Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng
ta hãy tự hỏi? Chúng ta sẽ phản ứng ra sao hay là sẽ phải làm những gì nếu Chúa
Giêsu gõ cửa nhà của chúng và nói, "Ta phải lưu lại nhà ngươi hôm nay!"
Chúng ta có thể vui mừng hay xấu hổ? Chúa Giêsu thường đến thăm chúng trong những
lúc thật bất ngờ " những lúc không mời mà đến" người nghèo, người
què, thậm chí tội lỗi công khai như Gia kêu là người thu thuế! (Người Thu thuế lúc bấy giờ thường được xem
như hạng người phản bội, gian giảo nên bị đối xử như người ngoại bang không có thành
thật vì họ làm giàu trên xương máu của người khác).
Ông Gia
kêu là một người thu thuế trưởng và bị rất nhiều người thù ghét. Ông cần tình yêu thương xót của Thiên Chúa và
trong cuộc gặp gỡ với Chúa Giêsu, ông ta đã tìm thấy lòng hương xót và tình yêu
nơi Chúa Giêsu nhiều hơn những gì ông có thể tưởng tượng. Ông đã cho thấy sự ăn
năn thống hối thật tình của mình bằng cách quyết định dâng cúng một nửa số gia
tài của mình cho người nghèo và sử dụng một nửa khác đền bù thiệt hại cho những
ai mà ông ta có sự gian lận. Những việc ông ta đã làm đẵ làm chứng còn nhiều
hơn là những lời ông ta nói. Sự thay đổi tâm hồn của ông ta dẫn đến một sự thay
đổi của cuộc sống, một sự thay đổi mà cả cộng đoàn có thể trải nghiệm chân thật.
Chúa
luôn luôn sẵn sàng đến để làm niơi trú ngụ của Ngài trong chúng ta, măc dù chúng
ta có tội lỗi nhiều đi đến đau năm, nếu chúng ta có lòng quyết tâm hối cải và
biến đổi như Gia kêu, thì chúng ta phải dành chỗ cho Ngài trong tâm hồn, trong trái
tim và trong gia đình của chúng ta, Và nhờ đó mà Ngài sẽ sống với và trong chúng
ta mãi mãi.
Lạy Chúa,
xin Chúa đến và ở lại với chúng con, xin Chúa khỏa lấp nhà chúng con với sự hiện
diện của Chúa và lấp đầy tâm của chúng con với lời khen ngợi Chúa. Xin Chúa giúp
chúng con biết thể hiện lòng tốt và lòng thương xót đến với mọi người, ngay cả
những người chúng con không ưa thích và cà những người đã gây ra thiệt hại cho chúng
con.
Reflection (SG)
What would you do if Jesus
knocked on your door and said, “I must stay at your house today?” Would
you be excited or embarrassed? Jesus often “dropped-in” at unexpected times and
he often visited the “uninvited” — the poor, the lame, even public sinners like
Zacchaeus, the tax collector! Tax collectors were despised and treated as
outcasts, no doubt because they accumulated great wealth at the expense of
others. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and was much hated by all the people.
Zacchaeus needed God’s
merciful love and in his encounter with Jesus he found more than he imagined
possible. He shows the depth of his repentance by deciding to give half of his
goods to the poor and to use the other half for making restitution for fraud.
Zacchaeus’ testimony included more than words. His change of heart resulted in
a change of life, a change that the whole community could experience as
genuine. The Lord is always ready to make his home with us. We have to make
room for him in our hearts and in our home, so that he lives with us forever.
Lord, come and stay with me.
Fill my home with your presence and fill my heart with your praise. Help me to
show kindness and mercy to all, even those who cause me harm.
Tuesday
33rd Ordinary Time 2023
At
that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a
man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy
man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the
crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree
in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. Luke 19:1–3
Once again, our Lord reaches out to someone who comes to Him in
humility and need. Zaccheaus was a wealthy man, materially speaking. But
interiorly he was poor and in need. And it was this spiritual poverty he was
experiencing that led him to seek out Jesus with much determination.
Zacchaeus probably never imagined that day that Jesus would offer
to come to his home. Clearly, he climbed the tree to get a glimpse of Jesus
because he felt a strong desire to know our Lord. Since he was physically
wealthy, it seems clear that he no longer was satisfied in life simply because
of a comfortable lifestyle. Something was missing, and he couldn’t help but
know that Jesus held the answer. So Zacchaeus did what some may have thought
unusual. He climbed a tree to be able to see Jesus.
Why did Jesus stop, look up at Zacchaeus, and call him down,
stating that He was going to stay at Zacchaeus’ home? It’s because Jesus was
able to sense the need within the heart of Zacchaeus. Hearts that are poor, in
need, and open are very attractive to Jesus. He never misses the opportunity to
come to humble souls like this. Zacchaeus responds to our Lord immediately by
promising to right the wrongs he has done in the past. He promises to give away
half of his possessions and to repay anyone he has extorted fourfold. This
reveals the authenticity of Zacchaeus’ heart.
As Jesus passes by you, what does He sense? Is He drawn to your
heart? Is He drawn to you because of your interior disposition of humility and
need? It is easy for us to go through life acting as if we have it all
together. We can put on a facade that portrays an attitude of strength and
success. But Jesus rarely comes to the soul who expresses little need. If we
want to draw Jesus to ourselves, then we must acknowledge the poverty within
ourselves, even if we are materially wealthy and successful in a worldly way.
Every one of us must humble ourselves like Zacchaeus by knowing that Jesus is
the only answer in life.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that you and you alone have the
ability to draw Jesus to yourself. You can do this by looking at your need for
Him. Do not hide it. Climb the figurative tree by which you will be able to
look for Jesus and, more importantly, by which Jesus can see your manifest
desire for Him. As you express your need for Him, know that He will be
compelled, by His unshakable love and mercy, to come to you and to stay with
you in the house of your soul. And when He does, be ready and willing to
abandon all that has been a hindrance to your meeting with Christ in the past.
My attentive Lord, You are always aware of every heart that longs
for You. You never ignore those who desire You in their life. Please help me to
see my own interior needs and struggles and to see You as the only source of
fulfillment in life. I commit myself to seeking You out, dear Lord. And as You
come to me, I commit to abandon all that has kept me from You in the past.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Tuesday
33rd Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you
sent your Son to seek me out and save me. I was lost but have been found! Help
me to be detached from the things of this passing world and store up true
treasure with you in heaven.
Encountering the Word of
God
1. The Conversion of
Zacchaeus: Luke records two events in Jericho before Jesus’ final ascent to
Jerusalem. Yesterday, we read the story of Jesus curing the poor blind man.
Today, we hear about the conversion of a rich man named Zacchaeus. Both the
poor man and the rich man had to overcome obstacles. The crowd and even Jesus’
disciples kept the poor man from Jesus. Zacchaeus was hindered by his short
stature. The poor man overcame the crowds by calling out to Jesus even louder.
Zacchaeus overcame his obstacle by climbing a Sycamore tree. What both stories
teach us is how much God can do with the little we are capable of and can
offer. How can I call out to Jesus in prayer so that he hears me? How
can I climb the sycamore tree so that I see Jesus and Jesus sees me?
2. The Letter to the
Church in Sardis: Yesterday, we read the first of seven letters sent
to the churches of Asia Minor. Today, we read the fifth letter written to
Sardis and the seventh letter written to Laodicea. Each of the seven letters is
a powerful exhortation to faith and a call to repent from evil and corruption.
On the one hand, the Letter to Sardis praises the few who continue to walk with
the Lord, who are dressed in white, and who are deemed worthy. We will learn
later on that the garments of the saints are white because they have been
washed in and purified by the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. On the
other hand, the Church in Sardis is asked to repent from incomplete and dead
works. Jesus exhorts them to be watchful, to remember what they have received,
and to finish their good works. To those who heed this and who are faithful,
Jesus will clothe them in white garments, their names will never be blotted
from the Book of Life, and Jesus will present them to God the Father.
3. The Letter to the
Church in Laodicea: The seventh letter, written to the Church in
Laodicea, does not contain any words of praise. The city of Laodicea was
located between Colossae, which had cold water from the mountains, and
Hierapolis, which had hot mineral springs. Therefore, the water in Laodicea was
neither cold nor hot but lukewarm. God points out that the Church in Laodicea
was poor, naked, and blind. Jesus offers purified gold to alleviate their
spiritual poverty, white garments to cover the nakedness of their idolatry, and
ointment to cure their spiritual blindness. Symbolically, the letter written to
Laodicea represents the age of the Pharisees. They thought they were rich, but
they were poor. They thought they were robed in righteousness, but they were
naked. They thought they saw clearly, but they were spiritually blind. Will
they accept what Jesus offers?
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, show
me where I have been victorious and where I have fallen. Move me to gratitude
for my victories and to contrition for my sins. Fill me with divine hope in
your promises and in your grace to help me attain what you have promised.
Tuesday
33rd Ordinary Time 2023
Opening Prayer: Lord, thank you for this chance to pray. Thank you for
giving me the gift of faith, because I know that many live without it. Help me
in this moment to see the world the way you see it, and to love like you love.
Draw me close to your heart.
Encountering Christ:
1. Nothing to Lose: Ironically, a reputation of sinfulness or weakness can
sometimes become an asset. Zacchaeus was almost universally disliked because he
gathered taxes from his people for the Romans. Because few liked him, he did
not have to worry about impressing anyone. When Jesus came to town, a more
respectable person might have thought twice about climbing a tree, but
Zacchaeus had no such inhibition. He wanted to see Jesus passing by. And
because Zacchaeus forgot himself enough to climb that tree, he caught Jesus’s
attention, which ended up being the biggest blessing of his life.
2. The Encounter: When Christ saw that short little man looking down at him
from a tree–dressed in clothes far too nice for tree climbing–he did not ignore
Zacchaeus, or laugh, or point him out to the crowd. Instead, he took Zacchaeus
seriously. Indeed, Zacchaeus was the one with whom he chose to have dinner—not
the Pharisees, nor the upstanding citizens in the area, nor even the lowly
ones. Christ will never laugh at our efforts to reach him, no matter how
ridiculous we feel or may seem to others. He is always seeking to grow in
intimacy with us.
3. Imagine the Joy: When Zacchaeus repented and offered restitution, Jesus
exclaimed, “Today salvation has come to this house.” Jesus had come to save
what had been lost, and in Zacchaeus his mission had been fulfilled. Nothing
makes Our Lord happier than the return of a lost sheep! He says to us, “Rejoice
with me because I have found my lost sheep” (Luke 15:6). We can share that joy
with Jesus by reaching out on his behalf to others he places in our lives. When
we act according to his will, Jesus can change the lives of those for whom we
pray and those we serve. What joy!
Conversing with Christ: Lord, increase my faith, hope, and love. I want to be your
envoy to those in need of your presence in their lives. Help me to notice them,
to greet them, to befriend them and to serve them in your name.
Resolution: Lord,
today by your grace I will make one little public act of faith, whether it be
making the sign of the cross in front of a church or saying “God bless” to
someone.
Tuesday
33rd Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer: Good Jesus, I believe that you desire to spend this time
with me much more than I know. I also wish to be with you, to open my heart to
you, to receive your word, and to let you find and make your home in me. I
trust in you. I love you. Come Holy Spirit, help me to pray.
Encountering Christ:
A Seeker: There
seems to be a contradiction in the first few lines of this passage. First, the
evangelist Luke told us that Jesus “intended to pass through the town.” Then,
“when Jesus reached the place,” he stopped. The reason his plans changed had a
name: Zacchaeus. This little man with a great heart had the power to “change”
Jesus’ course, to catch his eye. What was it in Zacchaeus’s heart that drew
Jesus to him? Or was it the other way around—what was it about Jesus of
Nazareth, a poor carpenter-turned-rabbi, a young but charismatic miracle
worker, that attracted wealthy and preoccupied Zacchaeus? This passage
expresses the timeless dynamic of the utter attraction of God to the soul who
seeks him. Zacchaeus was a seeker, and no obstacle, not even the hustling
crowds or his short stature, would keep him from that search.
Zacchaeus Sought Jesus: Faith is kept alive not only in spiritual dispositions. It takes
flesh and grows through concrete actions, daily choices. Zacchaeus sought Jesus
in the midst of the crowd; he persevered through the difficulties and sought to
overcome them. He saw where Jesus was going, ran ahead, and scurried up the
tree, perching himself among the branches both to see and, probably, to be
seen. What could Zacchaeus’s story have been had he never chosen and taken
these actions? The Lord forever invites, never forces his invitation.
Zacchaeus’s proactivity opened his heart to receive the Lord as he passed
by.
Jesus Sought Zacchaeus: None of Zacchaeus’s efforts were lost on Jesus. What must have
been in Jesus’ heart as he set out on the road that day, knowing he would meet
Zacchaeus? Did he see him running ahead, finding just the right sycamore tree
to hold him up and let him see? How did he respond to Zacchaeus’s utter delight
and surprise–almost defiance before the incredulity of the crowds–insisting
that his conversion was real, that he was willing to amend his life and live
his newfound faith with authenticity? This is the faith that draws the heart of
God to the sinner, to the child in need—that was Zacchaeus and that is you and
I.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, you affirmed to Zacchaeus that you had come to seek
and to save the lost. You speak this truth to my heart, too: you never tire of
going out to seek me. I wish to seek you, too. Strengthen me by your grace to
take daily, concrete actions which will open my heart and help me to receive
your invitations. And may my faith, sincere though feeble, draw you to me, too.
I need you, Lord, and I need you to never tire of seeking me out.
Resolution: Lord,
today by your grace I will look for and take concrete actions that will
strengthen my faith and openness to you.
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