31st Sunday in Ordinary Time ( C )

INTRO:

There are many commentaries on this Gospel about Zacchaeus and I imagine if you read this story ahead of the Mass you may have a good interpretation of Luke’s message. The message is pretty obvious. Jesus seeks us out.

ONE commentary I read pointed out a LESS OBVIOUS interpretation and beautiful message. To illustrate it…. I have to begin with a story…..

Third Grade TEACHER, first day of school….she drew two circles on the board

But they intersected a bit….she explained that each circle…one was the boys, the other the girls and where they came together is what BOTH boys and GIRLS have in common. She asked her students: WHAT IS IT THAT BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS HAVE IN COMMON??
• We all smile
• We all cry
• We all fight
• We all play and on and on the students went!

Then the teacher drew three circles and labelled them, BLACK, WHITE, and YELLOW and pointed out the intersection and said THIS IS WHERE ALL BLACK, WHITE, AND YELLOW CHILDREN HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON…What would that be she asked????
We sing
We dance
We pray and the list went on and on

Yes, the things we have in common, not the things that divide us.

God wants “COMMON-UNITY”…… UNITY in our land….. Always has and STILL does in 2019!

GOD has a wide embrace and that wide embrace is gathering in other people on the fringes that we might not put into our circle: like Zacchaeus; the chief TAX COLLECTOR and sinner.

God sees sinners ……. as people who are not yet THE FINISHED PRODUCT of Christian life … like all of us!

So the embrace of Zacchaeus is more than just between white, black, and yellow children but, also between

Rich and Poor
Jew and Gentile
Male and Female

This story is MOST about God who reaches out, looks for, seeks abundantly SINNERS AND BROKEN INDIVIDUALS, LIKE YOU AND I!!!!!

This is what we rejoice in, what we hope for in a God who wants strongly to be with us.

CONCLUSION

God wants to dine with you and me. And God wants to eat with sinners.