UNCOVERING SELF-WORTH

John Shea writes, “A dwarfish but self-important tax collector hanging from the limb of a tree in order to catch a glimpse of a passing prophet is obviously looking for something. Jesus confronts Zacchaeus with neither outrage nor condescension. He does not berate him for living off the blood money of his own people nor pat him on the head and agree that he is a worthless and pitiful character. Instead, Jesus invites himself to dinner. To modern ears, Jesus’ self-invitation is rude and presumptuous. But in the context of Palestinian custom this gesture is an acceptance of Zacchaeus. For the Hebrew the meal is a sacred action. To share bread with another is to affirm that person in your sight and in the sight of God. That is why Zacchaeus is startled when it is his despised and much-rejected house that Jesus chooses. Zacchaeus knows that Jesus is not approving his cheating and graft but his fundamental created self-worth. The meal says, “Zacchaeus, this heartless thievery is not you. You are more than this.” Jesus does not pound home his sin but calls to his goodness. Zacchaeus responds to who he really is, a created son of the Father, repents, and leads a new life. Forgiveness is not magnanimously forgetting faults but the uncovering of self-worth when it is crusted over with self-hatred.”

“Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house. So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner…. And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Jesus