Journal: How did you live out last week’s Gospel message? What was tough? What was rewarding?
That guy Zacchaeus is one of my heroes. He was a little guy. Maybe he was pushed around much of his life by bigger people. The “in crowd” looked down upon him. He collected taxes for the Romans, so there couldn’t have been anything good about him.
But Zacchaeus had guts. He couldn’t see Jesus, so he climbed a tree. His job as a tax collector also gave him the power to abuse people, but he told Jesus he would repay people “four times over” if he had treated them unjustly. He also had great wealth but pledged to share it with the poor.
In this week’s Gospel, Jesus teaches by making Zacchaeus a role model. Religious people were shocked that Jesus would dine with Zacchaeus. But Jesus, unlike them, saw the man’s heart and scolded onlookers for judging Zacchaeus.
Zacchaeus can be our role model too. And I bet if you look around, you’ll see Jesus’ spirit in people I write off. They remind me of Zacchaeus. I have friends who have great wealth but focus more on sharing it with the poor than on protecting it for themselves. They remind me of Zacchaeus. I have friends who have been pushed around and belittled. They’ve never been part of the “in crowd.” But they don’t act bitter. They focus on living a good life. They remind me of Zacchaeus.
I bet if you look around your school, parish, or family, you’ll see Zacchaeus. You might catch a glimpse of him if you look in your mirror. I bet people see some of Zacchaeus in you too. Don’t sell yourself short.
Journal: Whom do you know that reminds you of Zacchaeus? Explain.
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