LUKE
19:1-10
DO
YOU REMEMBER THAT MOVIE CALLED “AS GOOD AS IT GETS?” JACK
NICHOLSON PLAYS A WRITER WHO IS FULL OF NEUROSES AND
OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE PROBLEMS. HE EVENTUALLY MEETS A SINGLE MOTHER
AND FALLS IN LOVE WITH HER. HE EVENTUALLY TELLS HER THAT HE IS GOING
TO GIVE HER A COMPLIMENT. HE SAYS THAT HIS DOCTOR PRESCRIBED SOME
PILLS FOR HIM THAT WOULD HELP HIM WITH HIS BEHAVIOR, BUT HE
ABSOLUTELY HATES TO TAKE PILLS. SHE ASKS, “HOW IS THAT A
COMPLIMENT?” HE REPLIES, “THIS MORNING I TOOK A PILL. YOU MAKE
ME WANT TO BE A BETTER MAN.”
LOVE
ISN'T LOVE UNLESS IT CHANGES YOU. THINK OF HOW NEW PARENTS CHANGE
THEIR BEHAVIOR WHEN THEY ARE EXPECTING A BABY. THE EXPECTANT MOTHER
BEGINS TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT SHE EATS AND DRINKS; THE FATHER BEGINS TO
THINK ABOUT WHETHER HE WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY AND WHAT HE
SHOULD DO TO MAKE THAT MORE LIKELY. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE HONEYMOON
ARE OVER AND REAL LIFE MOVES IN ALL BECAUSE OF LOVE. OR EVEN THINK
ABOUT WHEN THIS COUPLE FELL IN LOVE. HE PROBABLY BEGAN TO PAY MORE
ATTENTION TO HOW HE DRESSED, AND MAYBE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF
SHOWERS HE TOOK EACH WEEK. SHE SPENT A LITTLE MORE TIME LOOKING IN
THE MIRROR BEFORE A DATE, AND TRIED TO SHED THOSE FIVE EXTRA POUNDS
THAT SHE PUT ON.
OR
THINK ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE FRANCISCANS, OR THE JESUITS, OR ANY
NUMBER OF OTHER ORDERS. IT WASN'T ONLY LOVE OF GOD THAT LED PEOPLE
TO JOIN; IT WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THE FOUNDER THAT ATTRACTED THEM TO
THAT PARTICULAR ORDER. IT WAS A SORT OF LOVE.
JESUS
WAS ALWAYS BRINGING ABOUT CHANGE; MEN AND WOMEN LOVED HIM AND
CHANGED. THE APOSTLES LEFT EVERYTHING TO FOLLOW HIM; WE REMEMBER THE
WOMAN WHO WAS ABOUT TO BE STONED FOR ADULTERY; HER LIFE WAS LITERALLY
SAVED BECAUSE OF THE ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS. AND TODAY WE READ ABOUT
ANOTHER SUCH ENCOUNTER – A SHORT RICH TAX COLLECTOR WHO FELT THE
URGE TO SEE JESUS AND CLIMBED A TREE. AND THE RESULT OF THIS
ENCOUNTER WAS A CHANGE IN THE TAX COLLECTOR'S HEART – HE INTENDED
TO GIVE HALF HIS WEALTH AWAY, AND MAKE SURE THAT HE HAD DEFRAUDED NO
ONE. HIS ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS DID NOT JUST CHANGE HIM, IT CHANGED
THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED THE PRODUCT OF HIS GENEROSITY, AND JESUS
HIMSELF PROMISES NOT ONLY THAT SALVATION WOULD COME TO ZACCHEUS, BUT
TO HIS WHOLE HOUSEHOLD. ALL BECAUSE ZACCHEUS WANTED TO SEE JESUS AND
WENT TO THE TROUBLE OF CLIMBING A TREE. HOW MUCH DID GOD DO FOR THIS
MAN, WHO DID SO LITTLE TO DESERVE IT?
MY
GRANDFATHER, WHO WAS A FALLEN AWAY MORMON, USED TO SAY THAT HE FELT
CLOSEST TO GOD WHEN HE WAS FISHING OR HIKING IN THE HILLS OF MONTANA.
AND WE ALL PROBABLY HAVE OUR FAVORITE WAY TO FEEL CLOSE TO GOD –
ONE OF MINE IS TO TAKE A GOOD LONG RIDE ON MY BICYCLE. AFTER ALL,
GOD IS EVERYWHERE, AND WE CAN ENCOUNTER HIM IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. SO
COULD ZACCHEUS; SO COULD THE APOSTLES. I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT
AFTER THE RESURRECTION WHEN THE APOSTLES DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT,
PETER ANNOUNCED “I AM GOING FISHING.” HE KNEW THAT IF HE
SLIPPED INTO THE OLD GROOVE OF WORKING THE NETS AND STEERING THE
BOAT, HE WOULD FEEL AT HOME. BUT ALTHOUGH WE CAN AND SHOULD BE AWARE
OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD WHEREVER WE ARE, IT ISN'T THE SAME THING AS
ENCOUNTERING CHRIST, THE GOD, CHRIST THE MAN. AND JESUS LEFT US THE
SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST PRECISELY SO THAT WE COULD ENCOUNTER HIM
IN A SPECIFIC WAY, IN A SPECIFIC PLACE.
WE
CAN TALK ABOUT HOW WE LOVE JESUS; BUT IF JACK NICHOLSON STAYED IN HIS
APARTMENT HE COULD LOVE HELEN HUNT ALL HE WANTED TO, BUT NOTHING
WOULD HAPPEN. IT WAS ONLY WHEN HE CAME INTO HER PRESENCE THAT THE
LOVE COULD BEGIN TO BLOSSOM. AND WE CATHOLICS BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS
REALLY AND TRULY PRESENT IN THE EUCHARIST, JUT AS HE WAS PRESENT TO
ZACCHEUS 2000 YEARS AGO. AND YET, WE'VE DEFINITELY LOST SOMETHING IN
THAT WE DON'T ACT LIKE WE BELIEVE THAT. WE AREN'T WILLING TO CLIMB
THE TREE TO SEE HIM; WE SHOW UP FOR OUR WEEKLY MASS, AND THAT'S A
WONDERFUL THING – BUT HE'S HERE IN THE TABERNACLE ALL THE TIME, AND
DURING SPECIAL TIMES, LIKE EVERY TUESDAY AND ON FIRST FRIDAYS, HE IS
VISIBLE TO US; HE IS PRESENT TO US; HE IS THERE TO LOVE US AND HELP
US DEEPEN OUR OWN LOVE FOR HIM.
SOME
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THAT SILENCE SITTING ON A HARD
PEW. BUT THE BEAUTY OF ADORATION IS THAT IT DOESN'T DEMAND ANYTHING
FROM US BUT OUR PRESENCE; JESUS IS REALLY PRESENT, WE NEED TO BE
REALLY PRESENT. TWO FRIENDS CAN HANG OUT TOGETHER WITHOUT TALKING;
LOVERS CAN BE DOING THEIR OWN THINGS BUT IN THE PRESENCE OF EACH
OTHER THERE IS SOMETHING EXTRA. AND THAT'S WHAT ADORATION IS ALL
ABOUT. BRING A BOOK; ORGANIZE YOUR WEEK; DAYDREAM; TELL HIM WHAT'S
ON YOUR MIND IF YOU WANT. LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO ZACCHEUS AND ALL HE
DID WAS CLIMB A TREE. THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES IF YOU BEGIN MAKING
A TIME TO COME INTO THIS CHURCH FOR A HALF-HOUR OR SO ONCE A WEEK TO
BE IN THE REAL PRESENCE OF JESUS.
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