Homily For Tuesday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 19th November, 2024

Readings: Rev. 3: 1-6.14-22; Ps.15; Luke:19:1-10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

AN ENCOUNTER THAT BRINGS MERCY, REPENTANCE, RESTITUTION AND NEW LIFE

Today, we heard in our Gospel passage the story of Zacchaeus who desires to see Jesus. Truly, I must confess that the attitude of Jesus upon seeing Zacchaeus on the tree was very touching. For Jesus did not condemn or criticize him nor demand anything from Zacchaeus. He only responded to the inner desire of a sinful man who seeks to see him, and he said to him: “Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry because I am to stay at your home today”. Zacchaeus quickly came down and, with great joy, received Jesus.

 No doubt, people complained and criticized Jesus, saying, “He has gone to stay In the house of a sinner”. But Jesus does not care about their criticism. He went to the house of Zacchaeus and defended him from people’s criticism. And rather than calling him a sinner, he called him “son of Abraham”. Here, we see how Jesus accepts those who were rejected by society. He offers a place to those who do not have one.

Jesus receives as brothers and sisters people whom the society and religion rejected. For sometimes in our lives, when we struggle with our inner desires and weaknesses, all we need is to sacrifice our pride and humbly climb the sycamore tree of grace, for on it we find the satisfaction and peace that we desire just like Zacchaeus.

But what can we learn from this story, we can learn that no one is beyond God’s redemption. We can learn that whenever sin has made us short of courage to reach God, we must do whatever it takes to get to Jesus no matter the obstacles. We must learn to welcome Jesus into our hearts and our homes. We must be prepared to confront and overcome the obstacles and challenges along the path towards our salvation. We must do whatever it takes to change our ugly ways of life to be better and positive.

Also, we must be willing to accept and accommodate other people when they repent from their ugly attitudes. We must know that sin makes us short of courage to reach out to God, so we must learn to climb the sycamore tree of grace just like Zacchaeus. We must not be comfortable with the ugly and sinful situation we find in and around us. We must learn to make restitution for all the things we have done wrong.

Dear friends, in the life of Zacchaeus, we see an encounter that brings mercy, repentance, restitution and a new life. But how many of us will be ready to say just like Zacchaeus: Lord, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody, I will pay him back four times the amount? We must know that it is necessary and mandatory for us to make restitutions for all the bad things we have done.

So, having listened to the story of Zacchaeus, how many of us will make restitutions of all the things we have acquired through sinful and corrupt means? How many of us will make restitutions for all the wealth we acquired through corruption and greediness? How many of us will step down or resign from our present position, which we acquired through corruption and bribery?

Therefore, we must learn from Zacchaeus, how to make honest restitutions. For we heard the Lord in our first readings today saying: If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him. Remember, Zacchaeus made restitution of all he had acquired illegally, and he was given a new label, a new status, new friends, a new family and a new life. We, too, should not be afraid to do the same, and so make a new name, new family, and a new life for ourselves. For this may bring about the peace, hope, joy, love and new life that we desire to have today.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are sinners in need of your mercy. As we climb the sycamore tree of grace with contrite hearts, may you find in us the inner desire for mercies and in your compassion purify us and welcome us back to your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.