SCRIPTURE:
“Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord: “I give half my belongings, Lord, to the poor. If I have defrauded anyone in the least, I pay him back fourfold.” Jesus said to him: “Today salvation has come to this house, for this is what it means to be a son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to search out and save what was lost.” Lk 19: 8-10
“She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and listened to his words. Martha, who was busy with all the details of hospitality, came to him and said, “Lord, are you not concerned that my sister has left me to do the household tasks all alone? Tell her to help me.” The Lord in reply said to her: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it.” – Luke 10: 39-42
SINNER TURNED SAINT:
Zacchaeus was despised by the public, especially by the religious leadership because he was a tax collector for the Romans. And special contempt was reserved for him because he was a chief tax collector. Hence in the New Testament there is always a coupling of tax collectors and sinners. This story is a deeply moving one as it demonstrates the total compassion and commitment of Jesus to sinners and the generous and wholehearted response of this chief tax collector to the invitation to receive the good news of Salvation. The assumption that Zacchaeus had to be a sinner because he was a tax collector fizzled before the reality of his discipleship. In the first place his desire to see and meet Jesus was so intense that he was willing to brave the scorn and ridicule of Jesus’ audience towards him when he met Jesus on the street. Then because he was short of stature he chose to climb a sycamore tree in order to have a clearer view of Jesus and so invited the mockery of the bystanders! But Zacchaeus is unfazed with the possible mistreatment he might receive. He is no longer pre-occupied with adverse opinions of him. His one desire is to meet Jesus and experience salvation from him and he will not allow anything or anybody to get in his way. Evidently the Holy Spirit had been working in the soul of this generous man, gradually bringing him to the point of complete surrender to Jesus. Indeed he was a saint disguised as a sinner!
Only a man surrendered completely to Jesus could respond to the criticism meted out to him in the way Zacchaeus did. He stands his ground in the face of unfair evaluation and says: “I give half my belongings to the poor. If I have defrauded anyone in the least, I pay him back fourfold.” By now Zacchaeus has become quite radical in his discipleship. Only a very generous and detached person would be willing to gladly give away fifty percent of his belongings. Who among us does or would? Anyone who gives away half his belongings must have a selfless and joyful heart. Would such a person have any desire to cheat anybody knowingly and willfully? Obviously not! So if by any chance Zacchaeus realized that he had defrauded anyone in the least, he made sure to pay back fourfold! No wonder Jesus is amazed and impressed by this man who seeks to become his disciple. Jesus exclaims in the presence of this crowd that is unfavorable to Zacchaeus: “Today salvation has come to this house, for this is what it means to be a son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to search out and save what was lost.” Jesus pays Zacchaeus the great compliment of calling him ‘a son of Abraham.’ Jesus’ response also suggests that Zacchaeus went through a conversion. He had been lost and now has been saved through the mercy and goodness of Jesus.
SINNER TURNED CONTEMPLATIVE:
In the New Testament Mary Magdalene is mentioned among the women who accompanied Christ and ministered to Him (Luke 8: 2-3). We learn that seven devils had been cast out of her (Mark 16:9). She is next named as standing at the foot of the cross (Mark 15:40; Matthew 27: 56; John 19: 25; Luke 23:49). She saw Christ laid in the tomb, and was the first recorded witness of the Resurrection.
Most of the Latin Fathers of the Church hold that the “sinner” of Luke 7:36-50, the sister of Martha and Lazarus in Luke 10: 38-42 and John 11, and Mary Magdalene were one and the same woman. In the account of Luke 7, a certain Pharisee named Simon invites Jesus to dine with him. A woman who is known in the town to be a sinner learns that Jesus is dining in the Pharisee’s home. She goes there and brings in a vase of perfumed oil and stands behind him at his feet, weeping so that her tears fall upon his feet. Then she wipes them with her hair, kissing them and perfuming them with the oil. Simon sees this and says to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is that touches him – that she is a sinner.” In the dialogue that follows between Jesus and Simon, Jesus extols the woman’s behavior and contrasts it sharply with Simon’s own. Furthermore, Jesus forgives her sins and comments on the fact that she is able to love much because she is forgiven much. On another occasion Jesus had cast seven demons out of her as the account in Mark 16 informs us. Clearly, Jesus has become a very significant person in her life. He has brought her peace and salvation. He is her Lord and Savior. Henceforth she is exceedingly devoted to him. She is Mary who sits at the feet of Jesus in Luke 10, immersing herself in his loving kindness. She is Mary who at the dinner given in their home in honor of Lazarus’ resurrection, prepares Jesus for burial in John 12 by bringing a pound of costly perfume made from genuine aromatic nard, with which she anointed Jesus’ feet. Then she dried his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the ointment’s fragrance. The accounts in Luke and John are very similar with slightly varying details. In each case they bespeak of Mary’s total devotion to Jesus.
TAKE AND RECEIVE MY ENTIRE SELF:
Zacchaeus and Mary Magdalene did not start out as saints. Each in their respective lives had struggled with the label of “sinner” caused by their own behaviors as well as the bias of others toward them. Mary Magdalene was also possessed by seven demons, a clear sign that she had not experienced the reign of God. This situation must have been a great burden to Martha and Lazarus, her siblings. However, both of them are drawn to the Person of Jesus. Both of them are willing to cast aside their lives as they knew them and put on a new life as taught by Jesus, becoming his disciples and accepting him as their Savior and Lord. As a result wonderful things happen. Zacchaeus lives a life of radical generosity and total commitment to Jesus. He becomes a true “son of Abraham. On her part, Mary is one of the very few followers of Jesus, including his apostles, who during his life time is totally devoted to him. She accompanies him to Calvary and is there when he hangs on the cross and finally dies. She played an important role in his burial. And she is indeed the first recorded witness of Jesus’ resurrection, an acknowledgment by Jesus of his great love and appreciation of Mary Magdalene.
HELPFUL ATTITUDES FOR PRAYER:
· “I give half my belongings, Lord, to the poor. If I have defrauded anyone in the least, I pay him back fourfold.
· Special contempt was reserved for Zacchaeus because he was a chief tax collector. Hence in the New Testament there is always a coupling of tax collectors and sinners. The assumption that Zacchaeus had to be a sinner because he was a tax collector fizzled before the reality of his discipleship.
· Jesus forgives Mary’s sins and comments on the fact that she is able to love much because she is forgiven much.
· Jesus had cast seven demons out of Mary as the account in Mark 16 informs us. Clearly, Jesus has become a very significant person in her life. He has brought her peace and salvation. He is her Lord and Savior. Henceforth she is exceedingly devoted to him. She is Mary who sits at the feet of Jesus in Luke 10, immersing herself in his loving kindness.
· Zacchaeus and Mary Magdalene did not start out as saints. Each in their respective lives had struggled with the label of “sinner” caused by their own behaviors as well as the bias of others toward them.
· However, both of them are drawn to the Person of Jesus. Both of them are willing to put on a new life as taught by Jesus, becoming his disciples and accepting him as their Savior and Lord. As a result wonderful things happen.
· Zacchaeus lives a life of radical generosity and total commitment to Jesus. He becomes a true “son of Abraham.
· Mary is one of the very few followers of Jesus, including his apostles, who during his life time is totally devoted to him. She accompanies him to Calvary and is there when he hangs on the cross and finally dies. She played an important role in his burial. And she is indeed the first recorded witness of Jesus’ resurrection, an acknowledgment by Jesus of his great love and appreciation of Mary Magdalene.
GUIDELINES FOR PRAYER:
· Be faithful to your time of prayer, and make it between 20 and 30 minutes daily.
· Begin every prayer session with an earnest prayer to the Holy Spirit like the one I have composed for you: Come, Holy Spirit, and overshadow me with your gentle wisdom and power as I endeavor to sit at the feet of Jesus during this period of prayer. Purify my mind and heart as I seek to make the teachings of Jesus my priority in life, thinking, speaking and doing as He desires. You are the keeper of my soul, leading me into God’s heart. May I be docile and submissive to your wisdom and guidance. May my life be a pleasing offering in your sight. Amen.
· Take one of the passages suggested for prayer. During the week you might want to ponder the question, “Has the Holy Spirit truly become Emmanuel for me and have I become the temple of God’s Spirit?”
· Lastly, during your prayer make sure you also address God directly and listen for the Holy Spirit’s responses.
· You can end your prayer with the following: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I thank you for your gracious companionship. I praise you for being my Creator, Savior and Lord. May I take your blessings to my day, and may your presence envelop and permeate all my thoughts and actions. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
PASSAGES FOR PRAYER:
Luke 19: 1-10: Zacchaeus the tax Collector
Luke 7: 36-50: The Penitent Woman
Luke 8: 2-3: The women who served Jesus
Luke 10: 38-42: Mary sits at the Feet of Jesus
John 11: 1-54: The Raising of Lazarus
John 12: 1-11: The Anointing of Jesus
Mark 15:40; Matthew 27: 56; John 19: 25; Luke 23:49: Mary at the foot of the Cross
Mark 16: 1-15: The Women at the tomb
SPIRITUAL READING:
The Imitation of Christ:
Book III: Of Inner Comfort
Chapter 34: That the Person who loves God enjoys Him above all and in all
Chapter 36: That You Should not Worry about what Other People May Say about You
Chapter 37: Of Gaining a Free Heart through Total Self-Surrender
Chapter 59: That All Hope and Trust should be fixed on God Alone
New Testament:
The Chapters of the Passages for Prayer
JOURNALING:
- Journal for a few minutes daily about your experience with God in prayer and during the day.
- Your journal will help you with your sharing in spiritual direction
- Gradually patterns of insights, themes, consolations, and resistance to God’s promptings will emerge.
- Your journal will help you appreciate the Holy Spirit’s action in your being.
|