Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Rapid changes in everyday life force us to constantly run to catch up to our goals, and it is difficult to adjust to the new conditions.  We are afraid to stop so others may go before us, and then we lose in the competition. We are also afraid to lose what we attain with great effort from our life. We’re like bottomless bags; no matter how much we put into them, it will be not enough.

Zacchaeus was a very rich man, a chief of the tax collectors. He managed them in the district of which he was in charge and determined the rate of duty for goods sold. On the one hand, his position allowed him an impressive income, on the other hand, this was a cause of hatred for the people. Even though Zacchaeus was spiritually far away from Jesus, he wanted to see Him. To achieve this goal, he climbs on the sycamore tree, not wanting to overlook the moment when Jesus would be passing by. St. Luke in his Gospel shows this meeting to draw our attention to the meaning of the Mission of the Son of God. It is to find those who got lost on life’s paths, and were rejected by others and condemned to damnation.

Zacchaeus’ attitude points very clearly to the fact that the encounter with Jesus can change the life of any person, even a man that is on the losing position. The point in which Zacchaeus decides to start his new life is the desire to fix the damage caused by earlier harm. Zacchaeus didn’t have to do it, but he wants to give half of his assets on behalf of those in need. He did not have to pay so much to those he robbed before. But he did it, because he met his Savior. It was not an empty declaration, since Jesus said in response: “Today salvation has come to this home.” The attitude of Zacchaeus changed his family so much, that all accepted God’s salvation through faith in Jesus.

Jesus Christ was sent into the world by our Loving Father. And “everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” To meet Jesus, we have to open ourselves to grace and internal conversion. The entrance to the way of Jesus is not so much the merit of man, but rather it is the grace of a good God that precedes the effort of man.

God is waiting for a meeting with the individual human being. He always starts His conversation with man in the situation in which a man is. All evangelical meetings of people with Jesus convince us about it. God, while waiting for the man, Himself became man, our Brother. In Him we have the Mediator before the Father. To change our lives, we need this encounter with God’s love and understanding of our situation.  May the Lord give us all this grace. God Bless You!