We all have handicaps—prejudices, misconceptions, bad training, spiritual laziness, fears and doubts, and so on—which obstruct our view of Jesus. And we all have short stature; we are much smaller than God and cannot see the goodness that He sees in and beyond our hardships. In our short-sightedness, we conclude that Jesus has abandoned us, and we feel so very alone.
Once Zacchaeus climbed the tree, Jesus zeroed in on him and gave him personal attention and affirmation. How did Zacchaeus respond? He quickly descended from the tree and welcomed Jesus with delight. He had so much enthusiasm that he wanted to quadruple the penance for his sins!
The encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus can seem to imply that conversion and change is a one-time event. There can be dramatic events in our lives with regards to our spiritual life, but the process of conversion and change is ongoing. The more we share God’s love in Jesus Christ with others, the more we learn the extent of that love, which empowers us to love the world even more, and so on. One thing I have learned time and time again in my own spiritual life is that it’s not about me, as maddening as that fact can be for my ego.
We must be willing to enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus. We must be willing to be loved and comforted and challenged, and even hurt as we respond to God’s love and surrender to God’s will. Jesus is calling us, perhaps to come down from an isolated tower, or up from a deep pit, or in from the cold of fear and hate, or out from the darkness of despair. Wherever we may be, Jesus wants us to be with Him, and learn from Him, and love each other!
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