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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.
Randers Museum of Art, Public domain, via Wikimedia
Commons
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