Lessons learned from Zacchaeus
In his homily, Fr. Dom said that this weekend could be just another ordinary weekend like the previous ones- we come to church and go home and there is no change. Or it can be a weekend that changes everything- we heed the call of Jesus like Zacchaeus.
Fr. Dom explained that there are 5 lessons from the story of Zacchaeus:
- Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector but yet he was anxious to meet Jesus. He must have heard of Jesus and felt unworthy. This was his encounter with Jesus.
- Zacchaeus made an effort to climb the sycamore tree to see Jesus-to have this encounter with him. In our lives too, we may feel unworthy but we need to open ourselves up to opportunities God is calling us to.
- When Jesus passed the sycamore more tree, he asked Zacchaeus to come down- a lesson for all of us to come out of our comfort zone and heed the call of Jesus. Sometimes when opportunities knock, we need to discern and move on. Fr. Dom shared on how the story of Zacchaeus gave him the affirmation he needed to move on when he was asked to uproot from Ipoh to Penang during his early years of priesthood. He attested that when we heed God’s call, God blesses us abundantly.
- Zacchaeus was generous when he accepted the call of Jesus. He gave back to the people more than what he had taken from them. In our lives too, we can be generous not only financially but also in our talents, time and our friendly disposition.
- Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus into his home and his life. Are we ready to welcome Jesus into our lives? Are we willing to accept the call?