31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
 October 30th, 2022

First Reading:  Wisdom 11:22 - 12:2 
Psalm #145 R I will bless your name forever, my King and my God
Second Reading:  2Thessalonians 1:11 - 2.2
Gospel Acclamation Verse: God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that everyone
who believes in him may have eternal life. Alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10 

Theme:  Jesus sees and knows all about you, and wants to be your friend, just as he did for Zacchaeus

Commentary by Jane Prini

Have you ever been in a crowd where everyone is taller than you, and all you see are the backs of their heads or backs? I sure have. It is hard to listen when you can’t see what is happening, right?

This week’s Gospel story is another story about a tax collector. St. Luke tells us that this rich chief of tax collectors, from Jericho, named Zacchaeus, was a short man. He was trying to see who Jesus was. Can you imagine the kind of questions he had? Maybe he was wandering: Who was this guy? What does he look like? What does he sound like? What is it about the way he looks at people, touches them, that stirs up all of this energy, this excitement?
The crowd was in the way, so Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree to see better. What would you think if you saw a rich man in a tree? He didn’t care how ridiculous he looked or if he dirtied his expensive clothes. He wanted a better view of Jesus when he walked by. Do you think Jesus saw him in that tree? Yes he did! And Jesus called him by his name and said he wanted to have a meal with Zacchaeus. That was a way of saying that he wanted to be friends with Zacchaeus. It changed the way Zacchaeus lived from that day onward.

What would be some ways we can see who Jesus is? What are some ways that we can get a better look at Jesus away from all the distractions and busyness around us? For me, morning prayer with scripture reading, praise music and reading thoughtful, spiritual books help me to see and know Jesus better. Taking time to really listen to others is another way. 

This gospel reading tells me that if we have the desire to see who Jesus is, if we have faith and courage and forget about the crowds enough to climb the tree, Jesus will show up. We only have to ask him and he will come to us. He will look us in the eye. He will call our name. And I know that our lives will never be the same again. 

Like Zacchaeus, we will know we are loved and we will want to be the best version of ourselves. We will know that God made us to be friends with him, that our sin breaks that friendship, that Jesus came to give us back that friendship by his death and resurrection and that we are invited to make the choice to say yes to being friends with Jesus for he is the Way, the Truth and the Life to the Father.

Prayer for Families: Heavenly Father, we know you made us to be in relationship with you. We thank you that you know each of us by name and everything about us, that you love us more than we can imagine. Thank you for hearing our prayer, and for bible stores that help us to know you better. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever, AMEN

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