Homily of Tuesday 33rd Sunday in ordinary time, B 19th November, 2024
Texts: Revelation 3: 1-6.14-22, Luke 19:1-10
Dear friends in Christ, everyday, Jesus passes by and he allows himself to be encountered. Zacchaeus made use of his opportunity to encounter Jesus. We are told in the gospel reading that Jesus entered Jericho. In the eyes of the people, Zaccheus was not the best person to experience a personality such as that of Jesus. Zaccheus knew his problems too. However, these did not deter him. The effort he made to see Jesus is overwhelming. He knew he was not a tall man like many others, he had to climb a tree just so he could see Jesus. This is also an expression of faith. How many of us make efforts to see Jesus? Or do we get discouraged by our limitations and the conclusions of others? None of these could hold Zaccheus from experiencing Jesus.
Again, when Jesus saw him, he called him to come down. He told him that salvation has come to his house. What does this tell us? It simply tells us that Jesus takes notice of every effort we make to encounter him. He would not leave us stranded and unrewarded. Zacchaeus did not need to cry out or even speak before Jesus saw him. What type of genuine effort are you making to encounter Jesus?
What happens when one encounters Jesus? Jesus already told him Zacchaeus that salvation has come to his house. But there is a physical demonstration with deep spiritual meaning. This is the fact that Zacchaeus’ repented of all his sins and promised to give half of his goods to the poor and restore in fourfold what he must have defrauded. Encounter with Jesus always brings about transformation.
Dear friends, Jesus is passing through the streets of our lives on a daily basis through what we hear and read in the scriptures. How much effort are we making? Does our encounter with him bring about transformation in our lives. Let us reflect this day on that.
May the Lord bless His words in our hearts. Amen.
The Lord be with you
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