“This man has gone as a guest to the home of a sinner.” (Lk 19:7)

“This man has gone as a guest to the home of a sinner.” (Lk 19:7)

Today’s Passage: Lk 19:1-10  

Meditation: Today’s meditation verse gives us a lot of encouragement and strength to our real Christian life. Jesus’ decision as to go to the house of Zacchaeus made people think, “This man has gone as a guest to the home of a sinner.” (Lk 19:7) However, I do like and appreciate Zacchaeus very much for his humility and openness before God and people.

How painful it was for him to live a life amidst contempt and humiliation. But one day he made up his mind to come forward and be reconciled with God and his people. If you closely observe his actions, you will understand that he was not just saying the prayer, “I confess to almighty God,” but was living the penitential prayer. Let us try to live this prayer more honestly and humbly.

 It may not be his cheating (cf. v.8 declaration of Zacchaeus proves himself that he was not a cheater) that made people go against Zacchaeus, but the title tax collector. May be through decades, because of many reasons, the title tax collector received this negative mark. Jesus himself uses that title in a negative sense; “even the sinners and the tax collectors.” But Zacchaeus came out from that with his humility and openness of heart.

Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Listen sir! I will half my belongings to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much.” (Lk 19:8) Jesus’ saying gets good meaning here in this action of Zacchaeus, “If you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God.”  

  

 Prayer:  Lord God, we thank you and praise you for your daily eternal bread. Have mercy on us! O Lord, give us the courage to lead a meaningful Christian life in all circumstances. We want to repeat that simple sentence, “When I say, “I am a Christian,” I do not mean that I am holier than you, rather I confess that I am a simple sinner who received God’s grace somehow, and want to live that grace,” and offer it as our today’s prayer. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!  

                

Greetings: God is with you! Have a nice and blissful Tuesday…