Gospel: November 19, 2024

November 19, 2024 (Tuesday)

33rd Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 1 / (Green)

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 15: 2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.

1st Reading: Revelation 3: 1-6, 14-22

Gospel: Luke 19: 1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man 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 Jesus, 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.”

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Reflection:

“Come down quickly.”

Today’s Gospel pericope narrates the story of Zacchaeus, introduced as a tax collector, a wealthy man and a short man. He was rich but was not happy. He may have been looking for happiness and that was why he wanted to see Jesus. Because he was of small stature, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus. When Jesus passed by, he looked up, saw Zacchaeus and told him to come down because Jesus would stay at his house that day. Because of Jesus’ acceptance of Zacchaeus, the latter was converted. The people who saw the encounter of Zacchaeus with Jesus were not happy about it. They judged Zacchaeus for being a tax collector, a known cheater. We may reflect on the point that perhaps what pushed Zacchaeus to cheat were also the condemning people around him. Perhaps, since he was a child he had been bullied by others for being a short man. Zacchaeus must have then put his self-worth in money and thus began amassing wealth even in the wrong way. Perhaps, for the first time, somebody, Jesus, looked up to him with dignity. Hence, he experienced the saving power of acceptance.