Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Lk 19:1-10
October 30, 2022 | Sunday

Today’s Gospel

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. Aman named Zaccheus lived there. He was a tax collector and a wealthy man. He wanted to see what Jesus was like, but he was a short man and could not see him because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree. From there he would be able to see Jes us, who was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, come down quickly, for I must stay at your house today.” So Zaccheus climbed down and received him joyfully.

All the people who saw it began to grumble, and said, “He has gone as a guest to the house of a sinner.” But Zaccheus spoke to Jesus, “Half of what I own, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much.”Looking at him Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this house today, for he is also a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

Today’s Reflection:

Almost always overlooked in the story of Zacchaeus—a famous story on repentance—is the crowds’ behavior. They grumble that Jesus goes to the house of a despised sinner and declares that he is saved. Their grumbling betrays two dangerous attitudes.

Firstly, the crowds are prejudicial or judgmental against Zacchaeus. This man not is not just a tax collector but a chief tax collector. Most tax collectors got rich by collecting more money than what was required by the Roman Empire. To their fellow Jews they were the worst of sinners. But the Lord who sees beyond prejudice and stereotypes knows full well that Zacchaeus has already turned away from sins before meeting him.

His very name whose Hebraic origin means “pure” (זַכַּי: cf. Neh 7:14) suggests that he has already repented and that he has already been forgiven. This is shown in what he says to the Lord: “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give (δίδωμι) to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back (ἀποδίδωμι) four times as much” (Luke 19:8 NRSV). Contrary to the NRSV and other English translations, the verbs “give” (δίδωμι) and “pay back” (ἀποδίδωμι) are in the present continuous, rather than in the future tense. This indicates that Zacchaeus is presently giving half of his possessions to the poor and is making a fourfold restitution to anyone he has defrauded. His amends in fact exceed what is prescribed in the Mosaic Law, which requires only a restitution of the defrauded amount plus a penalty of 20 percent of the amount (cf. Num 5:7).

Secondly, the crowds are envious of the salvation which the Lord graciously grants to Zacchaeus. That he is saved does not mean that the Lord refuses them salvation. The grace of salvation accorded to him does not necessarily lessen their chance of being granted the same. As the Lord says to the crowd: “He (Zacchaeus) too is a son of Abraham” (Lk 19:9c).

To some extent, we share in the dangerous attitudes of the crowds. We too tend to be too quick in judging others on the basis of our biases and prejudices. Likewise, we tend to be envious of their success. Instead of rejoicing with them, we tend to take their success as our failure. Having these attitudes does not necessarily make us sinners but we must repent nonetheless because repentance (μετάνοια) is not just turning away from sins but also changing one’s attitudes for the better.

Of great initial help to us in avoiding or overcoming these tendencies is to realize that our prejudices against others and our envy at their success decrease our own happiness and self-worth. They do not necessarily affect the individuals against whom we are prejudiced or at whom we are envious. But they do certainly cause some damage in our wellbeing. (by Fr. Lazaro N. Ervite, OSA) /Vulnerasti, 2022