Zaccheus and the Sycamore

November 20, 2018
Tuesday, 33rd Week in Ordinary Time
First Reading: Rv 3:1-22
Gospel: Lk 19:1–10
When Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the city, a mannamed Zaccheus was there. He was a tax collector and a wealthy man. He wanted to see what Jesus was like, but he was a short man and couldnot see because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up asycamore tree. From there he would be able to see Jesus who had topass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said tohim, “Zaccheus, come down quickly for I must stay at your housetoday.” So Zaccheus hurried down and received him joyfully.All the people who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has goneto the house of a sinner as a guest.” But Zaccheus spoke to Jesus,“The half of my goods, Lord, I give to the poor, and if I have cheatedanyone, I will pay him back four times as much.” Looking at him Jesussaid, “Salvation has come to this house today, for he is also a trueson of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Zaccheus’ diminutive height barred him from seeing Jesus. He climbed a tree, wanting to be above the rest to see him. He got more. The tree took him to a higher plane of encounter with Jesus. “Hurry down,” Jesus told Zaccheus, “I mean to stay at your house today.” His response was likewise profound. He did not only come down from the tree but also came down from his lofty sinful position in society and pledged his wealth to God and to the poor.
The sycamore tree was one silent witness to the dramatic encounterbetween a sinner up on a tree and a Savior standing on the ground.   At Calvary the Savior was up on a tree while sinners were down on the ground jeering at Him.
Zaccheus’ coming down from the Sycamore was a fitting symbol of his descent from pride. Jesus asked Zaccheus to come down from the Sycamore tree, as the Jews would ask Jesus later at Calvary to come down from the cross. Zaccheus found his salvation by coming down from the tree; Jesus brought us salvation by refusing to come down from his tree. For every sinner who refuses to come down from his sycamore, there is a God who continues to hang from the cross.
Like Zaccheus whose height made it impossible for him to see Jesus, our diminutive height in spirituality may hinder us from reaching God. We climb the sycamore tree of power and prestige expecting that these can procure for us salvation. As Jesus did to Zaccheus, Jesus will invite us to come down from our securities and never to return to our old sinful lives again. As Zaccheus’ response was deep, may ours be as profound! – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.

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