31- c

31st Sunday-C 

Once a mother was making pancakes for her children and the boys began arguing over who would get the first pancake. The mother looked at them and said, “If Jesus were sitting here, he would say, “Let my brother have the first pancake and I can wait”. 

So, the little boy looked at his brother and said, “You be Jesus”.Friends in Christ Jesus, 

Our Lord Jesus Christ is fully mercy and compassion. His love surpasses all else. Nothing can be compared to His unconditional love. He is slow to anger and ready to forgive. Even at the last moment, there is forgiveness. He looks at you as though you were the only on the planet. 

In today’s gospel, we meet with the tallest person in the bible.   

Zacchaeus became taller because of His determination to see Christ our Lord. As he decided to see Christ our Lord, he leaves behind his old ways and climb up in a tree and wait for Christ to come by. When we talk about God, we usually look up and this is the first time, we see how Christ comes by the tree and begins to look up for man. The whole nature of divine began to change because of Zacchaeus's determination to see Christ. On the other hand, Christ was the one who looked for Zacchaeus first. 

Zacchaeus became taller because as he came down from the tree, the first thing he said was, “ Lord, I will give to the poor half of my possessions and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much’.  Because of his change of heart, he began to grow taller. Yes, he is the tallest man in the bible. 

Zacchaeus became taller when Christ said, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today”. This is the only time, Christ invites himself to Zacchaeus place. I am going to come to your place and that brought so much happiness and joy to him. He instantly changed himself. 

Conclusion:  Jesus says that the son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost. If Zacchaeus becomes taller because of his determination and nature and because of his way of thinking and doing, anyone of us has the blessing to change and experience in new height in us. So, let us leave behind whatever hinder us from experiencing Christ’s love and kindness and his compassion and forgiveness and experience new height in life. Amen.