Luke 19, 1-10
Entered Jericho, it crossed the city. There was a man named Zacchaeus, who was the chief publican, and rich. He tried to see who Jesus was, but he could not because of the people, because he was small in stature. He ran forward and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass by. And when Jesus came to that place, looking up, he said: "Zacchaeus, come down soon; because it is convenient that today I stay in your house ». He hurried down and welcomed him with joy. When they saw him, everyone murmured, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinful man." Zacchaeus, standing up, said to the Lord, "I will give half of my goods to the poor, Lord; and if I defrauded someone, I will give back the four times. " Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this is also the son of Abraham, because the Son of man has come to seek and save what was lost."
Zacchaeus, who was a sinful man, meets Jesus. But this meeting does not happen in a fortuitous way, but is born of the curiosity of this man, who surely admired Jesus in secret. As Jesus passed through Jericho there were many people gathered in the hope of seeing what that prophet was so much heard of. One of them was Zacchaeus, a man of bad reputation, since he was dedicated to collecting taxes and he was also very rich. His short stature prevented him from seeing Jesus. Then he ran ahead to climb a tree and from there to contemplate Jesus at the time it happened. And as he passed, Jesus looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately, because today I have to stay in your house." He came down quickly and received it with joy. And all the people murmured: "He has gone to the home of a rich sinner." Zacchaeus said resolutely to Jesus: "Lord, I am going to give half of my goods to the poor and to whom I have unjustly demanded something, I will give back four times more." Jesus answered: "Today salvation has come into this house, because this man is also a son of Abraham, the Son of man has come to seek and to save what was lost."
How transformative Zacchaeus' encounter with Jesus Christ will have been for this man to decide to correct the course of his life. Probably from the moment that Zacchaeus looked for Jesus with so much interest, he knew that his way of acting was not the right one and he knew that knowing that prophet would change his life, although this had many consequences. Zacchaeus when climbing the tree, overcomes human respect. It provides the necessary means for a face-to-face encounter with the Lord. He did not imagine that Jesus Christ would ask him to stay at his house. And he came down from the tree quickly and received it with joy.
What a beautiful attitude for Zacchaeus, who, knowing his sins, accepts the Lord and quickly responds to his request. All Christians can imitate this attitude of promptness before the claims of the Lord and a joyful readiness, because there is no greater reason for happiness and joy that Jesus calls us and does it every day. Zacchaeus could not remain the same after personally knowing Christ. Decides to restitute anyone who has cheated. And Christ, who knows the heart of every man, gives him the good news: "Today salvation has entered his house."
