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Diocese of Phnom Penh - Article #462

Time of welcome

Posted: 4th July 2007

Proposition to conduct a prayer meeting
with the gospel (About one hour)
1. Prayer
2. Reading of the Gospel text (5 minutes)
3. Time of silence (3 minutes)
4. Spontaneous sharing (15 minutes)
5. Review by the animator using the written comments (10 minutes) 6. Sharing on the proposed questions (25 minutes). Take some notes 7. Our Father

Time of welcome
July 2007
Zaccheus (Luke 19, 1-10)
To let ourselves be welcomed by Christ

Some leads and questions for the animator of the meeting

1. Some reminders:

What is a tax collector?

At the time of Jesus, the Romans were occupying Palestine. Jews were obliged to pay. them a tax. Some-JewS'fthe-tax...eolleetors) were asked by-"the", Romans to
demand from the population to pay the compulsory amount.

Why do we say that Zaccheus was a sinner?

The Jews, to remain pure, had to avoid all contacts with foreigners, pagans, sick people.. .Zaccheus, working for the Romans, was considered as impure, separated from God, and so a sinner in the eyes of the people. Moreover, he was detested because he was paid with the money coming from the people (well paid too since he was rich).. .People rejected him, despised him; he must have felt excluded.
2. The actors involved:
Help the group to reflect on the different actors: the crowd, Zaccheus and Jesus.
a. What are the differences between Zaccheus and the crowd?

Zaccheus works for the occupying power: he lives in a financial security because of the Roman presence. But the crowd becomes poorer because of this presence. For Zaccheus, the foreigner is source of richness; for the crowd, it is source of troubles and difficulties.

The crowd is a mass. It represents unity, union, communion. It excludes the one who does not act like it and consider him as impure, sinner. Zaccheus here seems separated, isolated. He is alone on his tree.

Zaccheus, because he is impure in the eyes of the crowd, is considered as separated from God, far from his way. The crowd, which follows the law, thinks it lives in the light of God, it sees itself as being pure.

Zaccheus is rich, but he is thirsty for something else. The crowd seems satisfied, right; it does not request anything else.

Zaccheus is active: he wants to see, he runs, he goes up, he welcomes Jesus with joy. He acts, he moves, he hopes for a relationship. The crowd has a negative role: it hinders the relationship (because of the crowd), it does not marvel anymore (it is there physically, but not spiritually), it criticizes, judges the other.

At the end of the gospel, Zaccheus opens himself to others, shares, offers. He discovers generosity (God is all generosity). He has received in his heart a treasure (Jesus himself, salvation!) and he desires to multiply it. The "short" Zaccheus becomes "tall" (he is standing). At the end of the text, the crowd is not mentioned anymore. It sees itself as pure, close to the Eternal (all generosity), but what does it multiply? What does it offer? To whom does it give?

b. What does Jesus think?

Jesus sees the efforts of Zaccheus, his thirst, his expectations...In the whole crowd "purified" that is around him, what is important is: this desire to "see", this search, this open heart, waiting, this heart which knows its smallness.

Jesus raises his eyes...To raise one's eyes, it is to look at someone who is higher, taller. The look ofJesus is a look of respect, a look that gives Zaccheus his dignity, which gives him his place in the everyday life,
which reunifies him with people.

Jesus stays with Zaccheus.. .Jesus is not contented only with a look (that only Zaccheus would have seen), he makes a stronger action yet (and that can make the crowd reflect), he prolongs the encounter by going to stay at the place of the one who was ostracizt:d, the impure one.. .(he does not fear the negative reactions of the crowd).

c. Zaccheus?
At first, he is rich, materially speaking, but he is alone, left out. In his heart, he hopes for something else. The meeting with Jesus (who does not judge but who loves) will change him, transform him.. .He will open himself to generosity, to others: he shares. In becoming gift, he becomes like God; he is part of the same flow oflife, of the same circulation.. .Salvation enters his soul.
3. To recognize oneself in the actors

Sometimes, we are the crowd. We despise, we judge others, we create walls between people, we believe ourselves better than the others.

Sometimes, we look like Jesus. We go to meet the other who is alone and who waits that someone comes to him (a new kid in school, a sick person; an elderly person, a beggar...) we offer him some love.

Sometimes, we look like Zaccheus. We lack something, our heart is expecting. When we receive, we welcome with joy, and we wish to share all this happiness. We become generous.

.The important is to construct bridges between people...
The important is to look with love on the beings that are around us...
The important is to open oneself to generosity...
The important is to know that God loves all human beings: his Kingdom is for all... The important is to let oneself be welcomed by Jesus...
Questions: Do we recognize ourselves in one of these actors? Why? Narrate...
How do we let ourselves be welcomed by Christ?
Narrate. ..
Put on paper some of the testimonies and send them to the secretariat of the bishop. Thanks.

JESUS AND ZACCHEUS (Luke 19, 1-10)

1- When Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the city, 2 a man named Zaccheus was there. He was a tax collector and a wealthy man. 3 He wanted to see what Jesus was like, but he was a short man and could not see because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree. From there he would be able to see Jesus who had to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, come down quickly for I must stay at your house today." 6 So Zaccheus hurried down and received him joyfully. 7 All the people who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to the house of a sinner as a guest." 8 But Zaccheus spoke to Jesus, "The half of my goods, Lord, I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much." 9 Looking at him Jesus said, "Salvation has come to this house today, for he is also a true son of Abraham. 10 The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost."

Article Source: Bishops's House

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