OMELIE / Omelie EN

30 ott 2022

30/10/2022 – 31st Sunday in O.T. - year C

30/10/2022 – 31^st Sunday in O.T. - year C

Reading 1 WIS 11,22 - 12,2 Psalm 144 Reading 2 2TM 1,11 - 2,2 Gospel LK 19,1-10

The book of Wisdom is giving us a great lesson regarding God’s intentions: we are sinners, but he is not despising us because of this, on the contrary, He is looking for ways of freeing us from sin and take away the fault from us. “You rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, o Lord”. Knowing the goodness of God and His love for all creatures, we can entertain the hope that we might be saved, even if we realize we have drifted away from Him or we have knowingly disregarded His words and His presence. By recognising our sin, we can go back to believe, and so trust in the Father’s love. We will be free and saved from blame.

In which way does God meet our needs, to free us from the weight and the suffering coming from sin?

The gospel gives us the answer.

A man is living in anxiety because of his evil conduct. Having the possibility of seeing Jesus, at all costs he does not let the occasion to meet Him slip away: despite being quite well known, he acts in a way that could ridicule him in front of everyone. Now Jesus has become for him more important even of his own reputation. And Jesus appreciates the desire of this man who, how ironic, is called Zacchaeus, which means “pure”. He, a sinner, is called «pure»! But that very name now becomes quite fitting. When he meets Jesus he becomes who he should be.

The man who welcomes Jesus and is taking a stance for Him, is welcoming the gift of the Father’s love, and therefore he is pleasing to Him, and finds true life and peace.

This is it, Jesus is God’s answer to our sin. You are looking for a solution for your situation of disobedience to Him, and He makes you meet Jesus, who really is God with us, the Emmanuel, whose eyes purify us and make us healthy again, make you new.

Saint Luke is telling us about Jesus meeting a sinner, because this is an encounter which will be repeated over and over again in the Christian communities. People despised by men because they have been actively dishonest, by meeting Jesus have changed their ways, they have become exemplary, or even a harsh reminder, also for those Christians who have always been practicing the commandments.

Zacchaeus is an example, not so much because he has given back the money to the people he had conned or because he has given half of his possessions to the poor, but because he has taken Jesus seriously, he has let himself be influenced by His Spirit, has allowed God’s wisdom to be part of his earthly affairs. The importance of this encounter is here: living with Jesus transforms the life, changes it and makes it new.

How? We do not know this beforehand, we do not know how our life will change: it is the Holy Spirit who suggests to each one what he could or should put into effect in order to be a witness for Jesus and glorify Him.

Meeting Jesus every day, letting ourselves to be observed by Him, opening the door of the house to Him, laying in front of Him what we are and what we own, so he can decide about our time, our money, our affections, our skills and qualities!

Zacchaeus has become “pure” when he has welcomed Jesus. I too, sinner, become the best I can be when I meet and welcome Jesus with all my being. He is really the love and compassion of God for the sinners who suffer in the world!