The Lord Upholds

~~~ Saint Elizabeth of Hungary ~~~

~~~ 2 Macabees 6:18-31 ~~~ Psalm 3 ~~~ Luke 19:1-10 ~~~

Stories of martyrdom were popular in the book of Macabees.
They were written to encourage the Jewish
people during times of persecution.

I cannot help but to recall the recent images of Christian people
today enduring similar persecution. 

It seems there is always one group in power
who takes pleasure in persecuting another group.

The driving force is always self serving.
God is pushed completely out of the picture.
Words may pretend to be acting on God's behalf,
but they are never truly aligned with God.

 ...the Son of Man has come to seek

and to save what was lost.

Jesus calls for Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector,
to come down from his perch in the tree.

Zacchaeus was curious about Jesus...
he wanted to get a good look at him for himself.

Imagine his shock when Jesus
invites himself to dinner that very evening.

The Lord upholds me.

Zacchaeus had been lurking around Jesus...
listening to his preaching from afar.
He finally gets up the nerve to climb high
 enough to at least see Jesus.

Zacchaeus comes to the realization
 that something is missing in his life.

There is something that all of his wealth cannot buy.

There is something more...Jesus holds the answer.

Jesus touches Zacchaeus deep within the core of his soul.
He vows to repent...to share his wealth with the poor.
He even promises to make retribution for those
 he has previously deceived.

Did you notice that it was not Jesus
who commanded Zacchaeus to repent?

Jesus simply said...
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.” 

How has this same spirit of God
moved you to repent for your sins?

The Lord upholds all those who come to him...
all who seek to see him.

Receive Jesus with joy into your heart...
all things will change.

The Lord upholds me.

Blessings to reform.
~~~Peace~~~

Life Changing Tree

~~~ Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~Wisdom 11:22-12:2~~Psalm 145~~2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2~~Luke 19:1-10~~ 

 

In one day Zacchaeus went from being the chief tax collector,

resorted to climbing a tree,

to having Jesus dine with him in his home and repenting.

 

Obviously Zacchaeus was a man of small stature,

 perhaps that is why he prided himself so much

as a chief tax collector and a wealthy man.

 

He was wealthy he had a good job, but yet something

was still missing in his life. You might say he had tenure.

 

He left the ground, his comfort zone, and climbed

 high above the crowd into a tree.

By doing so he removed himself from his usual surroundings.

He was no longer influenced by those around him.

He could for the time being escape the glaring stares.

Jesus sees him and calls him to come down.

Jesus wants to change his life forever.

 

"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house."

 

In his position, Zacchaeus had power, he had authority over his co-workers.

But now he is moved to be a generous and even honest man...

now he wants to make reparation for his wrong doings.

Zacchaeus convicted himself, Jesus never accused him of anything.

 

You cannot come into contact with Jesus and remain the same...

you must change...change for the better.

Meeting Jesus inspires you to be a better person.

 

 

...you overlook people's sins that they may repent.

 

God does not hold your past offenses against you.

 

Therefore you (Lord) rebuke offenders little by little,
warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing,
that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!

God can remind you of your sins without uttering a word...

he may simply call you down from the tree or write in the sand.

He does not need a powerful job, he does not need material wealth;

he just wants to meet you where you are in this moment in time. 

 

If we are to be blessed

 it is because others are praying for us...

Paul writes to his friends...

Brothers and sisters:
We always pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling
and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose...

 

Someone you know needs prayers today.

Can they count on you?