“You have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people's sins that they may repent… you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls.” Wis 11:23-26
The parable we hear today begins with the comical image of Zacchaeus, the wealthy chief tax collector in Jericho, scrambling up a sycamore tree to get a glimpse of Jesus passing by. Being “short in stature,” he can’t see over the heads of the crowd. His curiosity gets the better of his sense of dignity, and he climbs the tree for a better vantage point. What he never expected was for Jesus to look up at him and address him by name, saying he would like to stay with him.
Jesus had intended to pass through the town without stopping, but when He sees that Zacchaeus is seeking Him, He stays. Jesus knows everything about Zacchaeus – his name, his profession, his sins – and despite all that Zacchaeus has done wrong, Jesus sees that he is ready to turn his life around. And that is what Jesus is all about: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”
Jesus knew all about Zacchaeus, just as He knew all about the woman He met at the well (Jn 4:1-42). He knows our hearts, too. He knows if we are sincerely seeking Him; He knows if we are ready to reform our lives. He sees us, as small as we are, hiding in the trees longing for a glimpse of the Lord, or wandering alone through a hot dry land, thirsting for the water of life. He calls us by name, and He knocks, asking to enter into our homes and our hearts.
Our Lord loves us even when we wander far from Him, but He is always calling us back, waiting for us to put aside our pride and turn back to Him in humility and sincerity. Jesus, the Lord and Lover of souls, is knocking at your door, calling your name. Will you, like Zacchaeus, greet Him with joy and invite Him in to dine with you?
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