Jesus Changes Everything. Muestra

Because Jesus Changes Everything - everyone is welcomed to Jesus!

Today’s reading comes after the chapter in Luke that includes the story of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus confident in his keeping of the law, but left despondent when asked to give up all of his possessions to follow Jesus (Luke 18:18-30). One of the things that surprises the disciples and the crowds about Jesus in the gospels is His tendency to accept the wrong sort of people and reject the right sort of people. The story of Zacchaeus is a story about how Jesus accepts the wrong sort of people. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. This made him despised because that involved collecting money from his fellow Judahites to give to their occupier. But he wasn’t only hated because of that. In the story, it mentions that Zacchaeus was rich. A tax collector could get rich by demanding more money than Rome actually required in order to line their own pockets: this is presumably what made him so hated.

As we go through this series, what we keep saying is that Jesus changes everything. This was certainly true for Zacchaeus, who went to great lengths to see Jesus; that short time with Jesus completely changed his life. When we encounter Jesus, we are not simply called to add some of His wisdom to our lives; we are called to follow Him completely. Zacchaeus gets right exactly what the rich young ruler gets wrong. As Jesus says in the parable of the pearl:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Mt 13:45-46)

Is knowing and following Jesus what is most valuable to you? - Wes Viau