31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

November 3, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Wisdom 11: 22 - 12: 2

Psalm 145 “I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.”

Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1: 11 - 2: 2

Gospel reading according to Luke 19: 1-10

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Homily: 

Jesus visited Jericho for many times and the last time he went out of Jericho was when one of its citizens, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, who was a blind, was cured and restored his sight.  This time again Jesus returned to Jericho and passing by its town.  “At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town” (Luke 19: 1). He wanted to see Jericho and its inhabitants. Jericho (/ˈdʒɛrɪkoʊ/; Arabic: أريحا‎ Arīḥā [ʔaˈriːħaː]; Hebrew: יְרִיחוֹ Yeriḥo) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank. It is located in the Jordan Valley, with the Jordan River to the east and Jerusalem to the west. It is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and the city with the oldest known protective wall in the world.  It was thought to have the oldest stone tower in the world as well. Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of more than 20 successive settlements in Jericho, the first of which dates back 11,000 years (9000 BCE), almost to the very beginning of the Holocene epoch of the Earth's history. Copious springs in and around the city have attracted human habitation for thousands of years. Jericho is described in the Hebrew Bible as the "city of palm trees" (Deuteronomy 34:3; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho).

When Jesus was passing by the city, many people came and flocked to see him, to listen to his preaching and to receive healing of all their sickness and diseases, for they knew and learned from the story of many witnesses what he did to Bartimaeus.  He attracted also many Jews and non-Jews residing in Jericho.  Some of them came from the Northern Syria, the Amorites, Canaanites tribes, etc., some remnants of Israelites from the time of Joshua, and some foreigners.  People were gathering and congregating at Jesus.  In the crowd, there was a man who would like to see Jesus but he could not insert himself (hindi siya makasiksik o makasingit) because he was small; we called it dwarfism (unano, pandak, maliit).  “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” (Luke 19: 2-3).  Like Bartimaeus (the earliest version is in the Gospel of Mark 10:46-52) which tells of the cure of a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, literally "Son of Timaeus," which means in Latinized form of the Greek name Τιμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμαω (timao) "to honor" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healing_the_blind_near_Jericho), was named and/or mentioned, he was Zacchaeus.  Zacchaeus, sometimes spelled or Zaccheus, Ancient Greek: Ζακχαῖος, Zakkhaîos; Hebrew: זכי‎, "pure", "innocent," (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacchaeus). His work was avowed as chief tax collector, meaning he was the head of all tax collectors but actually he was very rich man, a wealthy man.

Because he was interested to see who this Jesus was, he made a plan, “So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way” (Luke 19: 4).  He tried his best to climb a sycamore tree, which symbolizes strength, protection, eternity, and divinity, in spite of his height and stature.  He tried his best to see Jesus, his strength, protector, eternity and divinity sooner or later who will pass in that way.

Jesus who was very sensitive person and who knew the hearts of all saw Zacchaeus.  Along that way where the sycamore tree was located, he raised his eyes and with loving heart and understanding mind he called Zacchaeus to come down from his strength, protector, eternity and divinity.  “When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.’ And he came down quickly and received him, with joy” (Luke 19: 5-6).  Jesus understood the heart and mind of Zacchaeus who was looking for many years people who could understand him and accept him whoever he was.  He was lonely because he was alone, nobody accepted him, talked to him, and made friends with him but rather he was hated and cursed by his own neighbors.  But this day, in Jesus he found who he really was and even accepting his limitations.  Jesus wanted to accompany him and even to stay with him in his home, meaning there will be a table fellowship, brotherhood, camaraderie, friendship and companionship.  Zacchaeus was relieved from his misery and loneliness because he was accepted by Jesus.

There is something with man or people that we could not understand.  Is it jealousy or envy; is it indifference or insensitivity, self-interest or greed?  We cannot explain why people make hindrance to the progress and change to their neighbors who need help and support, as what they did to Bartimaeus.  This time they were doing the same thing – to make Zacchaeus miserable for the rest of his life, for he was chief tax collector who was despised as traitor (working for the Roman Empire, not for their Jewish community), and as being corrupt.  “When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, ‘He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.’  But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over’.” (Luke 19: 7-8). They made also Jesus a sinner who joined and accompanied a sinner.  For them, when you are in company of sinners, you too are also sinner.  They do not see the acceptance and forgiveness that bring in accompanying the one who needs understanding, love and acceptance, camaraderie and solidarity.  Because of what he had experienced with Jesus, Zacchaeus stood firm and with humility and with happy heart promised that half of his possessions he shall give to the poor, and as if he is saying that he never defrauded nor extorted, he shall repay anyone four times over.

Jesus proclaimed that the faith (soul) of the lost one of Israel has been found. “And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham’.” (Luke 19: 9).  If we change our lives for the better, if we accepted that we are sinners who need help and support from one another, especially from God whom we pray daily and every day He answered our pleading (pagsusumamo)), there and then, salvation comes in, for we too are sons and daughters, descendants of Abraham, the father of faith.  “’For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost’.” (Luke 19: 10).  Zacchaeus, Bartimaeus, tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners, all of us are also descendants of Abraham, they were examples of Jesus's personal, earthly mission to bring salvation to the lost, weak, and unprotected, yet on the top of sycamore tree which symbolizes strength, protection, eternity, and divinity we find our salvation.