Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wisdom 11:22-12:2
Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14
2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2
Luke 19:1-10
Ever since Galileo's telescope, we have reluctantly admitted that Planet Earth is not the centre of the universe. Every day, scientists find more galaxies, more planets, more stars! The Book of Wisdom says in today's First Reading: "Before the Lord, the whole universe is a grain from a balance...."
Nevertheless, God loves all He has created, even this sinful Earth. He despises nothing of what He has created and shows boundless mercy and love. He is patient and gentle as He draws us towards repentance.
In today's Gospel, Jesus shows the shocked crowd how that works in practice. It's a good thing that God doesn't leave it to us, to decide who is worthy of heaven and who isn't! We'd make a mess of it! We are really poor judges!
So, in St. Luke's narrative today, we see that Jesus is gradually working His way toward Jerusalem. The crowds have been witnessing Jesus' miracles with growing enthusiasm. As He wends His way through Jericho, He glances up and spots a very wealthy tax collector called Zacchaeus. Here is a hated employee of the Romans!
Yet, Jesus looks into his heart and recognises the beginnings of contrition. "Zacchaeus, come down quickly," Jesus says, "I want to have dinner with you today!" The crowd gasps in disbelief and revulsion that The Healer would have anything to do with this despised sinner.
As the delighted little man explains to Jesus how he means to make up for his many sins, Jesus turns and explains to the crowd, "Today, salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek out and to save what was lost." Beautiful words that so harmonise with what we heard in today's first reading from the Book of Wisdom.
Then, the writer of this Gospel extols both God's power and God's mercy. After declaring that the whole universe is like a small grain in the scales, or like a drop of morning dew compared to God's greatness, Jesus praises God for His mercy in searching out sinners in order that they may repent of their sins and be justified.
We, who often judge merely the exterior of the person, would never have seen in Zacchaeus what Jesus saw, nor could we see why he was worthy of God's mercy.
No matter what we've done in the past, the Mercy of the Lord can search us out, inspire us to repentance, and then embrace us as His own. God never gives up on those whom the world has condemned as hopeless. Thank God that He is in charge of the Final Judgment!
Wisdom 11:22-12:2
Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13, 14
2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2
Luke 19:1-10
Ever since Galileo's telescope, we have reluctantly admitted that Planet Earth is not the centre of the universe. Every day, scientists find more galaxies, more planets, more stars! The Book of Wisdom says in today's First Reading: "Before the Lord, the whole universe is a grain from a balance...."
Nevertheless, God loves all He has created, even this sinful Earth. He despises nothing of what He has created and shows boundless mercy and love. He is patient and gentle as He draws us towards repentance.
In today's Gospel, Jesus shows the shocked crowd how that works in practice. It's a good thing that God doesn't leave it to us, to decide who is worthy of heaven and who isn't! We'd make a mess of it! We are really poor judges!
So, in St. Luke's narrative today, we see that Jesus is gradually working His way toward Jerusalem. The crowds have been witnessing Jesus' miracles with growing enthusiasm. As He wends His way through Jericho, He glances up and spots a very wealthy tax collector called Zacchaeus. Here is a hated employee of the Romans!
Yet, Jesus looks into his heart and recognises the beginnings of contrition. "Zacchaeus, come down quickly," Jesus says, "I want to have dinner with you today!" The crowd gasps in disbelief and revulsion that The Healer would have anything to do with this despised sinner.
As the delighted little man explains to Jesus how he means to make up for his many sins, Jesus turns and explains to the crowd, "Today, salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek out and to save what was lost." Beautiful words that so harmonise with what we heard in today's first reading from the Book of Wisdom.
Then, the writer of this Gospel extols both God's power and God's mercy. After declaring that the whole universe is like a small grain in the scales, or like a drop of morning dew compared to God's greatness, Jesus praises God for His mercy in searching out sinners in order that they may repent of their sins and be justified.
We, who often judge merely the exterior of the person, would never have seen in Zacchaeus what Jesus saw, nor could we see why he was worthy of God's mercy.
No matter what we've done in the past, the Mercy of the Lord can search us out, inspire us to repentance, and then embrace us as His own. God never gives up on those whom the world has condemned as hopeless. Thank God that He is in charge of the Final Judgment!
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