He wanted to see what Jesus was like, but he was a short man and could not see him
because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree. From there he
would be able to see Jesus, who was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the
place, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, come down quickly, for I must stay at
your house today.” So Zaccheus climbed down and received him joyfully. All the people
who saw it began to grumble, and said, “He has gone as a guest to the house of a sinner.”
But Zaccheus spoke to Jesus, “Half of what I own, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if
I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much.” Looking at him Jesus
said, “Salvation has come to this house today, for he is also a true son of Abraham.
The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

Reflect

“Come down quickly.” Today’s Gospel pericope narrates the story of Zacchaeus,
introduced as a tax collector, a wealthy man and a short man. He was rich but was not
happy. He may have been looking for happiness and that was why he wanted to see
Jesus. Because he was of small stature, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus.
When Jesus passed by, he looked up, saw Zacchaeus and told him to come down
because Jesus would stay at his house that day. Because of Jesus’ acceptance of
Zacchaeus, the latter was converted. The people who saw the encounter of Zacchaeus
with Jesus were not happy about it. They judged Zacchaeus for being a tax collector,
a known cheater. We may reflect on the point that perhaps what pushed Zacchaeus
to cheat were also the condemning people around him. Perhaps, since he was a child
he had been bullied by others for being a short man. Zacchaeus must have then put
his self-worth in money and thus began amassing wealth even in the wrong way.
Perhaps, for the first time, somebody, Jesus, looked up to him with dignity. Hence,
he experienced the saving power of acceptance.

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