THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
30 OCTOBER 2016
The
Book of Wisdom was written 60 years before the birth of Christ to those who
have much in common with us. We struggle
to understand the truths of our faith in a very secular culture. The same is true for those Jews in Alexandria
living in a Hellenistic culture. Like
our secular culture, the Hellenistic culture offered a lot of good things which
improved the daily lives of the people.
But, like our culture, the Hellenistic culture posed challenges to
believers.
Hellenists
were dualistic in the way they looked at the world. Matter was seen as evil and spirits as
good. The world was formed by gods who
needed to be appeased. Success depended
on appeasing certain gods and accepting the fates. The Book of Wisdom disputes that claim. The Book of Wisdom reaffirms what Genesis
says: God created the world as an act of
pure love. Any defect in creation and in
human beings is a result of our rejection of God’s plan. God loves us, even when we sin, and gives us
many chances to turn back to him “little by little.”
That is
what is happening to Zacchaeus. Like
last Sunday’s tax collector, Zacchaeus has done a lot of damage. He has cooperated with the hated Romans and
ripped off his own people. While most
languish under the strain of unfair taxes, he lives a comfortable life. As the chief tax collector, he is hated even
more by the people of Jericho for his despicable actions. There is no doubt that they equate his
shortness in stature with his shortness in morality. But, like the tax collector in last Sunday’s
Gospel, something must be happening in the heart of Zacchaeus. Little by little, he seems to realize the
damage he is doing.
He must have heard about
Jesus. When Jesus comes to town, Zacchaeus
wants to see him. The nasty little man
humiliates himself by climbing a sycamore tree to see him. Jesus sees the potential goodness in this man
who has ripped off so many people and invites himself to stay at his
house. In all of his sinfulness, the
chief tax collector is a descendant of Abraham.
Coming down from his humiliating perch, he allows Jesus to lift him up
with mercy and forgiveness. When the
people of Jericho object, the chief tax collector demonstrates his intentions
to make amends. He will give away half
of his income to the poor. He will also
go well beyond the demands of the Law of Moses.
The Law requires a thief to return the stolen goods along with another
one fifth when he voluntarily admits his sin.
Zacchaeus is willing to pay back what the Law requires of a thief forced
to make restitution – four times the amount he has stolen.
Each one of us can identify with
the chief tax collector of Jericho. Like
Zacchaeus, we have stooped to being short in moral stature. Whether our sins have been as serious as
those of the chief tax collector, they have done damage. Jesus does not pretend that our actions have
not caused damage and pain. But, he has
continued to love us and given us many chances to see our sinfulness little by
little. When we humble ourselves to
climb the sycamore tree of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, he lifts us up with
his mercy and graces us with the courage to make amends and face the
consequences of our bad choices.
If the mercy of Jesus Christ can do
this for us, then we can do the same for those who are doing damage to us. We have to resist the tendency in our secular
culture to divide everyone into good and bad people. With the wisdom of the Gospel, we have to
find ways to love those who do us harm, not in terms of having warm feelings
toward them, but in terms of wanting the best for them. We need to provide as many opportunities as
possible for them to see their sins little by little. We need to trust God’s mercy, leaving the
judging to God.
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