Half of my possessions

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The Zacchaeus Song

The Porter's Gate

Today is Tuesday the 18th of November, in the 33rd week of Ordinary Time.

Paul Zach and Sandra McCracken sing, ‘The Zacchaeus Song’.

Jesus our Lord came to seek and to save

He sought me out and He called me by name

Foolish and proud, like a sheep gone astray

He said, "Child, to your house I will come today"

Much I have gained but I'll give even more

Half of my wealth it was robbed from the poor

O this injustice, Lord, help me restore

For You called me by name and said, "Sin no more"

Salvation has come

Salvation has come to this house today

He said it's more blessed to give than receive

To open my hands to the ones I've deceived

To bring reparation of all I have thieved

Hallelujah, hallelujah, yes, now I can see

Salvation has come

Salvation has come to this house today

What I've taken from the poor, I will give it all away

And their cries won't be ignored, I will give it all away

Let Your justice be restored, I will give it all away

What I thought was mine is yours, I will give it all away

Jesus our Lord comes to seek and to save

The broken, the lost, and the sheep gone astray

O lay down your treasures, for they're just golden chains

He says, "Child, I will come to your house today"

2:43

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 19:1-10

[Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’

4:43

Curious

We Dream of Eden

We’re quite familiar with the situation shown at the start of this gospel passage. A celebrity has come to town. Everyone is anxious to see him. They’ll do whatever it takes. So, a short-in-stature tax collector casts his dignity aside and scrambles up a tree. What’s going on in the mind of Zacchaeus?

He gets more than a passing glimpse of Jesus. Jesus invites himself to dinner at Zacchaeus’s house. What must that have been like for him?

This encounter is literally life-changing for Zacchaeus. What was it, do you think, that he saw or heard in Jesus that made such an impact on him?

Jesus declares that he has come to save the lost. As you listen again, consider whether there are areas of your own life that need to be saved by Jesus in this way.

8:16

Luke 19:1-10

[Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’

9:55

Jesus thinks of you, too, as a son or daughter of Abraham, as a child of God. Take a few moments now to respond to Jesus as he addresses himself to you in this way.

11:52

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen.