October 30, 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 30, 2016

31st Sunday OT

Wisdom 11:22-12;2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19:1-10

The story is told about a dying mother who, told her children, “When I die, have me cremated, and have my ashes scattered all over the mall.” When her children asked her why, she answered, “In that way, I am assured that you will come visit me once in a while.”

As we enjoy the long holiday for the coming days, aside from going to malls for early Christmas shopping, let us remember our departed loved ones, if possible visit their resting places and pray for them. To make time to visit someone indicates that we value that person in our life. Jesus in today’s gospel passed by Jericho, visited the house of Zacchaeus and spent some time to be with him. Of all the houses in Jericho, why did Jesus choose the house of Zacchaeus? Who was Zacchaeus? How did he respond to the invitation of Jesus?

Let us look at our readings and reflect on these questions in three points.

JESUS SAW IN ZACCHAEUS A SINNER WHO NEEDS TO BE SAVED.  During the time of Jesus, tax collectors have a known reputation of cheating people. They were also considered traitors because they were collecting taxes from their fellow Jews to support the occupying Roman forces who were oppressing them. Tax collectors were considered public sinners. That is why people avoided them. Nobody in his right mind would even dare to visit the house of a tax collector. But even if people saw Zacchaeus as a public sinner to be avoided, Jesus saw in him a sinner that needs to be saved. Zacchaeus was not only small in terms of height. People were also looking down on him. People belittled him. But as the gospel says, Jesus looked up to him.

This is what our first reading tells us. Even if we have failed God, God’s mercy can look beyond our sins and see us as His beloved children. This is not toleration of evil. It is not as if God is saying, “Your failures are ok.” It is rather God’s way of giving us another chance to make things right. Zacchaeus took that opportunity to do it.  He said to Jesus: “I give half my belongings to poor. If I have defrauded anyone, I pay him back fourfold.” My dear friends, this is how God’s divine mercy looks at each of us sinners. He looks beyond our sins, sees us as His beloved children and gives us another chance to make things right. How then can we respond to this mercy of God?

BE FAITHFUL TO THE MERCY OF GOD. This is the reminder of Paul to the Thessalonians in the second reading. The problem is that some of us have this tendency to abuse God’s mercy. Some people say to themselves, “Well since God is merciful, I can do whatever I want even if it is sinful. He cannot resist me.  God will forgive me anyway.” That is not proper response to mercy. That is abusive behavior to someone who loves us sincerely. If we do that to a human being, that is a betrayal of love. Paul reminds us, “We have received God’s mercy. We don’t deserve it but God does it anyway. We therefore have the responsibility to be faithful to it.”

LET US WELCOME JESUS WITHOUT DELAY. When Jesus passed by Jericho, He was on his last journey to Jerusalem. If Zacchaeus refused to welcome Jesus, he would never have the chance to meet Him again. That was his last chance. It was good that he immediately responded to the invitation without delay. That is why if Jesus comes passing our way, let us go to meet Him. If He comes knocking, open the door for Him. Let us not miss our chance. Let us not postpone our encounter with Him. Let us welcome Jesus without delay. We need not fear to welcome him, for He comes not to condemn us but to save us and forgive us of our sins.

Today’s readings remind us that God’s divine mercy looks at us sinners as His beloved children. Let us pray in this mass for the grace to be faithful to the mercy of God. May we welcome Jesus into our lives without any delay.  Amen.