31st Sunday of Ordinary Time (Zacchaeus Receives God's Mercy)

Today’s reading introduces us to a figure named Zacchaeus, whom we’re told was a “chief tax collector”. Tax collectors earned their living by collecting money from their fellow Jews, to be handed over to the much-loathed Roman government. A tax collector’s personal income came from keeping a percentage of the taxes they collected for themselves. Thus, they would intentionally overestimate the amount of taxes owed as a way of boosting their earnings.

Zacchaeus wasn’t just a tax collector, he was a chief tax collector. But even more, the city of Jericho, about 20 miles east of Jerusalem, was a great place to be a tax collector. It was a wealthy city known for its palm forests and balsam groves. It was said that balsam perfumed the air for miles around (Sacred Chrism). More wealth meant more earning opportunity for tax collectors, and the Gospel tells us he was wealthy.

I can easily imagine that Zacchaeus knew his fellow Jews detested him and that he was living in a way that was devoid of integrity and morality…..but he loved the money. Isn’t that a familiar quandary? To be stuck in that position of recognizing that I’m living in a way that’s contrary to the true order of my heart. And while one part of me wants to leave it behind, I can’t muster up what it takes to leave it behind.

The part of Zacchaeus that wanted to be liberated and to change, also desired to see Jesus, so much that he was willing to climb a tree—something only a child would do. He wanted to see Jesus, but it seems Jesus also wanted to see him. It must have surprised Zacchaeus when Jesus looked up and said, Come down, because I’m going to your house.

Like the story of the Prodigal Son, this story—at its root—is meant to tell us of God’s great mercy. I remind us of the definition of mercy that says it’s getting something good, even when our human logic tells us it’s not what we deserve. It’s a beautiful thing, but I think receiving mercy necessitates a few things:

·        First one has to eventually recognize their need for God’s mercy.

·        Secondly, there also must be a desire for it.

·        Finally, mercy demands an intention and desire to change.

As it turns out, Zacchaeus gave greatly from his wealth as a way of making up for what he had taken unethically. The theological term for that is satisfaction. It’s not the common understanding of satisfaction, meaning ‘contentment’ or ‘pleasure’. In Latin, satis means “enough” and factio means “doing/making”, thus the two words together mean “to do enough” or better understood as “making amends”.

In our need for God’s mercy it need demands a change in us and probably necessitates making satisfaction. Another way we say that is to do penance. The Catechism prescribes several ways we can do this:

·        “By gestures….concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right…(by) acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one’s cross each day and following Jesus…” (CCC, 1435)…

·        It further says we can do this by coming to the Eucharist with a desire for God’s mercy (CCC, 1436)…

·        Or by reading “reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and other sincere acts of worship done with a spirit of conversion and repentance” (CCC, 1437)….

·        By acts of self-denial, such as the tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays (CCC, 1438).

·        Like the Prodigal Son, we do this in whatever ways we make a sincere return (CCC, 1439).

In the First Letter of Peter, he says, “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Maybe one way you can love like this in the coming week and month is to pray intentionally for the dead, exercising your priestly office: standing between our beloved dead and God, offering the sacrifice/oblation of prayers for them.

We need to make satisfaction and to desire conversion if we are to receive mercy. Like Zacchaeus, you came here to see Jesus. So, do you recognize how you are in need of God’s mercy? Do you desire it? But also, What needs to change in your life, even if it’s just first steps? What will you do to make amends? Do it for those you love. As Jesus came to the home of Zacchaeus, in the Eucharist he comes to us today, showing you the truest sign of God’s mercy (though more than a sign!). Make a home for him. May we more fully recognize this gift of mercy we are receiving and allow it to do its transformative work within us.