Date: Sunday, October 30, 2022

Zacchaeus is the chief tax agent in Jericho. Jericho is a very prosperous trade and agricultural village just northwest of Jerusalem. Zacchaeus is an unpopular man. He is collecting tax levies (with a commission for himself) for an occupying power -- the Roman army and Emperor. Zacchaeus is a collaborator.  Ironically his name “Zacchaeus” means “clean.” When he hears Jesus is passing through Jericho on way to Jerusalem, Zacchaeus being short of stature and wanting to catch a glimpse of Jesus, climbs a tree. A bit comical for a man of means. In a twist of fate or destiny, Jesus sees Zacchaeus, calls him down and then invites himself to stay at Zacchaeus house! When onlookers grumble because Jesus is befriending a public sinner, Zacchaeus, speaks up and says to Jesus, “Behold half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I shall repay it four times over.” 

We judge Zacchaeus to be a corrupt man, who after he meets Jesus, is dramatically transformed. He starts telling Jesus (and all of us listening to the Gospel account) about all that he intends to do in the future. But is this the correct or only possible translation of the Sacred text? It depends on how we translate the Greek verbs “to give” and “to repay.” Our reading at Mass uses the future tense, that is, Zacchaeus says, “I shall give to the poor” and “I shall repay.” There are eminent Catholic Biblical scholars who say it should be translated in the present tense thus Zacchaeus is saying, “Look, Lord, I am giving half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated someone, I make fourfold restitution.”

Appearances can be deceiving. Zacchaeus has been presented as a disreputable person, who after his encounters with Jesus, experiences a remarkable conversion or change of heart. Looking more closely, could it be that Zacchaeus while making his share of money collecting taxes is also at the same time struggling to be a faithful Jew by holding to the Torah regarding restitution of ill-gotten goods and to the Prophets to help the poor? In the Bible, giving alms is a sign of righteousness. At the beginning of the Gospel according to St. Luke, when people come to the Jordan River, John the Baptist challenges those seeking baptism that they must share their goods (clothing and food) with the poor and not to extort money. By changing their behavior, a true sign of repentance, they would be in a better position to “see the salvation of God.” Zacchaeus by living his Jewish faith, the Torah, and the Prophets, finds himself in the right place. I don’t mean “up a tree” physically but the right place spiritually and morally to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah. Jesus sees more in Zacchaeus than meets the eye. Jesus remarks for all to hear, “Today, salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendent of Abraham.”  

We know one thing for sure: God’s grace is at work in Zacchaeus deepening his understanding and practice of his Jewish faith and predisposing him to be curious about Jesus, an itinerant preacher, passing through Jericho. God’s grace is at work in us. We can identify with Zacchaeus, an imperfect man, as we strive to live our Catholic faith, mindful of our weakness and sin, and as we pray for a deeper encounter and friendship with Christ. Jesus wants to stay in our house too! “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”