from the book of life
but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father
and of his angels.
“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
“To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this:
“‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the source of God’s creation, says this:
“I know your works;
I know that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either cold or hot.
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth.
For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’
and yet do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich,
and white garments to put on
so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed,
and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.
Be earnest, therefore, and repent.
“‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him,
and he with me.
I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne,
as I myself first won the victory
and sit with my Father on his throne.
“‘Whoever has ears ought to hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Responsorial Psalm PS 15:2-3A, 3BC-4AB, 5
R. (Rev. 3: 21) I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Alleluia 1 JN 4:10B
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God loved us, and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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 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.”
God loved us, and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 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 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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