Dear friends in Christ
The Gospel of this Sunday relates the meeting of Jesus and Zacchaeus. Famously of small stature, this man climbed a tree to get a better view of Jesus, who was passing by. But he was also an unpopular man, because he was the one who extracted (often unjust) taxes, from the Jewish people on behalf of the Romans. So when Jesus notices him and calls him down so that he may dine with him, this was an affront to the people of Jericho. But Zacchaeus must have had a burning desire to see Jesus for him to have been so bold. Surely this is an example for us, in our desire to be close to Christ. Pope Saint John Paul II commented on this passage back in 1980: Do I want to see Christ? Do I do everything to see him? This question, two thousand years later, is as relevant as it was then, when Jesus passed through the cities and villages of His land. It is a relevant question for each of us personally today: Do I want to? Do I really want to? Or do I perhaps rather avoid the encounter with Him? Do I prefer not to see Him and do I prefer Him not to see me (at least in my way of thinking and feeling)? And if I already see Him in some way, then do I prefer to see Him from afar, not drawing too near, not venturing before His eyes so as not to perceive too much… So as not to have to accept the whole truth that is in Him, that comes from Him—from Christ. The figure of Zacchaeus should remind us that no one is beyond redemption, beyond God’s grace and mercy.
We have two important days during the coming week: All Saints and All Souls. These two celebrations remind us of what should be foremost in our minds in the month of November—month of the Holy Souls. All Saints is the celebration of all the Blessed already in Heaven. All Souls is the commemoration of those who have died and are experiencing purification before they receive the vision of God. Let us pray in thanksgiving and praise of all the Saints. Let us pray for those in Purgatory. I remind you of the Plenary Indulgence for the Holy Souls which we are encouraged to obtain on their behalf; the conditions for which are in this Newsletter.
God bless you all as we hasten towards eternal life!
Msgr Kevin Hale