Zacchaeus

Many years ago a priest came from India on a strange mission. He was passing through on his way around the world. He came, he said, to encourage priests, brothers, nuns, lay people to live the poverty of the Gospel. He was particularly eloquent in his denunciation of the rich. In a public talk that he gave, attended by seminarians and nuns, he denounced the lack of the spirit of Jesus Christ in the Philippine Church.

Only a few months before (he said) there had been in Manila a great celebration attended by bishops from many countries. "And where did the bishops stay while they were in Manila?" he asked. And he answered his own question. He said, "The bishops were housed as guests in the luxurious homes of millionaires!" He named some of the millionaires. "Disgraceful!" he thundered. He continued, "If Jesus Christ had come to Manila, where would he have stayed? Would he have stayed in the houses of millionaires? No! He would have lived in Tondo, in the hovels of the poor!"

In the question period he was asked, "When Jesus went to Jericho, in whose house did he stay?"

The Indian priest did not reply.

The incident of Zacchaeus is one of the many significant passages in the Gospel of St. Luke (Luke 19.1-10). Jesus, already well known for his miracles, was on his way to Jerusalem and he passed by the very prosperous city of Jericho. He was surrounded by a big crowd. A man named Zacchaeus wanted to have a look at the famous man, but, being short he could not see him. He climbed a tree. When Jesus, surrounded by the multitude, passed by, he stopped and looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down. I would like to stay in your house as your guest."

Zacchaeus scrambled down and, with great delight, brought Jesus to his house.

Jesus, deliberately, of his own accord, invited himself to stay in the house of a notorious publican.

A publican was a tax collector. Like many tax collectors of our own day, Zacchaeus had become very rich from bribes and extortions. His house – doubtless a very luxurious one – would be the last place where a self-respecting person would choose to lodge as a guest. And Jesus deliberately chose to lodge in that house.

At once the wagging tongues of the self-righteous were busy condemning the action of Jesus. Of all the places in Jericho where he could have lodged, he chose to stay in the house of a notorious sinner!

But the effect on Zacchaeus was immediate and princely. Half of his possessions he would give to the poor. From the other half he would repay fourfold those whom he had defrauded.

To have amassed a fortune by means not entirely honest, is worthy of condemnation. To obtain pardon, restitution must be made. But this corrupt tax collector made restitution on a grand scale. It was his way of expressing gratitude for the kindness Jesus had shown him.