Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

31^st Sunday of the Year, C – November 3, 2019.

Readings: Wis 11:22-12:2; Ps 145:1-2.8-9.10-11.13cd-14(R.1); 

2 Thess 1:11-2:2; Gospel – Luke 19:1-10.

Theme: This Man too is a Son of Abraham 

Introduction

Beloved in Christ, as we enter the month of November which is considered as a time for praying for the souls of the faithful departed, the Church invites us to reflect on the universality of salvation on the one hand and to refrain from passing premature judgement on the other. Accordingly, our reflection which has the theme “This Man too is a Son of Abraham” urges us to develop a larger than life approach in matters of the faith while pursuing our salvation in life and trembling (Philippians 2:12). We shall consider a summary of the readings in order to obtain the desired pastoral lessons. 

Background & Summary of the Readings

The first reading (Wis 11:22-12:2) reminds the faithful that the Lord is merciful to all and because he can do anything, he overlooks people’s sins so that they can repent. It further reveals that he does not abhor or hate anything he has created. It also notes that he spares all things because they are his and his spirit is in them all. It maintains that God corrects the offender and admonishes those who have sinned so that they can abstain from evil and trust in him.     

In the second reading (2 Thess 1:11-2:2), St. Paul prays for the Thessalonians so that God would make them worthy of his calling, fulfill their desires and compete all that they have been doing through faith to the glory of his name. He urged them to turn to the coming of the Lord even as he encouraged them not to be alarmed by rumours that the Day of the Lord has arrived.    

The gospel reading (Luke 19:1-10) recounts how Jesus entered Jericho and when he was going through the town, Zacchaeus, a rich man and a senior tax collector made an appearance; it further discloses that he ran ahead of Jesus and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of him. We are told that when Jesus spotted him, he urged him to climb down while assuring that he was going to stay in his house. At that, the crowd complained that Jesus was mingling with sinners. 

However, when Jesus got to the senior tax collector’s house, the man promised to give half of his property to the poor. He added that if he had cheated anyone, he was ready to pay back four times the amount. Jesus’ audience had passed premature judgement on Zacchaeus, shut him out and summarily condemned him. To their dismay, Jesus said: “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.”  This leads us to the two kinds of human judgement there are:

Types of Human Judgement

a). Internal Judgement:  This happens in the Church where we find people who feel that they are holy and so do not associate with sinners. They hate to see the priest mingle with people they have tagged as “sinners.” In their overzealous pharisaic attitude, they criminalise, stigmatize and label others and are angry even when the “sinner” tries to make amends. Perhaps they have failed to understand Abigail Van Buren’s popular saying that: “The Church is a hospital for sinners not a museum for saints.” Besides, Jesus warned the Israelites that at the end of time, they would be judged by Gentile nations. He also maintained that “the first shall be the last and the last, first” (Matt 20:16).

b). External Judgement: There is a tendency for Catholics to behave like the Israelites who felt that because they are the chosen people, salvation is their exclusive preserve. Most of us are guilty of passing external judgement on others because we feel that those outside the Catholic Church or Christian faith will not be saved. Sadly, we demonstrate this attitude in relations to non-Catholics and non-Christians. We often put them out, label and condemn them for eternal damnation. We forget that Jesus used the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin and prodigal son to teach us about the universality of salvation.  

Pastoral Application & Practical Lessons

1. Be Merciful: The message of the first reading (Wis 11:22-12:2) that God is merciful to all and overlooks people’s sin so that they can repent challenges us to be kind and merciful especially to those whom society labels as sinners like prostitutes, witches and wizards et al. 

2. Recognize Jesus in Others: On a daily basis, Jesus passes through the Jericho of our lives but only those who have the eyes of faith can recognize him in others especially those who are adjudged sinners in our various communities.   

3. Embrace Humility: Just as it took humility for Zacchaeus to put aside his high status (chief tax collector) and social standing (wealth) in society to climb a tree in public, unless we throw away our earthly trappings of power and money towards embracing humility, we may not meet the Lord in our lifetime or the next. 

4. Desire God Ardently: We are challenged to emulate Zacchaeus who developed “an irresistible desire” for the Lord which emboldened him to find a way to catch a glimpse of Jesus. 

5. Fix Your Gaze on God: Instead of putting his gaze on his predicament of shortness in stature, the tax collector fixed his gaze on Christ which indicates that the Christian should have a larger than life approach to religion by looking at the bigger picture based on God’s plans for his or her life. 

6. Climb the Sycamore of the Church: The Church and her seven sacraments is a metaphor for the tree that Zacchaeus climbed which invites the believer to climb this mountain for a divine encounter with God no matter the condition.

7. God Notices Our Efforts: In the story of Zacchaeus, we notice that Jesus appreciated the short man’s effort of climbing a tree that was why he changed his mind to be a guest in his house – This implies that God appreciates our little faith and effort and is always ready to compliment it by making it grow like the proverbial Mustard Seed which when fully grown shelters the birds of the air. The bible says: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat...” (Revelation 3:20).   

       

8. Make Restitution: Zacchaeus' resolve to make restitution for whoever he has cheated also invites us to use the sacrament of reconciliation to make restitution for the things we are still enjoying that are not ours so as to relish complete forgiveness and peace.

9. You Are An Heir of Abraham: By saying “today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost,” we are reminded to avoid every prejudice or premature judgment which puts others out of God’s plan of salvation for all.  

  

10. Work Out Your Salvation: Although Jesus assured Zacchaeus that salvation has come to his house, the contemporary Christian must understand that we are called to work out our salvation in fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). 

Homiletic Points to Remember

1. The first reading reminds the faithful that the Lord is merciful to all;

2. It further reveals that he does not abhor or hate anything he has created;

3. In the second reading St. Paul prays for the Thessalonians so that God would make them worthy of his calling;

4. The gospel reading recounts how Jesus entered Jericho and when was going through the town, Zacchaeus, a rich man and a senior tax collector made an appearance;

5. Jesus said: “today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham…”

Conclusion

As “The People of the Book,” we have a common patrimony with Jews and Muslims. This is because both Judaism and Islam hold Abraham as their father in faith. This should humble us to realize that salvation is universal in character. The message of both the first reading and the gospel reveals that God does not abhor anything he has created. It makes us understand that he spares all things because they are his and they have his spirit in them. This means that both the Pharisee and the tax collector need God and salvation. As such, we must come to terms with the fact that God corrects and admonishes the offender or sinner so that he or she can abstain from evil and trust in him. In like manner, “Those who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak…” (Rom 15:1). May God help through Christ Our Lord. Amen!