Luke 19: 1-10 1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And 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.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
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This is the first Gospel reading during our spiritual makeover before the season of the Great Fast. This lesson was taken from a talk that I had given my teen ECF class several years ago on Zacchaeus Sunday. As all my children now range in age throughout the teen years, it is a perspective I consider everyday. Many times it is said that teens in our society today are especially lazy; that they lack ambition. They seek the easy way out and don’t know how to work. I say, that is not entirely their fault. The crowd around them presses upon them so forcefully, they can’t really get a clear view of Christ in their midst. Yes, that gem of value, that “pearl of great price” is indeed in front of them, but the crowd around them has hidden it, tarnished it with lies and false accusations so that it has become nearly unrecognizable. Some in their crowd don’t even know that God exists; much less that He seeks a relationship with them! They are in denial. If the crowd can convince them to ignore Christ, society will never again be reminded how far they have strayed from His ways. They cannot stand to look into the innocent eyes of the youth of today and face what they, themselves used to be, and what they are no more. These teens are like a flower in bud stage, ready to bloom. They are, like Zacchaeus, small in stature, in maturity, in vulnerability, and this crowd knows it. Society today is a frantic, driven one, all desperately striving, competing, laboring, but toward what end? No one really knows. Teens today are surrounded with this confusion and unless someone inspires them to run ahead of this crowd, and climb above it all, they risk being swept away with it. The first thing we must do is help them to discover the joy of a spiritual life. If we show them how to uncover this pearl and see it for the treasure that it us, it will be easier to “run” and “climb” after it.
Matthew 13: 44-46 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Zacchaeus climbs; he works hard to get what he wants. We see that work is a good and holy thing, a mandate from God, and a means for gaining salvation. From the very beginning, God ordained that Adam and Eve would nevermore reap without sowing. As the result of sin, we are expected to work for everything we get.
Genesis 2:15 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
Proverbs 10:5 5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
Romans 12:11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
He has given us creatures of great marvel to consider and learn from.
Proverbs 6:6-11 Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Without having any chief,
officer, or ruler,
8 she prepares her bread in summer
and gathers her food in harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
Matthew 25 practically screams the theme of ambition at us by first warning that the wise virgins who bought their oil and prepared their lamps entered into the banquet while the lazy foolish ones were sent away. The next parable tells us that the Master has given us all talents and expects an account of them when He will come again. Woe to the man who buried his in the ground, doing nothing, and simply handed the Master back the gift he was given without anything added during his lifetime. What will happen to us all someday when Christ does indeed come again? The next parable discusses how He will separate us all into groups like sheep and goats, depending upon our actions. Note here that those who are sent away to the fire are sent, not because of what they have DONE, but because of what they HAVE NOT DONE. The final exam of life consists of what we have done for others, versus what we have ignored…best get up off that couch!
Matthew 25: 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Our Lord makes it clear that He desires zeal, energy, ambition and a true desire to connect with Him. He tells in the book of Revelation just what He thinks of those who show none of it.
Revelation 3: 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
Imagine, being “spit out” of the mouth of the Lord!
From these scripture passages, it is abundantly clear that God desires us to have the ambition that Zacchaeus had. A lukewarm, half-hearted attitude simply will not do. But how can we cultivate zeal? How do you become enthused about other things in life? Pep rallies work wonders at football games; this principle can be applied to the faith as well. Fire for God is contagious. Place yourself among people who are filled with the zeal of the Holy Spirit. Learning the truths of the faith can be motivating as well. Study the Catholic faith and see how truly awesome it’s teachings are. Get to know Christ PERSONALLY in prayer. Pray daily and see for yourself what a difference it can make. It may be difficult at first, but it is much better than doing nothing.
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