Monday, November 24, 2014

Daily HOMILY for November 18, 2014: Tuesday of the 33rd Week of Ordinary Time

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Tuesday 33rd Week OT
St. Luke’s Institute
November 18 2014
ZACCHAEUS UP A TREE ++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø  Zacchaeus desires 2 C J & goes 2 extraordinary length to do so
Ø  He risks social stature he’s carefully built up
Ø  Small in physical stature, acts in most undignified way, racing ahead & climbing a tree!
Ø  When J sees how far out on limb literally & metaphorically Z has gone, he does the same
Ø  Calling him down, J says he must stay at Z’ house
ZACCHAEUS’ RESPONSE TO JESUS +++++++++++++++
Ø  Like Martha, who receives Jesus into her home & Mary Magdalene, whose discipleship is expressed in financial service, so Z receives J w/ joy, opening his heart & wallet in generous outreach
Ø  Z declares that ½ his possessions’ll go 2 poor & any ill-gotten $ he’ll repay 4x over
Ø  In addition to his dignity & reputation, Z risks his financial security & social standing among his rich cohorts
Ø  Gospel’s not specific about ways in which Z feels lost, or what prompts him 2 look 2 J 2B found
Ø  Nonetheless, J perceives Zs’ need & leaves w/ him saving grace 2 negotiate challenges that are surely ahead for him
IMPLICATIONS OF HIS RESPONSE TO JESUS ++++++++
Ø  J doesn’t ask Z 2 leave behind his profession nor 2 give away rest of his possessions
Ø  Rather, he meets him in the place of his seeking & opens up a saving way forward w/I his particular circumstances
Ø  1 wonders what’ll be cost 2 Z 2 live out of this saving grace
Ø  Will he be ostracized by the Jericho elites?
Ø  Will he follow Jesus out onto the final limb, the tree of the cross?
Ø  Will his life, like that of Jesus’, seed new shoots of hope and life?
CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø  That isn’t the question that should be on our minds
Ø  Our question is will this encounter w/ J in this revelation seed new shoots of hope and life in us?

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