Breaking Open the Word
By James Cavanagh
Oct. 31: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Scripture readings:
- Wisdom 11:22 – 12:2
- Psalm 145:1-2, 8-14
- 2 Thessalonians 1:11 – 2:2
- Luke 19:1-10
Overview:
The first reading stresses the transcendence of God in order to emphasize the magnificence of his mercy. Even though “the whole universe is as a grain from a balance” God hates nothing he has made, including and especially sinners. Though deeply flawed and damaged by sin, man remains the object of God’s love. Justice requires that wickedness be punished, but God is patient and mercifully withholds punishment in order to give sinners time to repent, for God “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ez 33:11). In this week’s second reading Paul expresses his deep desire that “God will make you worthy of his calling … that the name of Jesus may be glorified in you.” God’s grace does not merely cover sins, but infuses the soul with his own divine life, which brings about a complete transformation of the whole person, thus glorifying God. God’s mercy is vividly demonstrated in this week’s Gospel in Jesus’ encounter with a notorious sinner named Zacchaeus. In one of the most memorable scenes of the Bible, Jesus beckons the little man to come down from a sycamore tree where he had perched himself in order to get a better view. Zacchaeus greatly desired to see Jesus, but even more so did Jesus desire to be with him. “Today,” Jesus said, “I must stay at your house!” His conversion was so profound that Zacchaeus gave half of his wealth to the poor and restored fourfold to anyone he had cheated.
Key Verse:
“You have mercy on all … and you overlook people’s sins that they may repent” (Wis 11:23)
“Catechism of the Catholic Church”:
“God is infinitely good and all his works are good. Yet no one can escape the experience of suffering or the evils in nature which seem to be linked to the limitations proper to creatures: and above all to the question of moral evil” (No. 385).
Pope Benedict XVI:
"Jesus called by name a man despised by all. ‘Today’: yes, this very moment was the moment of his salvation. ‘I must stay:’ why ‘I must’? Because the Father, rich in mercy, wants Jesus ‘to seek and to save the lost’ (Lk 19: 10). The grace of that unexpected meeting was such that it completely changed Zacchaeus’ life” (Angelus Nov. 4, 2007).
Life application:
There are two dangers with respect to sins: one is to pretend they don’t exist; the other is to be so obsessed with them that we can’t let them go. We need to be honest and realistic about sin, while at the same time confident in God’s mercy. Jesus wanted nothing more than to stay at Zacchaeus’ house. Just so, the Christ wants nothing more than to abide in the “house” of our soul that he may be glorified.
James Cavanagh is director of Evangelization and Catechesis for Metro-Area Parishes of the Denver Archdiocese. For information on subscribing to "Breaking Open the Word, click here. For archives click here.
