With all the things we have to do every day, prayer time is usually the first thing that goes. In today’s Gospel, the short-in-stature guy, Zacchaeus, climbs a tree to have a better view of Jesus. I wonder if we would do the same to encounter Him? Or would we just let our “shortness” get in the way?

“I have tasks to do.” “I need to prepare my kid’s breakfast.”

“I need to beat the traffic.” These reasons are valid, but have we traded what’s valid for what truly matters?

With the noise of the world, we struggle to see Jesus ever more clearly. But I believe God loves to see us “struggle”—in doing better at meeting Him, in establishing our prayer time again, or in keeping still in His presence.

Will you climb a tree to see Jesus? When you do, you’ll find Jesus not only meeting you, but “staying” with the things that matter to you.

Veia Lim-Viñas (veiallim@gmail.com)

reflect

What is your “shortness?” What keeps you from having a better view of Jesus—whether in daily prayer time or weekly community life? Trade what is valid for what truly matters.

Lord, thank You that You pursue me even when I try to run away. I want to see You. I want to be with You. More than the things I hold dear, You are all I truly need. Amen.

Saint Anselm, pray for us.

First Reading | 2 Maccabees 6:18-31

Eleazar is an old man who has been faithful to God. He is forced to eat the meat that is forbidden by his religion, but he refuses to do so. Because the men respect him, they suggest that he bring some of his own meat and pretend to eat the forbidden meat to save his life. Again, Eleazar refuses to participate in this deception, chooses to die a painful death, and leaves a noble example for the young to follow.

¹⁸ Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes, a man of advanced age and noble appearance, was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork. ¹⁹ But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement, he spat out the meat, and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture, ²⁰ as people ought to do who have the courage to reject the food which it is unlawful to taste even for love of life. ²¹ Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately, because of their long acquaintance with him, and urged him to bring meat of his own providing, such as he could legitimately eat, and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice prescribed by the king; ²² in this way he would escape the death penalty, and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him. ²³ But Eleazar made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his gray hair, and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood; and so he declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God. He told them to send him at once to the abode of the dead, explaining: ²⁴ “At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many young people would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion. ²⁵ Should I thus pretend for the sake of a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age. ²⁶ Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hands of the Almighty. ²⁷ Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age, ²⁸ and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the revered and holy laws.” Eleazar spoke thus, and went immediately to the instrument of torture. ²⁹ Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed, now became hostile toward him because what he had said seemed to them utter madness. ³⁰ When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned and said: “The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my devotion to him.” ³¹ This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R: The Lord upholds me.

² O Lord, how many are my adversaries! Many rise up against me! ³ Many are saying of me, “There is no salvation for him in God.” (R) ⁴ But you, O Lord, are my shield; my glory, you lift up my head! ⁵ When I call out to the Lord, he answers me from his holy mountain. (R) ⁶ When I lie down in sleep, I wake again, for the Lord sustains me. ⁷ I fear not the myriads of people arrayed against me on every side. (R)  

Gospel | Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus means “innocent,” the name that his father gave him at his circumcision according to Jewish custom. How ironic that in the story, Zacchaeus was a corrupt tax collector. Yet, there seemed to be a flicker of goodness in his heart. When Jesus visited his town, Zacchaeus was eager to meet Him. Because He intimately knows our hearts, Jesus told Zacchaeus that He was coming to his house. This total acceptance of Zacchaeus by Jesus brought about a dramatic conversion in the life of this man, who then offered to make amends for all the wrongs he did.

Gospel Acclamation 

God loved us, and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

¹ At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. ² Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, ³ was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. ⁵ When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” ⁶ And he came down quickly and received him with joy. ⁷ When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” ⁸ But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” ⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

Reflect:

Have you invited Jesus to visit your home? 

What has He brought you during His “visit”?

Read the Bible in one year! Read PSALMS 71 - 75 today.

God’s Transformative Power

Today, Saint Luke highlights the varied uses of sight and the deep desire to truly “see,” which is poignantly embodied by Zacchaeus, an undersized tax collector who climbs a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus. His physical stature and social standing—viewed as a political traitor, religious outcast, and socially scorned—starkly contrast with the hopeful gaze of Jesus, who sees beyond these labels to recognize Zacchaeus as a lost “son of Abraham” eager to be found.

In reflecting on Zacchaeus’ transformation, we learn about the profound impact of acknowledging and accepting Jesus’ invitation to our lives. It is a call to abandon lukewarmness and to embrace Jesus wholeheartedly, to experience personal salvation, and to bring redemption to our households.

Similarly, the story of Eleazar, who chooses death over betraying his faith, underscores the strength that divine support provides to navigate human weakness. Both narratives of Zacchaeus and Eleazar reinforce the message that God’s grace is a catalyst for immense personal growth and change, even when we face our own limitations.

As we also remember the dedication of the Churches of Peter and Paul, we are reminded of the foundational role these Apostles played in establishing the Christian Church. Their lives, like those of Zacchaeus and Eleazar, exhibit the extraordinary transformative power of divine grace. They overcame their human flaws to become pillars of faith and showed that with divine assistance, our inadequacies can be transcended and lead us to greatness.

Ultimately, the readings invite us to meditate on our human condition, to recognize our deficiencies, and to open ourselves to the divine intervention that can usher in a transformative power in our lives. They urge us to trust in God’s ability to work through our limitations, guiding us toward repentance, justice, and a profound personal change. 

Fr. Toto Cerada, SDB

Reflection question

Where do you need God’s transformative power in your life?

Lord Jesus, I lay down at Your feet all my limitations. Transform them as You will, for Your greater glory. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _____________________________