Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Zacchaeus

Our God is a God of the Living, not the Dead

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In the 2nd reading for this 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Paul says to the Thessalonians: “Pray that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified.”  Paul continues: “I am confident in the Lord that what we instruct you, you are doing and will continue to do as the Lord directs your hearts to the love of God and the endurance of Christ.”  This is a reminder that, yes, Jesus is depending upon us to be His hands and heart, acting on His behalf in our world.

Since last week a lot has happened in less than one chapter in the Gospel according to Luke. Jesus’ actions have made the religious leaders so angry “they wanted to lay hands on him right then but were afraid of the people.”  Why fear the people? Because the common people are absolutely spellbound by Jesus’ teachings. To top it off, Jesus had dared to eat with the sinner Zacchaeus.

This kind of behavior forced the religious leaders to wait until they could manipulate public opinion in their favor. Today, (in this Gospel) they try to trick Jesus in a very mean way with a question about what happens after we die.  If Jesus gives a yes OR no answer, then they could make fun of him and try to convince the people that they shouldn’t listen to Jesus. But Jesus knows they are up to no good and He does not fall for their trick. Instead of talking about what happens after we die, Jesus talks about God as the God of the living, not of the dead.

Technically our reading ends with verse 38. Why it ends there is anybody’s guess. We really need to hear verse 40 to appreciate the impact of Jesus’ words.  “Some of the scribes answered: ‘Teacher, you have spoken well.’  And, they no longer dared to ask him any more questions.” (Luke 20: 39-40)

If ever there was a group of people who were invested in the so-called “Gotcha” kind of questions, the religious authorities of Jesus’ day were that kind.  It’s little different today.  Sometimes certain politicians (usually the ones who are losing popularity points and don’t do well in interviews or debates) say that the reason they had such a shaky performance was that they were being set up all along with “Gotcha” questions designed to make them look stupid.  Whether or not that’s necessarily true is something one can determine by replaying the questions and their answers. But sometimes it does turn out to be true and you can tell just by carefully watching the interviewee’s evasive look or cast down eyes as well as the reporter’s smug look into the camera.  He/she didn’t really want an answer.  It was just a childish ploy to get under someone’s skin and gain a headline and Tik Tok followers.  It’s not an uncommon trick.

In this case in the Gospel, some thought it would be fun to publicly humiliate Jesus.  But Jesus turned the tables on his listeners. Now I don’t believe Jesus is telling us not to ask any questions.  But we do need to refrain from asking Sadducee-like questions. Those are trick questions; ones we already know the answer to. Or they might be questions for which we really do want the answer, but we only ask indirectly by pretending it’s someone else who wants an answer. You know how we do it:  Sister “Some-One-Else” was wondering if …  Or they might be hinting at a need or a desire instead of asking outright in the hope that the right person will overhear us, will catch on and come to our rescue.  Jesus is reminding us to ask open, honest questions and truly listen deep down for the Voice of the Spirit who often speaks to us through the lips of another.

If we drill deeply into this story in Luke, we’ll discover that the Sadducees were actually impressed by Jesus.  Maybe it was a flash-back to 20 years earlier when the 12-year-old Jesus amazed the people in the temple with his knowledge. Today Jesus is congratulated for his logic and use of Scripture to answer their tricky question.

In this week ahead, when we visit the cemetery and pray for our deceased Sisters, we will have the opportunity to focus on Jesus’ lesson about resurrection of the dead.  We will call to mind, by name, our 51 deceased community members and pray for all who are buried in that sacred space.  May all those who have gone before us on their journey of faith rest in eternal peace!

~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

On Monday, November 7th our Sisters will gather at the cemetery located on Saint Leo University campus to honor the memory of their 51 deceased members.  Friends of the community are welcome to join them for the Prayer Service and laying of flowers on the graves. 

 

 

First Reading  2 Maccabees 7:2; 9-14            
Second Reading Thessalonians 2:16-3:5   
Gospel Reading  Luke 20:27-28

 

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Same Job; Different Destiny

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Have you ever been to a parade, a concert or a sports event where all that was visible in the direction of the stage was a sea of hats and banners and maybe some bald heads?  Well, today’s story is about such a situation.  A man went to a parade but being short he couldn’t see the main attraction.  He’d heard it was a man who had become quite famous for performing miracles. This man, Jesus was his name, was passing through Jericho, the town where Zacchaeus lived.  And, Zacchaeus REALLY wanted to see Jesus!  But he was small of stature, and he didn’t have a step stool or a periscope.  Quite a contrast with the story in this morning’s (Saturday) Gospel about people who were assuming to take the honorable places at table.

Zacchaeus ran on ahead of Jesus and the moving crowd to a spot where he climbed a sycamore tree so he could get a good view.  Now, I’ve read that the city codes did not allow the planting of sycamore trees within the city limits. They had to be planted at least 75 feet outside the city walls. So, Zacchaeus had to run past everyone in town to climb up that tree.  Jesus arrives under the tree, makes eye contact with Zacchaeus and communicates to him how glad he was to see Zacchaeus.  Jesus knew everything there was to know about Zacchaeus and his fraudulent tax collection practices.  Yet, He loved him and had compassion on him “briers and all.”  What a picture of grace!  That’s how it is for us, too.  Jesus knows everything there is to know about us, but He still loves each of us.

The other day I came across my notes on this Gospel from 2010.  We would have been deep into the planning process for the big move to this monastery building.  My jottings based on Margaret Wheatley’s book TURNING TO ONE ANOTHER continue to speak to us today in this post-pandemic season.  I wrote: “I see our community, climbing a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus and a vision for our future.  We know change won’t happen overnight, but we also know that the future is germinating in the NOW.”

Wheatley reminds us: “There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about.  Ask what is possible, not what’s wrong?  Be intrigued by differences.  Expect to be surprised.  Treasure curiosity more than certainty. Invite everybody who cares, to work on what’s possible.  Stay together. Know that creative solutions come from new connections. Remember, you don’t fear people whose story you know. Trust, that meaningful conversations can change the world.”

Isn’t that the message Jesus had for Zacchaeus? “Come down quickly for today I must stay at your house.”

“Come down quickly!”  How many times does Jesus have to tell us just that?  Come down off your high horse; come down from your stubborn opinions; come down from your unreasonable expectations, come down from your self-elevation above your confreres.  How comforting, reassuring is Jesus reason for asking us to come down: “So I might stay at your house tonight.”

We must come down out of our “trees” of isolation, aloneness, self-satisfaction.  And, while we are together at table with Jesus, let’s practice Wheatley’s advice: “Rely on human goodness.  Stay together. Talk to people you know and those you don’t know and those you never talk to. Be brave enough to start of conversation that matters.  Assume that many others share your dreams.” (Adapted from Wheatley)

An interesting part of the Zacchaeus story is that, as far as we know, Zacchaeus did not change jobs after his encounter with Jesus. He did not join the entourage that traveled with Jesus.  He was a tax collector before he met Jesus, and it seems he continued collecting taxes after he met Christ. His job was the same, but his destiny was different.

The text says Zacchaeus was “seeking” Jesus.  But if I read the story right, Jesus really was seeking Zacchaeus.  He came to seek and save all the lost.  Zacchaeus tried to climb up to God, but he didn’t get past the lowest branches.   While other folks look up for Jesus, Zacchaeus climbed up in order to lo down.  In this instance, it was Jesus who looked up.  Jesus beckoned Zacchaeus to come down and invited Himself to dinner. Jesus invites Himself here, to each of us, today and every day with the same the message He spoke to Zacchaeus: “Come down; salvation has come to your house.  I want to dine with you this night. Looking up Jesus said: Come down quickly for today I must stay at your house.”

 

~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

Listen to the ditty on You Tube of the children’s hymn: “Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man” –  Be forewarned: it may leave you humming and toe-tapping the rest of the day …

Have an enjoyable Halloween, pleasant All Saints’ Day and pleasant memories as you recall family who have gone before you in faith on All Souls’ day.

 You are invited,  if you have not already done so, to send us the names of deceased relatives and friends to be remember throughout November …  those lists are placed in a basket before our altar throughout the month.

  May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace!

 

 

First Reading  Wisdom 11:22—12:2            
Second Reading 2 Thessalonians 1:11—2:2   
Gospel Reading  Luke 19:1-10

 

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The True Host

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First Reading  Wisdom zacchaeus11:22—12:2       Second Reading 2 Thessalonians 1:11—2:2
Gospel Luke 19:1-10

Have you ever been to a parade, or a concert or a sports event where you couldn’t see much more that a sea of hats or heads?  When that happens, a periscope may be just what you need – you know, one of those things they use in submarines to see above the surface of the water … you can see over tall objects, even around corners.

Well, today’s story is about such a situation.  A man went to a parade, but couldn’t see above the crowd.  The main attraction in this parade was man who had become quite famous because he had performed many miracles.  He had raised people from the dead and restored sight to the blind; he cured people of leprosy and drove out demons.  This man Jesus, Luke tells us, was passing through Jericho.  Notice He wasn’t intending to stay overnight.  The atmosphere was like a circus parade. People lined the streets hoping to get a glimpse of Jesus.  Zacchaeus REALLY wanted to see Jesus!  But he was small of stature and he didn’t have a periscope

Remember the song ….  Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man ….

So what’s a short guy to do? He runs on ahead of Jesus and climbs a sycamore tree.  Now, I’ve read that people in the Middle East do not generally run and they wouldn’t be caught climbing a tree.  Zacchaeus would have had to run a long way ahead of the crowd to have time to climb up this tree and get a view of Jesus.  The law – the city codes – did not allow the planting of sycamore trees within the city limits.  They had to be planted at least 75 feet outside the city walls. So, Zacchaeus had to run past everyone in town to climb up that tree.  Now, just imagine that parade of people surrounding Jesus.  Most had their attention focused on Jesus but surely some would have spotted the little thieving rich guy climbing up in the sycamore tree.

Jesus arrives under the tree and looks up to Zacchaeus.  Their eyes meet.  Jesus called Zacchaeus by name. He made eye contact, and spoke to him face to face.  Jesus communicated to Zacchaeus that he was glad to see him.  How embarrassing for Zacchaeus.  You can just hear the people taunting him, shouting insults, and calling him names.  Jesus knew everything there was to know about Zacchaeus, yet He still loved him and still had compassion on him.  What a picture of grace!  That’s how it is for us, too.  Jesus knows everything there is to know about us, but He still loves each of us.

Jesus silences the crowd and His voice rises above the din of their taunts and shouts.  He absorbs the ridicule and shame of Zacchaeus upon Himself and invites Himself over for supper.  The people in the crowd were shocked!  Zacchaeus was one of the most hated men in all of Jericho.  They considered him a thief and a cheat!  No observant Jew would dine with this sinner.  Yet, Jesus chooses to honor the tax collector by staying at his house.  The crowd couldn’t believe it!  Of course they grumble. Jesus, on the eve of the Passover, hadn’t planned to stay in town.  And now he’s going to stay and eat in an unclean house?  Jesus is defiling Himself.  Zacchaeus gets down from the tree and gives his famous speech.  He promises, if he has ever cheated anyone, to give half of his goods to the poor and restore four times the amount he has ever stolen.

That’s when Jesus makes the bold declaration, “Salvation has come to your house!” Zacchaeus got saved! He was born again!   Experiencing the love of Christ, he became more concerned about others.

Jesus doesn’t say that Zacchaeus is saved because he plans on repaying everyone. Salvation has come to Zacchaeus’ house because He is simply lost.  In his search for salvation, he humbled himself by making a spectacle of himself climbing up a tree.  Perhaps you have heard the saying, “To reach the fruit of a tree, you must go out on a limb.”  That’s exactly what Zacchaeus did.

One Biblical scholar has described the paradox in this story.  “Zacchaeus is spectacular because he is not like other characters who encountered Christ.  He was not called as the disciples were, nor was Zacchaeus suffering from some kind of affliction.  What makes Zacchaeus so special is that he was an average man.”  Most of the characters in the Bible experience a call from Christ either as a personal invitation or through the public preaching of Jesus.  Others sought Jesus because of some affliction.  Zacchaeus was different.  He was a successful business man – and a wealthy one!  An interesting part of this story is that, as far as we know, Zacchaeus did not change jobs after his encounter with Jesus.  He did not join the entourage that traveled with Jesus.  He was a tax collector before he met Jesus, and it seems he continued collecting taxes after he met Christ.  His job was the same, but his destiny was different.

The text says Zacchaeus was “seeking” Jesus.  But if I read the story right, Jesus really was seeking Zacchaeus.  He came to seek and save all the lost.  Zacchaeus tried to climb up to God, but he didn’t get past the lowest branches.  Zacchaeus gets to host Jesus that evening because Jesus invited Himself to celebrate the Passover meal. Jesus always ends up being the true host.  Jesus invites Himself here today. If you’ve come to seek good news, it’s the same the message Jesus spoke to Zacchaeus: “Come down; salvation has come to your house.  I want to dine with you this night.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress

 

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