First Reading - 2 Maccabees 6:18-31
Gospel - Luke 19:1-10
The first reading presents Eleazar as an example of faithfulness to the Law. There broke out a fierce persecution against those who didn't give in to the injunctions of Antiochus who wanted to dissolve Jewish identity and hellenize the Jewish land. Eleazar is presented as a heroic figure who remains faithful to the Jewish law to the end of his life and becomes an example to be emulated for the succeeding generations.
The theme of today’s Gospel is the benevolent and forgiving mercy of God for sinners and the response of repentance and conversion expected from them. The story is that of the instantaneous conversion of the tax-collector, Zacchaeus. As the chief tax-collector in Jericho, Zacchaeus was probably a man of much wealth and few friends. Since he worked for the Romans and extracted more tax money than required by the law, he was probably hated by the Jews who considered all tax-collectors as public sinners. The account describes how Jesus recognized Zacchaeus for exactly who he was – a lost sinner in need of a Savior. Jesus’ response lets us see how God’s grace worked in Zacchaeus to lead him from idle curiosity to repentance, conversion, and the making of restitution. The episode emphasizes the fact that such a conversion can only result from a person’s fully receiving the love, acceptance, and grace of a merciful Lord.
Dear friends, many times we observe sins in sinners but forget to observe possibility to win over the sinners to a life of faithfulness and repentance. Today Jesus teaches us to win over sinners for God through loving acceptance to them. Jesus peeps through the longing heart of Zacchaeus for acceptance and as a result, Zacchaeus repents. This was the experience of love and acceptance that brought a drastic change in Zacchaeus. He is won by Jesus to the life of faithfulness to God which is expressed in his repentance.
We are also called to the life of faithfulness to God. Eleazar stands as an example of faithfulness to us. We are challenged by the first reading; can we stand strong in the midst of opposing forces like Eleazar? He was not ready to compromise with his faithfulness to God to the point of dying. We are to remain faithful to God always. Any compromise, any laxity or any excuse can lead us away from our faithfulness to God. Let's not give any place to compromises, laxity or excuses in our lives which can deviate us from remaining faithful to God. Our faithfulness to God is nurtured by our faithfulness to small responsibilities that are entrusted to us. If we are faithful to our responsibilities, we will be faithful to God as well.
May God help us in our faithful endeavours.
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