Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
The perspective which informs our prayer is the perspective which forms how we who are praying will act. The perspective with which the Church prays today, sees God as the source of our service, “Almighty and merciful God, by whose gift your faithful offer you right and praiseworthy service, . . .” We pray that we might be open to receiving the gift of serving Him well. God always stands ready to give. Prayer fosters our desire for the Lord and opens us to receive His graciousness. St. Paul sought this for the churches to whom he wrote, “We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling.” (2 Thess 1:11) So we each pray, and together with the whole Church throughout the world, and with all the angels and saints, we ask for this continued gift.
The book of Wisdom expands our perspective on God. It notes our littleness before the Lord, “Before the LORD the whole universe is as a grain from a balance or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.” (Wis 11:22) Yet, this infinitely great God loves what is little. As a wise priest I knew liked to paraphrase this reading, God is the Lord who “loves us into being”. (cp. Wis 11:24-25) We may learn from the Gospel how to stand before this infinitely great “Lover of souls” (Wis 11:26).
Jesus and Zacchaeus show us actions which correspond to this perspective of God. In Jesus’ time, Jericho was a great city, a vacation destination for Herod’s court, and a city to linger in for those with spending money and thus for those interested in making money. “Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.” (Lk 19:1) Money is not a reason for Jesus to stick around. He does find something far more valuable that does cause him to stay longer. Zacchaeus, hearing that Jesus was coming, sought to see him, even if it meant awkwardly climbing a tree to get a good view. Zacchaeus’ desire to see Jesus opens him up to being seen by Jesus, to having Jesus draw close, to being transformed by the way in which Jesus sees him and comes to him. From one who had spent his life seeking tax money from his neighbors, Zacchaeus now desires to give money away, so changed is he by the generosity of the One who looks upon him and who desires to dine with him. Jesus comes to dine with us sinners if we but seek Him who is always seeking to give Himself to us. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” (Lk 19:10)