Zacchaeus, the publican

Zacchaeus, the main character in our Gospel today is a Publican. The publicans were greatly abhorred by their own Jewish people because of:

• Their loyalty was to gain of money at the expense of their allegiance to their own country and their own people.

• Loyalty to the Romans who were the colonisers of Israel.

• They participate in an oppressive system in the Jewish society.

The Gospel story is about the enormous mercy of God especially to sinners, to those who are outcast and have separated themselves from the fold or the community. Sin is all about rejection of God, refusal to accept his love, and not bothering to love at all. A sinner is he who has put himself out from the communion of the people of God.

Zacchaeus, though belonging to the tribe of Abraham has separated himself from the welfare of his countrymen all for the sake of money.

He was a sinner all over.

He was hated for selling their country out to foreigners, and to pagans at that.

But we see the depth and range of the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus. He called Zacchaeus by name and singularly blessed him with his presence.

For a common mind, forgiving Zaccheus was absolutely absurd. He was hated by is own people and he did not even ask for it.

Nevertheless, our first reading presents a good argument for the mercy of God. “But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people's sins that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.” (Wisdom 11:23) Accordingly, God is merciful and forgiving because he is the creator. Being a creator follows being forgiving.

Our first reading also narrates to us how God deals with sinners. “Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!” God deals with the sinners by reminding them, not by punishment. This is what Jesus did to Zacchaeus. His coming to his house is a way of reminding and rebuking. Although there was no direct words of rebuke from Jesus, the Gospel tells us that Zacchaeus had known Jesus way before this encounter.

But how amazing was it that Zaccaeus was moved to be converted right there and then, and lead to give away what he has plundered from the poor all these time.

Here is a man caught by surprise by acceptance, forgiveness and love.

The act of climbing a three just to see Jesus was a positioning for a life-giving relationship wit Jesus. Sometimes, all we need is a glimpse into Jesus and transformation would follow. How many times did the looking at Jesus transformed hearts? Remember Moses’ staff which was mounted and could heal anyone bitten by snake would look at it? (Numbers 21:9)

Remember in the Gospel of John (19:37) where the soldier who pierced Jesus with a lance, from which blood and water flowed form his side, became a believer and testified because they looked at him whom they have pierced.

A glimpse on Jesus leads us to conversion and faith.

Everytime we go to mass, the priest lifts Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for us to look at him. When the priest lifts the host and chalice and we sing Amen, it is actually a moment of short adoration. We are expected to look, to behold and saver the Eucharistic moment.

Zacchaeus was judged by the Jews, his own people, -he was a sinner. But Jesus have restored him into the communion of the children of Abraham. Jesus restored him into the promise of salvation to the children of Abraham.

This is the work of mercy.

This is the work of Jesus as regards sinners… He restores us.

There are of course two values we could get among many other things from this Gospel.

First, the Universal Distribution of Earthly Goods. It is a value or principle in the social teachings of the Church. When a brother or sister is in need, we have the moral obligation to feed him or her from out of the abundance of the earth, our common home. The produce of the earth is for everyone.

Second, it is an invitation for discipleship and relationship with Jesus. We are also invited to come down from our high horse or from sycamore tree to meet Jesus head on, and be surprised as we are.