31st Sunday in Ordinary Time--Liturgical Cycle C

Lectionary Readings
Reading I: Wisdom 11:22-12:2
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14
Reading II: 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10


Homily
Jesus and the disciples approached the neighborhood of Jericho, a vacation/resort city of Palm trees, rose gardens, balsam-scented groves…a place for the important, the wealthy, the government people, merchants’ fine estates. Jesus and the little company of disciples walking with him are only one day’s travel from Jerusalem, and so the grand journey is about to end.

Taking the twelve aside, Jesus said to them, “We must now go up to Jerusalem so that all that was written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man may be accomplished.”

We are coming to the end now of our reading of Luke. The author sums up the teaching of Jesus by presenting two parallel events: the cure of a blind man and the Zacchaeus story.

As Jesus comes into the city of Jericho a blind man calls out: “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.” The crowd tries to shut him up.

Jesus asks: “What do you want of me?”

“Lord, I want to see!”

That, of course, is our plea, too. We have experienced the Good News as told by Luke and we want to see.

A bit further into the town Jesus meets Zacchaeus (a small man, we are told by Luke, perhaps to indicate his reputation). He is rich (he can afford a grand banquet), but rich by devious means according to his neighbors—his wealth not earned by skillful merchandising, or heredity, or position. He is pushed aside like the blind man, but he like the blind, attracts Jesus’ attention.

The story is a concrete application of the parables of Chapter 15: The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Lost Son. Luke lets us know this by recording the ending of the story: “The son of man has come to search out and save what was lost.” The table fellowship which follows those parables now follows in a grand banquet at the home of the tax collector.

Jesus says, “Today (each day), I mean to stay at your house.”

This evokes “Give us today our daily bread,” and as we recall the meaning of the word Jesus (the Lord saves God’s people), Jesus (“salvation”) has come to this house.

It is an algebraic equation:

Your hospitality equals salvation.

Previously, we spoke of faith as that intimate prayer of contemplation where one leaves oneself wide open to God and therefore to others. Such is hospitality—being open to all in need of comfort and healing, in need of hospitality. It is this openness, this vulnerability which lets God fill us with life. Being open is a whole new way of existing, a new attitude, which is the message of the Good News.

Jerusalem was not hospitable to Jesus. The Sanctus welcome was false. These people were not open in eyes or heart.

As we draw near to the end of Luke, his summary is a simple message: Open your eyes, open your hearts, giving in Eucharist table fellowship; life broken and poured out like bread and wine.

“Today, I mean to stay (abide) in your house.

“Today, Salvation has come to this house.”
--Fr. Pat

Excerpt from "A Catholic's Companion: Liturgical Cycle C" (c)2000 C. Patrick Creed
Published by Watchmaker Press. Maggie Hettinger, editor