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Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
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Gospel text (Lk 19:1-10): At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy...

Jesus, our true Treasure

EDITORIAL TEAM evangeli.net (based on texts by Benedict XVI) (Città del Vaticano, Vatican)

Today, “I must stay at your house”. These words are an effective stimulus to welcome the Risen Jesus, a sure way to find fullness of life and happiness. In fact, genuine human fulfilment and true joy are not found in power, success or money, but only in God.

Zacchaeus has it all… For this reason his desire to see Jesus is surprising. What impelled him to seek Jesus out? Zacchaeus realized that what he possessed was not enough, he felt the desire for more. He wanted to see this Jesus. But though Zacchaeus was rich and powerful, he was short. So he ran ahead and climbed a tree. It did not matter to him whether he was exposing himself to ridicule. And when Jesus arrived, he looked up at him and called him by name.

—Nothing is impossible for God! From this meeting streamed forth a new life for Zacchaeus: he found the true treasure, because the Treasure —which is Jesus— found him!