19-11-24 Zakheus dan Kasih Tanpa Syarat: Saat Yesus Memanggil Kita Turun

Tuesday 33rd week in ordinary time "Lk 19:1-10" He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And 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." We know a few things about Zacchaeus: he was a wealthy tax–collector, he didn't have many friends in Jericho and he was short. We also know he couldn't care less what people thought about him. It is hilarious: try to imagine a wealthy banker dressed in an expensive suit, up a tree, like a child, in the middle of the street! We know that he wanted to see Jesus so badly that nothing could stop him. What we don't know is why he wanted to see Our Lord; was it curiosity? Was he trying to change his life? Did someone else bring him there? We don't know. But none of that mattered to Jesus. This story tells us about Jesus' love for sinners. The conversion of Zacchaeus began with him trying to see Our Lord. A little effort on his part was all it took, and Jesus did the rest. Zacchaeus probably wasn't expecting to change his life that day. He just wanted to see Jesus. Yet Jesus wanted to see him even more. It was Jesus who came to him. He had planned that encounter from all eternity. Our Lord stopped and, setting His eyes on him, full of love, He said: "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." Like Bartimeus in yesterday's Gospel, Zacchaeus didn't miss his opportunity. God loves sinners 'as they are' but He 'refuses' to leave them 'as they are'. He goes in search of them and He expects a sign from them, a gesture, a token of interest...and then He can pour down His grace over the sinner. And just as Jesus sets His eyes on Zacchaeus, He sets His eyes on you and me as well, and invites us to converse with Him. Mary, Refuge of Sinners, bring to my ears often the soft Voice of your Son who says to me: 'make haste and come down from your world; for I must talk to you today.'