Today's Gospel is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. The story of Zacchaeus, found in (Luke 19:1-10), is a beautiful narrative of grace and transformation. As Jesus passes through Jericho, Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector (the IRS Director) of our time, and a wealthy man, climbs a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Him. He was a short man in stature accordingly and because he was hated for the exploitations in taxes, he was perhaps isolated. Zacchaeus was definitely an outsider, despised by his community for his role as a tax collector, a collaborator with the Roman oppressors, notorious for corruption and greed. When IRS agents come hard on us for unpaid taxes, imagine how we feel about that. I'm just trying to walk in the shoes of these people in the days of Zacchaeus and how people like him made them feel.
Yet, as Jesus reached the spot, He looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." This simple yet profound statement reveals the heart of the Gospel: no one is beyond God’s reach, and His invitation is extended to all. How comforting ? Our hearts might just be Zacchues in this story.
I digress, I just couldn't help but draw the parallels of Jesus and the IRS Agent (Zachaues). Most of us have surely been given anxiety when we hear the name IRS especially when we fail to get our taxes in order. Now we understand how the people felt about the man Jesus stated He was going to spend His evening at his house.
Imagine today’s equivalent: Jesus walking into the town we live and announcing He is going to wine and dine with an IRS agent, a person many might associate with as a bureaucrat, audit, exploiter, and financial stressor. Like Zacchaeus, IRS agents are often viewed with skepticism or outright hostility. People might grumble, "Why would Jesus choose to spend time with them? Aren’t there more deserving individuals?"
But Jesus doesn’t look at status, reputation, or public opinion. He looks at the heart. He knows that Zacchaeus or our modern equivalent IRS agent is more than their job or their past mistakes. Jesus sees their potential for transformation. It could also be that Zacchaeus, despite his material success, felt he was missing something profound in his life-the Eternal Word Himself -Jesus Christ.
The Call to “Come Down”, Jesus' invitation to Zacchaeus begins with two powerful words: “Come down.”Zacchaeus was perched above the crowd, separated physically and metaphorically from those around him. His position in the tree reflects how he has lived his life—far removed, isolated, and distanced by his choices and the judgment of others. I'm sure most of us have been around people wildly successful by virtue of our worldly standards. Only God knows the kind of mental barrier that exists between us when we are with such individuals. The “us versus them” mentality is all too real.
For us though, the call to “come down” might mean stepping away from pride, self-sufficiency, or the walls we build to protect ourselves from vulnerability. Also mostly from life of darkness to light- Jesus. Jesus meets us where we are, but He invites us to come closer, to step into community, and to open our hearts to His presence. This is how I see it when I'm in church. During communion, we vacate our seats and step closer to the source of life Himself at the altar. It's like our own version of “come down”.
I thought it was a profound moment of Grace for this chief tax collector.When Jesus dined with Zacchaeus, it was a radical act of grace. In the eyes of the people, Zacchaeus is a sinner, unworthy of such attention. But Jesus doesn’t wait for Zacchaeus to clean up his life or prove his worthiness. Instead, His presence in Zacchaeus’ home catalyzes a change that no human can comprehend. This can be true for us too.
Grace works the same way today. Jesus doesn’t wait for us to be perfect before He enters our lives. His love is the starting point, not the reward for good behavior. The transformation of Zacchaeus, his decision to give half of his wealth to the poor and repay those he cheated fourfold flows from encountering Jesus' unconditional acceptance of him as a sinner.
Now we may wonder, what does all this mean for us? Are there people we judge as unworthy of grace, like the crowd judged Zacchaeus? How can we, like Jesus, extend love and dignity to those society looks down upon? The marginalized among us in society? Our labels of others as second class citizens, permanent underclass etc. Do we feel unworthy of Jesus’ attention, like Zacchaeus might have? His invitation to “come down” is for each of us, no matter our past failures or sins.
Zacchaeus responded to grace with action. How do we respond to the grace we’ve received?
In my own reflection, if Jesus were to pass through our towns today, He might surprise us by choosing to dine with the most hated IRS guy, the corporate executive accused of greed, or the person we least expect. But His actions remind us that no one is beyond redemption. Yes, redemption.
Let us hear His call to “come down”, to step away from whatever separates us from God and others and to joyfully welcome Him into our hearts and lives. Like Zacchaeus, we will find that His presence transforms us, enabling us to live with generosity, justice, and love. Amen.
I remain your pal,
Ronnie
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