This year at Sts Peter and Paul, we are all called to ‘Let Your Light Shine”

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Gospel Reflection

Through nine or ten chapters of the Gospel of Luke and over several months we have been following the journey of Jesus towards Jerusalem. In today’s Gospel, Jesus has drawn very near to Jerusalem – Jericho is just a short distance from Jerusalem – and Jesus is moving steadily closer to the Passion of his final days.

Zacchaeus is as keen as the rest of Jericho to see Jesus as he passes through the town. However, because he is so short he can’t see past the crowd and because he is a despised tax collector, no one was going to make room for him to see. He goes to the extreme length of climbing a tree just to catch a glimpse of Jesus. Like other characters in the Gospel, his determination to simply catch sight of Jesus is an indication of his readiness to accept the message of Jesus. Because of his evident willingness to welcome the message of Jesus into his life, Jesus prompts Zacchaeus to welcome Jesus into his home. The readiness of Jesus to enter into the house of someone regarded as a sinner causes great scandal among the onlookers. What’s more, Jesus is prepared to eat with this man as well – a sign of complete acceptance. The welcome of Zacchaeus meets the welcome of God.

Jesus declares that salvation has come to Zacchaeus’ house and that he is a son of Abraham – one of the faithful. His words are directed to the crowd, not Zacchaeus. They are so determined to draw lines between those who are acceptable and those who are not that they have failed to notice what Jesus has taught all along – that faith can flourish in all people and is not determined by their social status.

(Reflection by Greg Sunter)

Have a blessed week,

Stephanie Burns

Religious Education Coordinator