Seeking what is lost

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today inspire contemplation of how we prepare to recognize Jesus call us to intimacy as we move along in our journey.

Waiting along the path

The passage from the Book of Revelation urges us to be alert and to avoid being lukewarm toward our relationship with God.

* [3:20] Christ invites all to the messianic banquet in heaven; cf. Is 25:6; Lk 14:15; 22:30.

In the Gospel from Luke, we find Jesus calling the public sinner Zacchaeus to share his table and reform his life with Jesus.

* [19:1–10] The story of the tax collector Zacchaeus is unique to this gospel. While a rich man (Lk 19:2), Zacchaeus provides a contrast to the rich man of Lk 18:18–23 who cannot detach himself from his material possessions to become a follower of Jesus. Zacchaeus, according to Luke, exemplifies the proper attitude toward wealth: he promises to give half of his possessions to the poor (Lk 19:8) and consequently is the recipient of salvation (Lk 19:9–10).

Carol Zuegner reminds us that it is never too late to turn to God because God will come to seek what was lost.

Zacchaeus had been lost, but Jesus found him. And there was joy. That joy helped to dissolve all that came before. Zacchaeus was found. He found himself. He promised to throw off that blanket of fear and insecurity and instead sought the more in God. We can all be Zacchaeus, who turned to God with joy. He did hard things. He could give up his possessions to the poor and make right the mistakes he had made. We can too. We are all sinners, but it’s never too late. Jesus calls to us as well, to let God into our hearts and our lives

Don Schwager quotes “To see Christ”, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)

"Come and let us see what was the method of Zacchaeus's conversion. He desired to see Jesus and therefore climbed into a sycamore tree, and so a seed of salvation sprouted within him. Christ saw this with the eyes of deity. Looking up, he also saw Zacchaeus with the eyes of humanity, and since it was his purpose for all to be saved, he extends his gentleness to him. To encourage him, he says, 'Come down quickly.' Zacchaeus searched to see Christ, but the multitude prevented him, not so much that of the people but of his sins. He was short of stature, not merley in a bodily point of view but also spiritually. He could not see him unless he were raised up from the earth and climbed into the sycamore, by which Christ was about to pass. The story contains a puzzle. In no other way can a person see Christ and believe in him except by climbing up into the sycamore, by making foolish his earthly members of fornication, uncleanness, etc." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 127)

He adds some of the reflections of Augustine of Hippo on the encounter of Jesus with Zacchaeus.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 19:1-10 wonders if we had known Thomas Merton or Dorothy Day before their conversions, would we have seen a person who was seeking God?

So if you know anyone who is engaged in sinful or destructive behaviors, don’t distance yourself. You might be just the one to give that person a glimpse of the Lord! Maybe this will happen as you befriend her and quietly show her what Jesus means to you. Maybe it will happen by lending him a book to read or suggesting a movie to watch. It could even come about through an invitation to Mass. God wants everyone who is seeking him to find him. And he just might use you to lead the way!

Friar Jude Winkler shares the connection between the organization of the Book of Revelation and the order of the Eucharistic celebration. Our sense of predestination is expressed as being among all created people written in the Book of Life. We are warned in Revelation about erasing our names from this book. Friar Jude cites the conversion of Zacchaeus as an invitation to live “realized eschatology” as expressed by Luke and John. The other Evangelists and Paul express a sense of “future eschatology”.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Fathers Thomas Keating (1923–2018) and Joseph Boyle (1941–2018)

Either we learn how to live in communion with others, or, quite simply, we’re not ready for heaven and are already in hell. We have been invited—even now, even today, even this moment—to live in the Communion of Saints, in the Presence, in the Body, in the Life of the eternal and eternally Risen Christ.

while connecting to John 17:20-24 and 1 Corinthians 13:12.

I ask . . . that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You. . . . I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity. . . . Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am. . . . —John 17:20-24
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. —1 Corinthians 13:12

Even as we attend to the messages from the Book of Revelation today to be prepared and to fully live our faith, we are overwhelmed by the desire of Jesus to be one with us and realize full life today and for eternity.

References

(n.d.). Revelation, chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved November 20, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/revelation/3
(n.d.). Luke chapter 19 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved November 20, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/19
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved November 20, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 20, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 33rd Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved November 20, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 20, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/