Reflections on the Church Year

Amazing Confusion

jebmonge — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:32:43 +0000

Note: the new address for my future posts will be: jebmonge.areavoices.com.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Matthew 1;18-25

December 19,2010

The first time I read this text, I thought: “Well, just another nice text to consider.” Then I read it again! Wow!! There are so many characters involved in these few verses and above all so much mysterious activity. There are Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Holy Spirit, an angel of the Lord, reference to a prophet, a prophecy, etc. Then poor Mary, maybe 14 years old, who has been overwhelmed by the message to her about her child. Now, poor Joseph, around 30, receives a message from God via a dream regarding the same child, that the infant should be named Jesus because he will save God’s children from their sins, and that he should not be afraid.

Now, call me crazy, but that is exactly what Joseph must be in order not to be completely baffled and overtaken by this business. The poor man was a tekton, a stonemason who built walls for houses. How could he understand all of this happening?! Even a scribe, a person who could read and write, a scholar, would not be able to comprehend what was happening. Pregnant by God? Don’t be afraid? Please. Let’s be reasonable!

Luke says that Joseph was a righteous man. Righteous definitely means moral and virtuous, but the greater meaning is that he was in “right relation with God.” His relationship with God was much like the idea of marriage at the time. Love has taken on the element of deep feelings since the Romantic Age. Love has been conceived as a feeling of intense emotions. In Joseph and Mary’s day, love was a commitment to each other, to provide stability in order to bring children into the world. Consider Fiddler on the Roof as an example.

An older man, established in his occupation, would marry a younger woman who was of child-bearing age, and they would establish a family. Marriage was a commitment of faithfulness to the marital relationship. Joseph, being a righteous man, would not expose Mary to public ridicule and rejection. In fact, he saved her life, for adultery was punishable by stoning to death. And the stones were not pebbles!

Joseph’s relationship with God was the same. It was a commitment. “I am the LORD your God. You shall have no other gods before me.” Surely, we all have other gods: people and values for which we are concerned and which affect our lives and decisions. But Joseph had made the commitment and lived accordingly that God would be his ultimate value. And he lived in this relationship, and God was greatest influence on his life. That is what it means to be righteous.

Confused? Bewildered? Completely beyond his comprehension? Of course. Who among us can even explain the miracle of birth in our own normal situations let alone a virgin birth?

In spite of all of this, when Joseph awoke, “he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” Remarkable. That, in itself, is a miracle!

What all of this means to us is this: we have to pay attention to the for-s in our lives. “Do not be afraid, for….” “You are to name him Jesus, for….” We are children of God, for — for God has chosen us, for God has come to us, for God loves us in spite of our fears and doubts…. What an absolutely remarkable God we have! Amen.

Who is the Greatest?

jebmonge — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:08:24 +0000

The Third Sunday of Advent

Matthew 11:2-11

December 12, 2010

Who is the Greatest?

John was a mighty man. He left a life of ease, living as the son of a Temple priest and went into the wilderness. His food was simple. His dress was that of a prophet. Jesus said that he was the greatest prophet of Jewish history, but added that the least in the kingdom of heaven would be greater?

John was in prison awaiting certain execution for infuriating the royalty. He lived true to his calling: to introduce the Messiah who was coming soon. A single focus. Continually pointing away from himself to the one person in history who was able to give us new life, a life which would be with us through eternity. This was quite a message given to a nation which had been beaten up and persecuted for centuries.

How can we Americans imagine what that must be like? We live in peace and prosperity in spite of a few years of struggle. Centuries of living in poverty, in being abused and pushed around like they were worthless animals. They were taxed beyond their means and sent into slavery if they were unable to pay their taxes. The church had become corrupt and wealthy. Its leaders changed and altered their religion in order to protect their positions of wealth and influence.

So, what can all of this mean to us in this day? “Tell John that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the dead are raised from the dead….” John was assured that this Jesus of Nazareth was in fact the Messiah. So now John could die in peace. He had succeeded in fulfilling his calling.

The least in the kingdom of heaven are greater than even this faithful servant of the Old Testament. Jesus mentioned a few people who were being brought into the kingdom of heaven. They were helpless, hopeless and broken people. Individuals who could not repay Jesus. All they could do was accept the new life they were given by this Messiah.

They were like the little children who were brought to Jesus, rebuffed by his Disciples, and yet received by the Master. He let them sit at his feet and in his lap. He embraced them and gave them his complete attention. Little children in Greek is paidion, and for us it means children who are ages 1 to 4 years of age: preschoolers. Little ones who are completely dependent on their parents. Little ones who, in a sense, give nothing to society but only receive its benefits.

Then Jesus tells the adults: “You won’t get into the Kingdom of Heaven unless you accept my gifts as these little ones do: without pretense of deserving them but simply accepting them.

This so contrary to the way we live. We get what we earn. Nothing is given to us. We work hard and are paid accordingly. But then this Jesus tells us that we are simply to accept the gift of New Life he constantly gives to us. “Oh, I don’t deserve it!” “Oh, I must earn my way to heaven!” “No, God. Wait until I become good enough!”

Then the hymn writer helps us sing: “Just as I am, without one plea.” How embarrassing! But how joyful to be loved in spite of who we are, in spite of what we have done. In spite of rebelling against God and insisting on living our own way which inevitably drives us into a wasteland of existence. It seems the only way we are open to accepting God’s gift of Life is when we are driven to our knees. It is then, like the Prodigal Son, that we remember who we are and who our Father is, and all we can do is turn to him, return to him, and lo and behold he takes us back. Empty hands. Only more needs.

Who is the greatest? Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Messiah. And as we learned on Christ the King Sunday, this King of ours is amazingly loving. In his greatness he continues to love us, to receive us back, and initiate the Love which restores us and enables us to live through the worst times. We call the Messiah Immanuel, which we remember means “God with us.” There is not a time when our Lord is not with us. He doesn’t push us or pull us but walks alongside us, supporting and encouraging us to continue on our journey. And all we children of God are able to do is say “Thank you, Lord.” That in itself, is greatness!!!

Lives of repentance

jebmonge — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:56:07 +0000

The Second Sunday of Advent
Matthew 3:1-12
December 5, 2010

This is a terrifying text, especially for spiritual leaders. John calls out to the crowd: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” The word for near (“eggus”) means ‘so close you can nearly touch it.’ That is good news to his hearers, for they believed that heaven was far, far away; beyond their reach.
Repent (“metanoia”) means ‘to change your mind.’ It implies beginning with self-examination or God-examination which leads to confession (acknowledging and admitting) of how we have wronged God and humankind, then changing our minds and way of living.
The religious leaders came to John to be baptized. Who knows what their motives are, but John assumes that it was to escape the wrath of God, trying to find an easy way out. John called them vipers. Vipers are poisonous but not fatal to humans. They merely make humans sick, and I am wondering if John is convicting these leaders of making God’s people sick. How? By not living a life of repentance themselves. “Bear fruit worthy of repentance.” That is his first accusation. Then he accuses them of assuming because they are children of God, Abraham’s children, they will be saved. John assures them that the ax is ready to destroy anyone who does not live a life of repentance.
Last week I saw a cartoon of a turkey carrying a sign with the message: “Repent! The end is near!” Are we like the turkey or are we walking around with a spiritual blindfold carrying the assumption that because we are baptized we will be saved?
I understand baptism is not a once-in-a-lifetime event, but it is a way of living. That is in line with John’s living a life worthy of repentance. Each day can begin with “I am baptized. God has made me his child, and I will live this day accordingly.”
John then talks about two baptisms. The first is his baptism which is a preparation for the coming of the Messiah into their lives. The second is the actual gift: being baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Fire is a metaphor for being cleansed, and in this case being cleansed eternally. Like sanctification, living in Christ is a daily process. Why would we want to live any other way? Why would any one want to carry the burdens of his/her sins along with him throughout his life? That is a large load which only increases in weight with every passing day.
Once I was talking with two women who confidently stated that they were not sinners. At first I was shocked that they could say that. When I got to know them better, I realized that they were living lives of continually repenting, confessing and receiving the forgiveness and new life which Christ was continually giving them. They were truly sinners who were constantly being made into saints everyday. What a gift!
I read John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” some time ago and was struck by this idea of sin being contained in a bag which gets heavier and heavier. What a burden to carry that each day of our lives. I cannot imagine what it must be like to not be daily relieved of the guilt of my sins. A gift which is given freely, but it is human nature that we are unable to accept that gift without the preparation John is talking about, the gift of repentance. We are the only creature who has been given a fine-tuned memory. We never forget the sins we have committed, and I for one need to daily remind myself that God has forgiven me and made me a new creation.
The ancient Greeks had a word which we translate ‘sin.’ It is “hamartia” and it simply means: ‘miss the mark.’ It is a kind of mistake we made. We tried to hit the bulls-eye (the life of faith or leading a good life), and we failed. The ancient Hebrews also had a word for sin which is “pesha” and it means ‘revolt.’ We sin when we rebel against God and turn our backs on him in order to go our own way.
Yes, we make mistakes. One time my wife and I were trying to communicate our love for each other, and both of us misunderstood. We got so angry that we did not talk for a while. But when we regained our senses, we sat down to discuss what was happening. We had to laugh when we realized how sad the whole thing was.
The ancient Hebrews understood that our basic battle is with God and not just a mistake we make. We tell God that we know better than him what is good for us, and we leave Eden to venture through life on our own. Like the Prodigal Son, it doesn’t take us long to realize what a Pig’s Sty we have made of our lives and return on our knees feeling unworthy of his love. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that he loves us regardless.
Living a life of repentance, of constantly being freed from our sins which Christ gives to us, is a way of New Life. Hallelujah!!!
What is frightening about this Gospel is that John is focusing his remarks on the Pharisees and Sadducees. These religious leaders are being called upon to live lives of repentance, of not so much shaming their congregations but rather admitting their own mistakes and revolts against God. This is terrifying. We are exposing ourselves to being rejected and criticized. But you know what happens? When we come down from the pedestals they have put us on, they get the courage to give up their old ways and live in the kingdom of heaven which Christ is bringing in with his Incarnation. That is definitely something to celebrate!!!

NO ONE KNOWS

jebmonge — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 19:41:23 +0000

THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT
Matthew 24:36-44

This first Sunday in Advent we are celebrating the coming of Jesus to us, celebrating the Incarnation of God. Matthew begins by having Jesus teach us about his Second Coming, that even though we execute him, he will return from his Resurrection in order to bring all of us to him.
Immediately Jesus refers to Noah, how God told him about the Flood, of how Noah listened to God, prepared an ark on dry land and gathered specimens of all living things to take along with him on the ark. Everyone around Noah thought he had lost his mind, and they continued on living just as they had always done. The Flood came. It destroyed everyone and everything except Noah, his family and all that was aboard the ark. Noah listened to God and acted accordingly.
In our day we have come to realize that Creation began many years ago and possibly will continue for many more years. So what is the threat to us? Why should we listen to Jesus and change our lives accordingly? I, for one, realize that the end of time for me will most likely come when I breathe my last. That day may come before Jesus’ Second Coming. It is then that I will see Jesus again. It is then that I will have to account for my life. It is at that moment, a time which I am unable to determine, that the Son of Man will come again for me. How would I like to meet this Person, my Lord and Savior, when I meet him. One option is to listen to him, like Noah did, and live a life of preparedness, of awareness that my life is like grass: eventually it withers and dies, and that I am accountable. Nervous? Sure. How can I live with such tension? Simply by living a godly life each and every day I am here: turning my life over to Jesus and receiving his love as expressed in his forgiveness.
I was fortunate in having the example my parents gave to me. Their final days on earth are indicative of the way they lived. Dad died of cancer. It was all over his body, and his last days were in great pain. One of his friends, was kind of like Job’s friends, came to visit him a couple days before he died and asked him: “Harold, do you know where you’re going when you die?” Dad’s reply was as simple as the question he had heard: “Yes. I am going to heaven to be with Jesus.” The friend was actually bothered by Dad’s answer: “How do you know?” Dad’s answer was again simple: “Jesus promised that to me, and I believe in his promise.” Dad’s entire life was living with the awareness of who he was and who God is. That way of living determined his actions throughout his life and is what gave him such confidence, even in those final days.
Mom died in a much different way. She lived a long and full life, like Joseph who lived to 110. That is what 110 years means in Egyptian numerology. In her last week she realized that her end was coming soon, and she told us that all she wanted to do was go home to be with Jesus and Harold. She was not bothered by death, and she too lived in the promise Jesus gives to us. I find it interesting that she named Jesus first and Dad second, but that is the way both of my parents lived. They realized that it is only God who gives us life, and that gift is what enables us to love each other as we have learned to love ourselves through God’s eternal and unconditional love.
On this first Sunday in Advent, Jesus is not threatening us. He is simply telling us the truth. One day, a day which none of us knows, we will die and meet him in person again. He is asking us: “Why don’t you live everyday as if it is your last day on earth? In that way, you will realize that ‘I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” Wow!! That is definitely a reason to celebrate! He comes to us not only on Christmas Eve but throughout our lives and even when we leave this earth home. There is never a time when God is not with us. Celebrate!!

Christ the King

jebmonge — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:56:55 +0000

Christ the King Sunday: Luke 23:33-43
November 21, 2010
Christ is crucified, and we use this text to celebrate his Kingship. How unusual! Odd! What kind of king are we celebrating? The World has won. Rome has executed the insurgent, who is trying to change everything, especially the heart. Of course, the only way we are able to change is from the heart outwards. And that takes a long time. It is a very slow process. That is what we call sanctification. Talk about evolution! Changing the heart is next to impossible.
I saw a celebrity on the news who apologized for his embarrassing behavior a year ago and tell how it ruined not only his life but the lives of his wife and children. He added: “I am a different person now.”
Several years ago a retired man told me that one of his elementary school teachers taught: “A habit is like a knot. Every time you add a strand to the knot, it gets bigger, and eventually that knot cannot be broken. So be careful what actions you repeat.” He added: “For most of my life, I haven’t liked to talk to people and have not been very cordial. Now that I am retired, I am practicing being nice. That is why I am at your backdoor. I want us to get to know each other.”
He realized that the way he and his friends perceived each other would take a long time to change. After that whenever I saw him, he was practicing his new way of living. Slowly he and his friends began changing in their attitudes toward each other.
Sanctification is the same process. Sanctify mean ‘to make holy,’ and holy means ‘to become whole.’ William Glasser, a California psychologist, suggested that there are so many marriages and divorces in Hollywood because on the set the actors are pretending to love one each other. After a while, they grow fond of each other and fall in love. But when they are in another movie, it happens again. Glasser proposed that we learn from this example: act the way we would like to be, treat other people the way we would like to be treated, and slowly changes will occur.
Our KING effects change in our hearts by constantly loving us. He is a teacher; but more importantly he comes to us from the cross and loves us just the way we are. He does not insist that we alter our behavior first in order to become acceptable, or at least more acceptable, to him. He comes to us in the sterile, wasteland of our existence and loves us. And that is what we call justification.
Now that word ‘love’ needs to be considered. You students of Greek, know that the ancients had three words for the love: agape, philos and eros. Agape is that beautiful love which God has for us as is seen on the cross. A love which seeks no returns; a love which is given regardless of whether or not we accept it; a love which is given regardless of our feelings of worthlessness; a warm and tender embrace which envelops us even though our gut wrenches in bewilderment at why God would treat us with such kindness.
Philos is obviously the love between friends. It means that we ‘like’ each other and enjoy hanging out together.
Eros is the most difficult for Westerners to understand. Eric Fromm, German social psychologist, argued that in the West we suffer such profound alone-ness that we seek refuge in erotic love as a source of release rather than as a physical expression of our love for each other. Erotic love is a concrete celebration of our love for each other.
What we need to experience over and over again is the full expression of being loved: unconditionally, as friends and physically. And that is what this KING gives to us even while he is being crucified. Even when we nail him to a cross of cold, unforgiving, hard wood, this MAN initiates the greatest love imaginable. In the midst of his suffering, he forgives us. In the midst of being ridiculed by everyone, he has compassion on us, like he had on the thief hanging to his left. In the midst of being abandoned, this KING gave himself to us and promised never to abandon us.
Are we different from the Romans, Sadducees or the crowd? No. We have the same heart. We have the same problems with which to struggle. Yes, we desire the security and warmth of our mother’s womb. We seek to go to Heaven where there is no more hunger, thirst and weeping. The struggle in our hearts is constant and lasts until we no longer breathe. And, thank God, we have a KING who allows himself to be crucified. Salvation cost him “not silver and gold, but his holy and precious blood.” That is the Gospel! And all we can do is say: “Thank you.”
And that is why we remember his crucifixion when we celebrate CHRIST THE KING Sunday!

God renews us

jebmonge — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:06:04 +0000

Pentecost 33

Luke 21:5-19

In this gospel Jesus and the Twelve disciples are in Jerusalem. Jesus has received a tremendous honor in the Triumphal parade that greeted him. Then he tore up the businesses in the temple entrance which helped the Jews gain the proper money and also the sacrifices required for their worship. With that the leaders of the temple had decided this intruder had to be eliminated. Basically, he was ruining business.

Now the story continues with the awe his disciples experienced when they saw the magnificent temple King Herod had rebuilt. It was an impressive, architectural achievement. Jesus warned that in the near future the temple would be rubble, so do not focus on it but rather something more substantial and lasting.

When the Twelve continued concentrating on peripheral matters like when all of this destruction would take place, Jesus responded: “Beware that you are not led astray….” He did answer their question after that and then concluded with the promise: “You will be hated by all because of my name. But not one hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

The main concern Jesus had was not the magnificence of the temple but the souls of his students. The translation of kephale as ‘soul’ is misleading in our culture. Since the time of Plato’s use of psyche (psyche), we have rightfully defined it as ‘soul.’ In the ancient Greek world, the soul was conceived as a divine center of a person’s life. It is like the rest of our bodies are impure, and that there is a spot of God within each of us which is separate. But this does not take into consideration the entire meaning of psyche which also means: the spirit of a person, his/her mind and ability to understand.

I find it interesting that Luke uses kephale instead of psyche in this instance. Kephale means the head of a person where the brain is contained, where our ability to understand is more appropriate to this context.

When we take into consideration that Jesus uses the word blepete for ‘beware.’ Blepete simply means ‘look, see.’ The twelve men were looking at the wonder of King Herod which was reasonable. The building was incredibly beautiful. But the Disciples would be wiser to focus on God’s the wonder of God’s creation.

In looking at the Empire State Building and then the Twin Towers and now the one billion home a person has built for himself in India, it is easy to think about (to see or look) the insignificant and forget about God, God’s creation and his enormous love for each one of us. He loved the unlovable Zacchaeus. He loved the ruthless Sadducees. In spite of their extremely sinful lives, Jesus (God) loved them His love goes beyond our ability to hate and our actions of manipulating each other for our own benefit.

I have to look at myself when I read Jesus’ words into today’s gospel. Why would I be lured away from Jesus, my Lord, to follow anybody or anything else? Foolish? Yes. Incidentally the word ‘fool’ means ‘no mind’ in Greek. We are foolish when we lose our minds – and follow another leader.

Why does the lure of riches get my attention? In the church today, there are several religious leaders who promise vast amounts of money, if only we follow them, cf., the televangelists (the preachers of ‘good news’ via television). Of course, they get great audiences. Everybody wants to be rich. The dream of a magnificent house, of luxury cars and vacations, of traveling first-class, etc., are appealing. But when we ask what that kind of life demands of us, the appeals loses its attractiveness. Zacchaeus gave his life in order to be wealthy. The Sadducees had become ruthless, merciless and consumed with greed. They could never have enough things. They always needed more, and they ruined the lives of everyone around them, including their own families in order to try to satisfy this lust for power. And the problem was monstrous in itself; they had created a miserable existence for themselves and for their loved ones. Like the rich, young ruler who desperately sought help from Jesus, the Sadducees were not able to give up their self-made hell. They were not yet desperate, and that is what it takes for any person to not only seek the wisdom of Jesus but also to follow him and his way of living. When we cannot give up what we have and follow the Giver-of-Life, then we remain in hell – or lose our souls or our heads.

I have asked myself many times: Why should I love God more than anything else? I have seen it as the ultimate sacrifice. Why should I give up the few comforts I have in order to follow the ‘poor Teacher?’ And the Nazarene was poor. He was part of the lowest strata of society where finding the next meal was of major importance. Why should I give up (sacrifice) the few comforts I have in order to imitate this person?

This Teacher suggests that the Law (instructions from God on how to life most completely) is summarized by: “Love God completely and love others in the same way you love yourself.” Why focus our lives on God above everything else? As I read the Bible, I see (blepete) that it is God who never abandons me. It is God who guides me to living more fully. It is God who strengthens and preserves me throughout my life. It is God who stays with me even in and through death. It is God who enables me to love myself, in spite of my rebellion, weakness and my foolish mistakes. It is only then that I am able to love others as I love myself. Yes, it is true, we treat others in the same way we treat ourselves.

I have a friend who is a psychologist in another city who discusses psychology and theology with me. He is short on theology and obvious I am short on psychology, so we help each other understand (psyche and kephale) to greater degrees. One time I asked him the question: Why is it so easy for me to forgive others and so much trouble for me to forgive myself? We both started to laugh because we both realized that is the basic human problem. It is God who frees us from the guilt and shame that so often plagues us. It is God who resurrects us every day giving us new life. WHY would anybody give up (sacrifice) that gift for the lure of money, fame, an extravant life-style? I don’t know. But I do know that I fight that battle everyday and that I need to daily renew my baptism: I am a child of God. He made it so, and I had nothing to do with it. BUT I find that I continually have to be driven to desperation in order to accept this wonder-filled gift. Amazing how caring God is and how foolish I am!!!

Sadducees and Jesus

jebmonge — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:09:09 +0000

Pentecost 32: Luke 20:27-38

Jesus has stepped into the major leagues. Up north in Galilee he was considered a hero. But now, down in Jerusalem where the big boys played, Jesus was a country runt.

When he entered Jerusalem, treated as a triumphant hero, there were many expectations place on his shoulders. The masses of Jews were desperate. They lived near the starvation level. They were abused by the Roman soldiers. They land was stripped of them when they were unable to pay their taxes, and their children were sold into slavery when they again were not able to pay. They were looking for change, for relief, for a Messiah to come and restore the glory of the days of King David.

In Jerusalem the men of power lived: the men who controlled the country; the men who thrived while their fellow Jews suffered. These men, the Sadducees, adapted to whatever oppressor took control of their country. They were not faithful to God nor responsible in their dealings with the others citizens. They had one thing in mind, and they were focused. The Roman government demanded that the people of the Promised Land contribute to the luxurious life-style of those in Rome, and that the Sadducees keep peace in the land. Jesus was definitely a threat to that peace.

He had been welcomed into Jerusalem with a Triumphal parade. This event was reserved only for the greatest Roman conquering generals. The Sadducees were overwhelmed by this event taking place which was a definite offense against Rome.

When Jesus disrupted business in the Temple, the Sadducees were convinced that this Nazarene had to be eliminated. The question was when. The crowds of Jews from the Diaspora had been coming to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover: the feast which celebrated the Jews freedom from the Egyptian oppressors. This one fact was enough to disturb the Sadducees. But now, with Jesus creating havoc, they were terribly bothered. It would be next to impossible to keep peace with these two factors occurring at the same time.

The argument about the impossibility of the resurrected life after death was simply a joke to the Sadducees. They had used the example of the woman marrying several husbands with their chief antagonists: the Pharisees who believed in the resurrection of the dead, and the Pharisees were unable to respond. Now the Sadducees were confident this guy from Nazareth would also be stumped.

Jesus was not threatened. He knew the Sadducees only accepted the Penteteuch, Genesis through Deuteronomy, as the true revelation of God, so he quoted from it. He used the statement of Moses in Exodus 3:6 to counter the Sadducees. Moses was their great icon, and in this incident where God is revealing himself to Moses, God identifies himself as: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” In the Pentateuch itself God declares himself in the present tense: I am, the God of the Patriarchs. The meaning is clear: God is present and so are the Patriarchs. So — there is life after death.

Jesus prefaces his remark with: “Those who belong to this age marry and are given us in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.”

The Sadducees believed that God created the world and then is not involved in it. This is the position the Deists had in the 17th and 18th centuries. That meant that the Sadducees did not believe they would be accountable for their behavior. Up to this point they believed that they had been given a free ride. When their days were ended, that was it. Now after Jesus demonstrated to them, using their own premise, that there is life after death, they would be held responsible for their ruthless, self-seeking behavior. They did want to think about that.

So, these men of power were threatened by the huge crowds coming to Jerualem for the Passover feast, but also with this Nazarene who was so popular. Now they had been exposed as outrageous sinners, just like Zacchaeus. The difference between Zacchaeus and them was that Zacchaeus had repented, changed his mind (metanoia) but the Sadducees were not going to give up everything they had, cf. the Job text for today and also the story of the rich, young ruler. So now, Jesus’ fate was completely determined. He would have to die.

Reflection for this week: What will we say to God when we die? How will we answer for our lives? The same Jesus that was there for Zacchaeus is there for us. All we have to do is accept responsibility for our behavior and then repent and seek forgiveness from our Lord.

Pentecost 31: Zacchaeus

jebmonge — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:23:49 +0000

ZACCHAEUS, Luke 19: 1-10

Luke tells us about Zacchaeus, the chief tax-collector of Jericho. This ancient city was prosperous, and Zacchaeus being the chief tax-collector was a very rich man. But when Jesus, the poor teacher from Nazareth, was coming through Jericho, Zacchaeus took the chance of seeing him. All he wanted to do was be in the crowd and see this celebrity proceed as he walked through the city.

We know that Zacchaeus was a wee, little man. The only way he could get a look at Jesus was to climb a tree. The sycamore tree was bold and broad. Its branches were strong, and some of them low enough to sit on to watch the parade. So Zacchaeus climbed one along the parade route.

What would cause a wealthy man to climb a tree? He would have to be desperate. Absolutely beside himself. At the very bottom of his life. His reputation would be ruined. He would be the laughing stock of the city.

Zacchaeus was desperate. He had ruined his life while he was he was on the way to becoming wealthy . How could he live or have any peace of mind, when go no where without being despised. What good was all of this money when it was unable to bring him any of the happiness he so longed for? He could isolate himself in his mansion, but the loneliness would be unbearable. But being exposed to such hostility was no better.

In his utter hopelessness, he approached the tree and began to shimmy up the trunk. More than likely he had to ask for a boost to get started. Imagine the humility he experienced at that moment. I can just see the grin on the man who bent down and lifted him up to the branch.

Then here comes the celebrity, the teacher from the north, this Jesus of Nazareth. When Jesus looks up and sees this strange and out-of-place figure hanging on a branch, he stops, walks over to the tree and tells Zacchaeus: “Zacchaeus! Come down. I am going to go with you to your house and have dinner with you tonight.”

Zacchaeus was not the only person who was astonished. This well-respected teacher invites himself to the house of the worst sinner in Jericho. All of the crowd was looking to Jesus to be their savior, their messiah. He had created an outstanding reputation for his power, wisdom and love.

The crowd was filled with individuals whose lives had been ruined by this tax-collector. When they were unable to pay their taxes, Zacchaeus and his band of assistants confiscated their property and even sold their children into slavery when they were unable to pay their taxes in future years. They were the suffering ones, and they were the children of God who were trying to be honorable citizens and of being loyal to God.

Why would Jesus choose to dine with Zacchaeus? Why would he honor this contemptible criminal who used his power to gain all of the good things in life?

Transformation is not easy. But the contact Zacchaeus had with Jesus absolutely changed him. Jesus reached out and loved the unlovable, and that was all Zacchaeus needed to experience the heaven that only God can give a person.

Zacchaeus repaid all of the people he had hurt several times over. He did more than the Law required. And I imagine that he spent the rest of his life helping his friends and fellow citizens in Jericho achieve a little peace and comfort in the middle of the Roman oppression.

So, what does that mean to us? Only criminals do not have consciences. Some of our consciences are more sensitive than others. Christians who worship God regularly tend to experience more guilt than the others in the world. Sometimes we are too critical of ourselves and find it difficult to accept God’s forgiveness. At times our faults, even though minor, may ruin our moments and days, and when we think of Zacchaeus and the little bit of heaven Jesus gave to him, so we too may experience a little more joy.

What the story of Zacchaeus tells us is: God reaches out to us everyday and wants to have dinner with us. He accompanies us through all of our lives. There is not a time God is not with us, and it is his love for us that restores us to health and happiness. That is a cause for celebration, just like Zacchaues knew. Hallelujah!

(Note: think about Zacchaeus this week and remind yourselves that you are loved.)