The encounter between Zacchaeus and the Lord Jesus Christ is often one of those stories that are glanced over because too many people think they already understand and know the message. Nonetheless, I believe we oftentimes miss the small details, especially how considerate and attentive the Lord was to His surroundings that He was able to see, recognize, call out, and invite Himself to the tax collector’s house. Zacchaeus, who was once ostracized and was not proud of who he was, was forever changed because of how Jesus invited Himself to the sinner’s home and brought the heartfelt conversion to the lost.
As a tax collector, Zacchaeus was sure to be hated by his very own people. Perhaps his name says it all, too… it was not a typical Jewish name, but a Hellenistic adaptation! Perhaps he or his parents wanted to integrate and be in the ruling-class circle, so the name was changed in order to prove one’s worthiness and fidelity. Tax collectors, too, were often known to be corrupt or dishonest, taking more in order to pocket the extras. Some could argue that the extra money collected was needed to maintain a group of assistants, cronies, or people who were required to do the dirty work in order to collect the needed amount. Nonetheless, everyone can attest that it was not an honest and loving business. Hence, Zacchaeus was definitely seen as a traitor and despised by his own people.
Nonetheless, the Lord noticed him hidden amongst the crowd. He saw through him and reached out to love him in his very own despicable and isolated world. He saw beyond his lifestyle and obvious sinfulness to recognize his desire for something much more than the apparent riches. Like Zacchaeus, people who know deep within their hearts that their lifestyles are contrary to the truth often like to hide themselves amongst the crowd. They know what is right and wrong when they take the moment to reflect on their lifestyle choices. Even though some might be very vocal in justifying their “freedom” and decision-making process, those are just exterior things that deflect, distract, and point fingers elsewhere. Most of the time, especially as a priest, I do see many people straying away from the life of faith and trying to avoid conversion because they are ashamed, fearful that they cannot change, or they think they are not good enough to be loved.
In a very wonderful and loving way, the Lord reminded us that He is attentive to little things… even little people like Zacchaeus. He sees beyond what we can see on the outside and reaches out to speak to us heart to heart — deep from within. He sees beyond what the crowd and others can see, tries His best to break through humanistic and created barriers and invite Himself in. Are we able to have the heart of Christ Jesus to reach out, reconcile, and invite others back to the loving truth? Do we have enough caring attentiveness to notice those who are hiding themselves in the crowd? Can we see the Zacchaeuses in our midst and love them beyond their wrongdoings, poor choices, and sinfulness?
Without a doubt, each and every one of those is a hard question to answer. I know that I had been challenged to grow, embrace, and persevere in finding new ways to love people who are not deemed worthy to be loved by society. I had to learn to break through my own self-created barriers in finding creative ways to care for those who have been rejected by society.
When I was in my first year of theology, I was assigned to a halfway house with a group of seminarians. Each of us was assigned to a person to mentor, care for, and help the individual to be integrated back to society after a long period of incarceration. We were given the opportunity to spend time with those who were recently released from the prison system, with some who had been there for several decades, too. As a matter of fact, we were told that, for every year that a person has been locked up, it takes at least a month to reintegrate them back to a basic “normal” life. Hence, imagine the immense shock for someone who had been behind the walls for decades.
I was given someone who was incarcerated for almost three decades. The world that he knew before imprisonment and afterward was totally different! Furthermore, the many years behind the walls made him suspicious, reserved, careful, and leery of communication. Many times, I felt like I was hitting a wall and talking to myself, hence very discouraged when I came to visit this person. There were a lot of awkward silent moments, too. I prayed a lot before, during, and even after each session because I felt like I was not a big help to this person. I felt very defeated at times, too. Nonetheless, I knew that I was given this person our because of the good Lord’s divine providence, so it was important for me not to give up on him.
He finally opened up a little after nine months. And to my surprise, when I was about to wrap up my time of ministry at the halfway house, this person gave me a surprising and heartfelt gift that I was not expecting at all! Before wrapping up our final session, after shaking his hand, he asked if he could give me a hug. He thanked me for being there with him.
That gesture really moved me because I doubted my necessity at times. I thought I was not being helpful to him. I was discouraged because I felt like I wasted his time, and he did not want to be there. To be honest, too, I was a little bit jealous of some of my classmates who shared with me how much their clients opened up and enjoyed spending time with them. Nonetheless, I persevered and was given an unexpected gift that came from the heart!
I shared with you that story to invite you to reflect, discover, and find ways to reach out to the many Zachhaeuses who might be hiding in our midst. If I dare to ask… Who is the Zaccheus in your life at the moment? Sometimes, they are right in front of us, too!
It does take a very persistent, mindful, and attentive desire to recognize, invite, and help them see that they are loved, too.
God spoke to the person and to me in ways that we were able to receive. Both of us were challenged to grow outside of our comfort zones and allow Him to be in control. We both learned that care is much more than what we can immediately desire, see, want, measure, or hope for. The genuineness of love is gauged by our desire to seek God and allow Him to speak life to us; thus, the softening and conversion of heart can happen to us in ways that are beyond our imagination or expectation if we humble ourselves and invite Him in.
It takes a personal desire to see the little things — and little people — so that no one is intentionally ignored, abandoned, forgotten, or pushed away just because of their lifestyle. Even though not everyone will seek conversion or is ready for that heartfelt choice at the moment, it is important that we try our best to provide the opportunity — or at least do not push them away. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, let us learn from the encounter between the Lord and Zacchaeus and learn from Him how to see the Zacchaeuses that are in our lives as well.