The Scripture Readings for the Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/103016.cfm.
I can relate to the character in today's gospel on a couple of levels. I am short in stature and I have been employed by the NYS Tax Department as a Tax Collector for more than 30 years. (I can't really relate to the wealthy part!) So, as a result of being short and being a tax collector, I can relate to Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus, like me, and like most of us, was searching for something more in life than what he had. Metaphorically, Zacchaeus couldn't see God or the message of Jesus because of the crowd in his life.
How often in our lives do we allow the people and things in our lives "crowd" God out? We get involved in working hard to get ahead in our jobs. We work hard to get the better things in life, like a bigger home or a bigger car. We get involved with the day to day routine of our lives with our family and children. We allow these things to block our view of God. We can't see God or Jesus because of the crowd!
Because of the type of person Zacchaeus was (a tax collector for the oppressive Roman government), he was despised and shunned by his own people as were all tax collectors. He became wealthy as a result of receiving a percentage of what he collected in taxes. He, a Jew, was profiting from his own people in order to support the Romans and himself. He turned his back on God and the Jewish community in order to get ahead and to live a comfortable life.
Then he heard about this Jesus teaching about the love and forgiveness of God. Something touched his heart. He wanted to find out more about this Jesus and His message. So he went to get above the crowd to get a better look at Jesus. Jesus, knowing that Zacchaeus was searching for something more than what he had, called out to him. Jesus recognized Zacchaeus' inherent dignity as a human being and his spiritual potential. The Lord did not judge by labels and instead affirms Zacchaeus' dignity in front of the crowd.
In this story, Zacchaeus climbed the tree to see Jesus out of curiosity. People make their initial contact with Jesus and His Church not necessarily for theological reasons. Some are drawn by intriguing aspects of the Church's life. Some are drawn to the Church's history, architecture, music and art. Some are drawn to intriguing aspects of the Church's life. In this time of scandals,some people are curious as to why Catholics do not leave the Church in droves. They are curious about the Catholic instinct that the Church is a realty greater than her individual members. They wonder about our belief that the episcopacy and priesthood are offices from Christ that are much larger than their individual occupants because the office ennobles the individual rather than the the individual ennobling the office. A bishop or priest may fail but the episcopacy and priesthood remain Christ's gift to the Church that rises above and survives individual failings.
Let this story of Zacchaeus be a lesson for all of us. First, we can count on God's sight of who we really are: people created in God's image. Every one of us has a value deeper and beyond what others may think of us. Secondly, Jesus can use a person's attraction to any aspect of the Church's life to begin to touch that individual's soul. His first entry into another's life is not through theology and doctrine. Finally, we should never underestimate the power of Christian friendship to be an instrument of Christ's grace to others.
Love for another is shown not only in the heroics of self sacrifice. It also is shown in the courtesy, respect and civility we show them. These too can be highways of Christ's grace to them.
As we receive Holy Communion this week, let us not be so concerned with the crowd, but on getting closer to Christ, and bringing Christ to others in our life.
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