Zacchaeus was a Jew, thus also considered the Son of Abraham. But because he was a tax collector collaborating with the Roman Empire, he is considered a traitor and a violator of the covenant. He abused his position, for this he was despised by his people. But Zacchaeus heard about a man named Jesus, who was proclaiming the mercy and love of God. In Jesus, He found a chance to come back to the Lord. When he heard He was coming, he ran ahead to have a glimpse of Jesus. It took a glimpse to discover God’s mercy, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” The conversion of Zacchaeus is a miracle of God’s mercy. God the Father works joyfully to accept the sinner who meets and welcomes Jesus.

Realizing his misdeeds, he resolved to amend and promised restitution for those he cheated. St. Ambrose said, “Evil does not consist of having wealth, but in not putting it to good use; for just as riches are obstacle for rich people, they are also means for virtues for good people.”

“He who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Lk. 18:14)

How does one approach God justified? Jesus tells us that in order to be justified before God, one must approach with humility and mindful of one’s sinfulness. God’s heart is with those who acknowledge their sinfulness and ask for His forgiveness and compassion. That is why, in the parable, between the two, the tax collector went home justified. Spiritual writers say that prayer justifies; “for repentant prayer or supplicant repentance, raising up the soul to God and re-uniting it to His goodness, without doubt obtains pardon in virtue of the Holy Love which gives it this sacred movement.” (St. Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God, 2, 20).

“Pray always without becoming weary.” (Lk. 18:5)

Jesus tells us to pray without ceasing. Praying unceasingly is not a practice in futility but a witness of a trusting and living faith. God is infinitely much better than the wicked judge who succumbed to the persistency of the widow only because he fears being bothered constantly by the widow. God is not bothered by our persistency, because He sees a living faith behind it, faith that believes that God listens to our prayer. “He prays without ceasing he who prays with good works and works with prayerful spirit. Only thus can we pray without ceasing as we have been commanded.” (CCC 2742-2745)

“He fell at Jesus feet and thank Him...” Lk. 17:16

Jesus asked them to show themselves to the priest who will declare them clean, they put their trust in Jesus and were going to see the priest when one of them went back to give thanks to God before going to the priest. Of the ten, only one was truly healed through faith, that is, saved, v. 19 “Your faith has saved you.”

It's actually an invitation to pray and to show gratitude to God: “What better prayer can we think in our mind, or utter with our tongue, or express with our pen than, “Thanks be to God.”? Nothing can be said more briefly than this, or heard more joyfully, or used more faithfully.” (St. Augustine, Epistolae, 41, 1)