ZACHAEUS: A HUMBLE AND COURAGEOUS MAN
HOMILY FOR THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY C3
Readings: Wisdom 11:22-12:2 Psalm 145:1-2. 8-9. 10-11. 13cd-14; Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19:1-10
Today, the gospel presents to us a man of courage – Zacchaeus, a personality who, in many respects can be said to be an African or related to African leaders when we analyse him by his expertise or professionalism in stealing, theft or graft. He stole like many of the Nigerian or African leaders at the helm of affairs but he distinguishes himself from these leaders who steal on an industrial scale by his conversion and restitution when he met Jesus.
At the time of Jesus, tax collector s were seen as great sinners. There are two reasons for that. Firstly the Jews saw them as traitors since they collect taxes for Ceaser. Secondly most tax collectors were cheating people as they collect the tax more than they are expected to collect. They cheat and exploit people. If ordinary tax collector make money through illegal way you can imagine how the senior tax collectors were making their money. Zaccheus can today be compared with senior politician. You can imagine him to be like a senator in Nigeria today.
The humility and curiosity of Zaccheas made it possible for him to have a change of heart and gained salvation. It was his humility and curiosity that made him to claim a three. How many of our big men today will there to claim a tree Just to see a Man of God. Some even feel too big to kneel in the church or to stand when the priest is processing in.
Having encountered Jesus and realised his fault, he took a courageous step by making restitution and sharing half of his wealth to the poor. How many of us can do that today?
In Nigeria, we have lost the sense of the evil about stealing. Today, many people are tempted to define Civil Service in Nigeria as a system or process where the employer is stealing the employee and the employee is stealing the employer.’
We celebrate thieves as Prof. Patrice Lamumba of Kenya says that we even pride ourselves in supporting thieves by saying, ‘we know he or she is a thief but he or she is our own thief.’
Stealing has become a celebrated crime in our lives. We recognise and give award to one who steal at ‘industrial scale’ and kill the thief who steals at a ‘retail rate’. We have given stealing nice names like ‘embezzlement’, ‘defalcation’, ‘money-laundry’, ‘financial fraud’ etc.
One expects that recovered or the returned stolen money would be used for the benefits of all Nigerians, but the tragedy is that even the recovered stolen money is re-stolen and it is never found again.
On the individual level, we have acquired so many things but many of such things are products of stealing –either from the Government and our workplaces. For example, the cars, houses we have, if we truly calculate the money we used in acquiring them, our legitimate incomes cannot acquire them.
But stealing is evil. The Bible condemns it, ‘Thou salt not steal’ (Ex. 20:15). Little wonder then, in the Bible, Ananias and Sapphira stole but did not repent and they died (cf. Acts 5:1-11). Judas stole and did not repent he died (cf. Matthew 27:1-5). Gystas, the one who was crucified at the left of hand of Jesus stole and refuse to repent and he died without repenting and asking for forgiveness but Dimas, the one who was crucified at the right hand of Jesus repented and asked for forgiveness and Jesus tells him, ‘Today you will be with in paradise!’ (Luke 23:39-43). This is how he stole heaven at the last end.
St. Paul says in Ephesians 8:28, “If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need (New Living Translation).
Or, “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need (New International Version).
Jesus tells us, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal” (John 6:27).
On a practical note, today’s Gospel calls us return anything that we have stolen to its owner. This is because the act of restoration or restitution is pleasing to the Lord and by this his name is glorified in us. So, if you know you stole something or you are keeping something that does not belong to you, return it back to the owner as Zacchaeus did, without Whistle-blowers or EFCC telling you to. For example:
If you stole someone’s phone, laptop or hand-out take it back to the owner.
If you stole any MONEY belonging to your FRIENDS,lecturers or neighbours, return them back –
As a man, if you a Girl-friend-snatcher or wife-snatcher, take her back to him.
We need to make restitution.
On a spiritual level, when we struggle and ‘climb the tree of confession’ Jesus sees us, he will tell us, ‘Make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’
As we become sorry for our sins of theft or stealing and make restitution and repent of them, and receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we pray that we shall hear the voice Jesus calling us, ‘Make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’
Readings: Wisdom 11:22-12:2 Psalm 145:1-2. 8-9. 10-11. 13cd-14; Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19:1-10
Today, the gospel presents to us a man of courage – Zacchaeus, a personality who, in many respects can be said to be an African or related to African leaders when we analyse him by his expertise or professionalism in stealing, theft or graft. He stole like many of the Nigerian or African leaders at the helm of affairs but he distinguishes himself from these leaders who steal on an industrial scale by his conversion and restitution when he met Jesus.
At the time of Jesus, tax collector s were seen as great sinners. There are two reasons for that. Firstly the Jews saw them as traitors since they collect taxes for Ceaser. Secondly most tax collectors were cheating people as they collect the tax more than they are expected to collect. They cheat and exploit people. If ordinary tax collector make money through illegal way you can imagine how the senior tax collectors were making their money. Zaccheus can today be compared with senior politician. You can imagine him to be like a senator in Nigeria today.
The humility and curiosity of Zaccheas made it possible for him to have a change of heart and gained salvation. It was his humility and curiosity that made him to claim a three. How many of our big men today will there to claim a tree Just to see a Man of God. Some even feel too big to kneel in the church or to stand when the priest is processing in.
Having encountered Jesus and realised his fault, he took a courageous step by making restitution and sharing half of his wealth to the poor. How many of us can do that today?
In Nigeria, we have lost the sense of the evil about stealing. Today, many people are tempted to define Civil Service in Nigeria as a system or process where the employer is stealing the employee and the employee is stealing the employer.’
We celebrate thieves as Prof. Patrice Lamumba of Kenya says that we even pride ourselves in supporting thieves by saying, ‘we know he or she is a thief but he or she is our own thief.’
Stealing has become a celebrated crime in our lives. We recognise and give award to one who steal at ‘industrial scale’ and kill the thief who steals at a ‘retail rate’. We have given stealing nice names like ‘embezzlement’, ‘defalcation’, ‘money-laundry’, ‘financial fraud’ etc.
One expects that recovered or the returned stolen money would be used for the benefits of all Nigerians, but the tragedy is that even the recovered stolen money is re-stolen and it is never found again.
On the individual level, we have acquired so many things but many of such things are products of stealing –either from the Government and our workplaces. For example, the cars, houses we have, if we truly calculate the money we used in acquiring them, our legitimate incomes cannot acquire them.
But stealing is evil. The Bible condemns it, ‘Thou salt not steal’ (Ex. 20:15). Little wonder then, in the Bible, Ananias and Sapphira stole but did not repent and they died (cf. Acts 5:1-11). Judas stole and did not repent he died (cf. Matthew 27:1-5). Gystas, the one who was crucified at the left of hand of Jesus stole and refuse to repent and he died without repenting and asking for forgiveness but Dimas, the one who was crucified at the right hand of Jesus repented and asked for forgiveness and Jesus tells him, ‘Today you will be with in paradise!’ (Luke 23:39-43). This is how he stole heaven at the last end.
St. Paul says in Ephesians 8:28, “If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need (New Living Translation).
Or, “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need (New International Version).
Jesus tells us, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal” (John 6:27).
On a practical note, today’s Gospel calls us return anything that we have stolen to its owner. This is because the act of restoration or restitution is pleasing to the Lord and by this his name is glorified in us. So, if you know you stole something or you are keeping something that does not belong to you, return it back to the owner as Zacchaeus did, without Whistle-blowers or EFCC telling you to. For example:
If you stole someone’s phone, laptop or hand-out take it back to the owner.
If you stole any MONEY belonging to your FRIENDS,lecturers or neighbours, return them back –
As a man, if you a Girl-friend-snatcher or wife-snatcher, take her back to him.
We need to make restitution.
On a spiritual level, when we struggle and ‘climb the tree of confession’ Jesus sees us, he will tell us, ‘Make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’
As we become sorry for our sins of theft or stealing and make restitution and repent of them, and receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we pray that we shall hear the voice Jesus calling us, ‘Make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’
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