A New Man
Luke 19:1-10
Like last Sunday’s Gospel reading, today’s Gospel once again centers on the actions of a tax collector. And like last week, we once again witness God’s grace and blessings through the redemption of sin in his infinite mercy.
As a tax collector, Zacchaeus is publicly despised for collaborating with the Roman ruling elite and for extorting money from the people. However, his encounter with Christ led him to a path of conversion and repentance, as demonstrated by his actions such as sharing his wealth with the poor and his desire to over-recompense those he has defrauded in the past.
In the eyes of Jesus and those around him, Zacchaeus was a sinner. However, Jesus does not stop there. He looks beyond those sins and imperfections deep into the heart of Zacchaeus, seeing him as a child of God. By offering to visit his home, Jesus enters his heart and ignites the flame of conversion as only He can.
No matter how little or sinful we are, God always sees us. Not only does he see us, but he sees us with eyes of love and mercy. Emboldened by this knowledge, we are free to reconcile ourselves to him when we fall.
As the famous saying goes: Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall. Together, let us turn back to Him who is “the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6) and clasp his outstretched hand.
When was the last time you went to confession? Let us put on “the new man” (Eph 4:24) and “be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Let us receive the gift of the sacrament of reconciliation, which is God’s special gift for us.
With the exception of the first half of this article, which is summarized from the Catechist Manual for Catechumenate, Foundations in Faith, RCL, Allen, Texas, 1998; this reflection is written by the FLL Inspire editorial team.