Tuesday, November 19, 2013. 

Today's Liturgical Reading by Daily Flash, Goa.  

2 Maccabees 6:18-31; Psalm 3:2-7; Gospel : Luke 19:1-10. [Please share today's Gospel with family, friends/neighbors.]

Focus:  “I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5)

Jesus never condemned a sinner – neither the adulterous woman (John 8:11) nor Zacchaeus (today’s Gospel). It is this non-condemning, unconditional, accepting love that gives a sinner the courage to emerge from a sinful situation.

There was a time when I struggled to resist a particular weakness. I tried hard, prayed and did penance, but to no avail. Then one day, as I read today’s Gospel passage, what struck me was the incredible love that Jesus has for sinners. Imagine, telling someone as sinful and despised as Zacchaeus, “I will stay with you” (Focus)! I am sure even Zacchaeus could not believe his ears. But Jesus’ gesture made him repent and give up his sinful ways, resulting in his own and his family’s salvation. In a similar way, I was so overwhelmed with the love of Jesus that I was able to come out of my sin.

God is always close to the righteous, like Eleazar, the martyr of today’s First Reading. But Jesus was sent specially to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). That is why, when someone else is able to overcome sin, we must not grumble or object, as did the people surrounding Jesus (v. 7). Instead, the Lord exhorts us to encourage them and accept them in our midst.

Fruit:  When struggling with a sinful situation let us spend quiet time with the Lord and feel His unconditional love enveloping us – and the sinful habit fade away.