Thirty-First Sunday of Year C
God’s Mercy Draws Us to him
Fr. Udoekpo, Michael ufok
§ Wisdom 11:22–12:2;
§ Ps
145:1-2,8-11,13-14;
§ 2 Thes 1:11–2:2
§ Luke 19:1-10
God does not judge
any of us as we deserve. Rather, he loves us. He shows us compassion, kindness,
mercy and forgiveness. With this he expects us to abandon evil doings and
return to Him.
This merciful and
loving- nurtured God is consistent from creation. God lovingly created man and
woman out of nothing, as narrated in the Book of Genesis. Even when man fell as
we saw in the activities of Cain and Abel, the story of the Tower of Babel, the
flood of Noah, God initiated again the call Abraham and established a
unilateral covenant relationship with humanity (Gen 12ff). This covenant of
love, peace and rest follow God’s people in the deserts, in exiles and
throughout the entire history of salvation. The first reading of today (Wisdom
11:22–12:2), written about 50 years before the time of Christ, affirms this
loving, and forgiving nature of God.
The point of this
wisdom reading is that whenever we experience difficulties, and sufferings,
even some spiritual dryness, as some of the Israelite did at some point and
time in their lives, we should remember that nothing happens without God’s knowledge.
God is constantly watching over us. And nothing remains or dies unless God
wills it (Wis 11:25). Even when we make mistakes, God rebukes us little by
little. God’s goals are that sinners may abandon bad ways and return to Him
(Wis 12:1-2). His intention is not to demolish us, in spite of our brokenness.
None of us is
perfect. God often uses weak instruments: Abraham, Jacob some of the Judges,
Rahab the prostitute, Moses, and the Prophets. Even Paul who was once a
persecutor of the faith was converted to a promoter of the faith and all that
God has done for us in the name Christ, to whom we are constantly called to glorify
( 2 Thes 1:11–2:2). For God so much loved us that he sent Christ to us, so that
everyone believes in him might have eternal life (John 3:16).
The doors of this
eternal life are 24 hours opened to everyone and every race: white and
black, man and woman, young and old, rich and poor of all nations. Conversion
is not too late. This is true in the case of Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus in
today’s Gospel (Luke 19:1-10). The context of this encounter of course is still
that of a traveling Jesus to die for us in Jerusalem, began as far back as Luke
9:51.
Jesus has come to
pass through Jericho. It is an important city. It is a town far below sea
level, close to the Jordan River. It’s a city known for commerce and trade.
King Herod once had a palace here. Mark Anthony once gave Jericho to
Cleopatra as a present. With the power of God, Joshua and his trumpeters had
brought down its walls.
It was quite a
historic city that Jesus has come to pass- by. Crowds have noticed not only the
physical but the divine presence of Christ. They are eager to see him. In this
crowd was a short wealthy man and a tax collector, known as Zacchaeus. He put
his wealth aside and climbed a tree in order to catch a glimpse of the Messiah.
Rather, the Messiah caught a glimpse of his total person and invited him to
come down for a new life in Christ. Despite grumblings from the crowd they
proceeded to Zacchaeus’ house. Perhaps they had a meal there, conversations
about everything, and prayers. But within this context Luke tells us Zacchaeus
was converted, and salvation came to his entire household, since the son man
came to seek and save what was lost (Luke 19:1-10).
Sometimes we feel
lost in our sins, poverty, joblessness, anger, racism, inordinate use of power
politics, abuse of wealth and our sexuality. But the good news is that wherever
you are and whatever you are doing God is looking out for you. It is never too
late to come back to Jesus! You might be sleeping, saying the rosary or
climbing the tree like Zacchaeus- God’s love and his saving mercy is waiting
for us. Please, come down from the Tree and be saved.
Reflection
Questions
·
Do you consider yourself a sinner?
·
Have you ever experienced God’s love and mercy?
·
How do you share your experience of God’s love with your neighbor/parishioner?
