HOMILY FOR THE 31ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C.

Wisdom 11:22-12:2; Psalm 14:1-2, 8-11, 13-14; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19:1-10.

 

“THE PRIZE OF SALVATION!”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.

·      The story of the rich tax collector Zacchaeus is the focus of the gospel of the day. Mindful of the aversion of devout Jews to tax collectors, Jesus Christ expressed his wish to dine with Zacchaeus.

·      The story of Zacchaeus is a popular one that most of us are familiar with. The gospel reading highlights some important facts about this man called Zacchaeus. He was a rich man, a senior tax collector, and had everything he wanted but still felt empty. Despite his riches and influence, there was a vacuum that money or influence could not fill.

·      Zacchaeus made his money from dubious means, he inflated taxes and other sharp practices thinking that that will guarantee him joy and eternal life.

·      Despite being so rich, he still possessed good self-awareness. Something told him that only Jesus can fill that vacuum and luckily for him, Jesus was in town. For Zacchaeus, this was a one-time opportunity to fulfil this burning desire not necessarily because he believed in the message but because Jesus was equally influential, popular and had the key to eternal life. 

·      Zacchaeus was determined, hence, he threw away pride and shame and climbed the sycamore tree to have a glimpse of Jesus. That singular opportunity became a life-changing experience for him and his household.

·      Jesus said to him, that salvation has come to his house. Zacchaeus may not have been a bad person beyond his chosen profession, but a lot of things worked against him namely:

-       The Crowd: the crowd represents distractions, bad company, and praise singers who will never tell him the truth but will always tell him what he wanted to hear – that he is doing well. If we also have the crowd around us, our chances of salvation become very slim (Mark 10:46-52).

-       He was short in stature: that he was short may not necessarily refer to physical stature but that he was short-sighted. He believed that life begins and ends with him hence, there was no need to work out his salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). He was hedonistic in his thinking and attitude.

·      Jesus Christ was attracted by the beauty of the soul of Zacchaeus. It did not take long for Zacchaeus to display this beauty lying inside of him. In his words, ‘…sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ Here we see his immediate response to the love shown to him by Jesus Christ. 

·      Zacchaeus stood his ground when he saw that Jesus Christ looked at him not with condemnation but with love. Thus he was ready to give back all he ever stole or extorted from people. This is repentance per excellence! Christian faith is charged with love. We can trace this from the first reading (Wisdom 11:22-12:2) which states the unconditional love of God for humanity. According to the reading, “…you are merciful to all because you can do all things and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent.” If God can give us the chance to repent, how come we find it difficult to express the same to others through faith?

·      Instead of condemnation, Jesus showed mercy and compassion for him. And among the many people in the crowd, the Lord singled him out and called him by name. The love and forgiveness he received from Jesus made him extremely grateful and he welcomed him into his house with supreme delight and joy. And this gratitude led him to generosity: “Half of my possessions I shall give to the poor.”

·      Many of us Christians like Zacchaeus are also short-sighted although we may not be physically short. We are surrounded by a crowd of praise singers who will not tell us the truth. Today, like Zacchaeus, we must break away from every grip and stronghold. We must catch a glimpse of Jesus, we must sight him from higher ground.

·      The tree represents freedom and a new beginning for Zacchaeus. And the loving gaze of Jesus changed his story and public image and made him a sweet penitent and a candidate for salvation hence the expression of Jesus “Salvation has come to your house today” (Luke 19:9).

·      Dearly beloved in Christ, how come we gaze at Jesus daily in the Eucharist and our lives are not being transformed? It is because we have obstinately refused to allow the loving gaze of Jesus to transform our lives or we are not yet ready to make the journey of faith and allow Jesus to make us whole again.

·      For Zacchaeus, it was a one-time opportunity and he never looked back anymore. He made restitution for all the wasted years of sin. His salvation came with a prize. Salvation is promised to us all, but it comes with a prize. The prize is that we must be ready to make sacrifices and deny ourselves of certain things and company.

·      Zacchaeus paid the prize of salvation by giving half of his property to the poor and making restitution four times over to those he has offended. We too must ask ourselves what sacrifice am I prepared to make to ensure that my salvation is guaranteed?

·      As Christians, we also share in the mission of Christ to seek out the lost sheep of the house of Israel. We are not able to share when we do not have the faith that recognizes the beauty of the other’s soul. Zacchaeus is also the son of Abraham. Many like Zacchaeus are willing to give up their sinful ways only if we show them love. Our faith can capture the soul’s yearning for God.

·      Dearly beloved in Christ, you and I are sons and daughters of Abraham, and salvation is promised to us, but we must not take that promise for granted and lose it. Today Jesus has come to seek out and save you and I who were lost in sin, will you not respond positively? Tomorrow might be too late.

·      May the Lord give us the grace to realize the urgency of salvation and be ready to pay the prize to secure it through Christ our Lord, Amen!

·      Happy Sunday!!!