31st Sunday in Ordinary Time: The Sycamore Tree of Conversion

10-23-2022Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

Accepting the hospitality of Zacchaeus, Jesus uses the opportunity to affirm the change of heart of a tax collector: Today, salvation has come to this house! Has salvation come to our house, or better to our soul? For some, it has already come; for many others, it is coming. But hopefully, for many more, it is coming soon. The encounter between the two happens because Zacchaeus

  1. Made an effort to see Jesus,
  2. Overcame his handicap by climbing a sycamore tree,
  3. Accepted Jesus into his house.

Zacchaeus probably heard so many things about Jesus, a teacher/rabbi par excellence, religious healer, exorcist, and overall – a miracle worker. The credentials of Jesus are that of a great Jewish leader, yet He was unlike most Pharisees, who were rigid and full of hypocrisy, but their opposite. On the other hand, being a tax collector, people hated Zacchaeus, branded as a collaborator of the Roman authorities and often guilty of abuses; the Gospel implied his desire to meet Jesus. People like Zacchaeus also seek some form of reparation. The Gospel last Sunday (Lk. 18: 9-14) gives us a good example; how a tax collector at the temple stood off at a distance with all humility, beat his breast, and prayed: O God be merciful to me a sinner.

The conversion of Zacchaeus started when he came down the sycamore tree and received Jesus with joy. What is our sycamore tree that prevents our encounter with Jesus? When we hold on to something - when we are up on a vantage point and feel secure, sometimes we never want to come down. If only we can come down like Zacchaeus to extend hospitality to Jesus, receive Him in our houses and lives, have fellowship with Him, and accept Him as our most important guest, perhaps conversion is possible for us. Often, the comfort of our sycamore tree provides false security, a vantage point that gives us a false sense of power and safety.

Remember, no one stays up on a tree forever. Sooner or later, we have to come down from it. Please don’t wait for the cutting of the tree before we come down. Or don’t wait for somebody to shake the tree violently to make us fall in disgrace. The Lord invites us today: v. 5 “Come down quickly, for today I must stay at your
house.” Zacchaeus came down from the sycamore tree because of Jesus’ words and presence; the action of Jesus moved him to conversion and discipleship. Open the door of our hearts to Jesus; our hospitality may lead us to live meaningful and purposeful lives as His disciples.'

Many of us tend to postpone or procrastinate on our conversion. Some of us spend a lifetime vacillating between being good or bad, between being true or untruthful. When we allow Jesus into our house or our life - we take a moment to make a fundamental option for God in our life. To live the rest of our life, the best of our life, for God. Make that choice now, don’t wait to be cut down before coming down. And worse, don’t wait to be shaken vehemently to make us fall in disgrace. Jesus eagerly awaits an invitation to our homes so He can also
declare:

Today, salvation has come to this house. Lord, help us come down from our pedestals and comfort zones; to encounter and follow you.

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