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(REMEMBER TO PRAY IN THIS MONTH OF NOVEMBER FOR YOUR RELATIVES, LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE DIED).
COLLECT: “GRANT US, WE PRAY, O LORD OUR GOD, THE CONSTANT GLADNESS OF BEING DEVOTED TO YOU, FOR IT IS FULL AND LASTING HAPPINESS TO SERVE WITH CONSTANCY THE AUTHOR OF ALL THAT IS GOOD. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
2Mac 6:18-31; Ps 3:2-7 and Lk 19:1-10.
In today’s first reading from the Book of 2Mac 6:18ff, still under the persecution of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who waged war on the Jews, Eleazar stands by his convictions until death. He became an example and a model of courage and virtue for the Jews and the Israelites in general. In the Gospel, Zacchaeus repents of his sins and declares that he habitually gives alms and makes restitution for any wrongs he has inadvertently committed.
There is a very popular expression that, “When you fall, you should not lie there and ask for a pillow to support your head” (Lit. “Ka foo wa le, ta gang be kye yeli ka ba de kapuri/zukograa wa ko fo ka fo kogi fo zu”). -The meaning of this expression is that, when you know your weakness(s), you should do something about them to get out of them. We can apply this to Zacchaeus in the Gospel we reflect on today.
He knows his problem; he admits that he is a sinner, who wants to be saved, and he eventually receives salvation from the Messiah, for ‘he is also a son of Abraham’. The Zacchaeus’ story teaches us active expression of PENANCE. Penance, accordingly, is a punishment which one imposes upon oneself to show remorse and repentance for wrongdoing or for sins committed.
In the Catholic Church, this is usually established in the context of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but is normally carried out by the sinner after receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Forgiveness/Penance.
Zacchaeus indeed, had his deep convictions in the Lord that he had found his Saviour and “Doctor”. He did not allow anyone or anything to prevent him from what he was looking for from the Lord. He did actually receive what he was convinced about. Jesus identified Zacchaeus as a sinner, one who was sick and needed healing.
He was lost but has now been found. Zacchaeus has been a great example for all of us who are sinners. Similarly, Eleazar stood by his convictions until death, leaving an example of virtue for all Israel (Cf. 2Mac 6:18-31).
Zacchaeus was a condemned sinner before his fellow Jews, all because he accepted to be employed as a tax collector by a secular Roman government and its pagan gods. He forced the Jews to pay taxes. Zacchaeus’ fellow Jews considered Jewish tax collectors as traitors. They were also considered as ‘thieves’, cheats, turncoats and dishonest people since they made themselves very rich by gouging their fellow Jews to pay high taxes.
We are told that Zacchaeus was a short man and so in order to have a full glance of Jesus, and also for Jesus to spot him fully and probably save him, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree. We could say that Zacchaeus was probably not physically short in stature, but because of his numerous sins, in shame, he could not raise his head or stick his neck out for others to see.
His sinful deeds were probably as “tall” as a sycamore tree, higher than Zacchaeus, and therefore, symbolically, he had to climb on top of his sins, stepping over them to see Jesus and be saved by the latter. In fact, judging from the crowd’s reaction to Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus, he must have been a very crooked tax collector. However, after meeting Jesus, he realised and acknowledged that his crooked life needed straightening.
Zacchaeus demonstrated practically, actively and outwardly his readiness to straighten his life, his readiness to put his life in order when he said he would give to the poor half of his possessions (and he did it-real penance). He expressed restitution with his “dishonest” generous profit to those he had cheated. This, indeed, is an active and practical sign of change of heart, metanoia. This is a visible sign of ‘turning a new leaf’. May we learn to do that when we feel we have sinned and need God’s mercy.
When we are shown mercy and forgiveness by the Lord, we should not go back to commit the very sins or wrong deeds that we committed and had been forgiven. This is one of the best ways of penance and change of heart. We could also make a conscious effort to detach ourselves from those people, things and behaviours that lure us to sin. Zacchaeus did that by giving out his possessions.
May we learn to detach ourselves from whatever may cause us to sin. Let us always see the need for the Lord’s mercy, love and forgiveness in our lives.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, TUESDAY, ON THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN, THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR, THE CROWNING WITH THORNS, THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS AND THE CRUCIFIXION’ (WE PRAY FOR SORROW FOR SIN, PURITY, COURAGE, PATIENCE, AND PERSEVERANCE) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “WE HAVE PARTAKEN OF THE GIFTS OF THIS SACRED MYSTERY, HUMBLY IMPLORING, O LORD, THAT WHAT YOUR SON COMMANDED US TO DO IN MEMORY OF HIM MAY BRING US GROWTH IN CHARITY. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com.
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