Monday is Halloween or All Hallows Eve. At some point in its history, Halloween may have had religious significance. But it doesn’t anymore. It is, however, a joyous time for children as they dress up in all manner of creative disguises and collect massive quantities of candy while they trick or treat through their neighborhoods.
There is no connection in today’s gospel, Luke 19:1-10, to Halloween. There is, however, an element of trick or treat in this wonderful story about Zacchaeus the chief tax collector of Jericho and his life changing encounter with Jesus. Like the tax collector we heard about last week (Luke 18:9-14), Zacchaeus was, in the eyes of his community, a notorious sinner. As an observant Jew, Jesus should have shunned Zacchaeus but that isn’t what happened. The pious members of the community tricked themselves into believing that they were better than sinful Zacchaeus. Jesus saw things differently and Zacchaeus was in for a very big treat.
Zacchaeus really wanted to see Jesus. However, he had a problem. He was short and he could not see over the crowd that probably would not let him through anyway. Zacchaeus was a man on a mission. He ran ahead and climbed a Sycamore tree so he could see Jesus clearly. As he came to the tree, Jesus looked up, saw Zacchaeus, and said "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house" (Luke 19:5). Zacchaeus scrambled down from the tree and welcomed Jesus with joy. The crowd was scandalized! How could Jesus possibly stay at the house of this sinner?
In this brief encounter Jesus transformed Zacchaeus’ life. Standing before Jesus and the crowd Zacchaeus announced "behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over" (Luke 19:8). This statement must have left the crowd stunned because Zacchaeus was a very wealthy man. Jesus said to Zacchaeus and the crowd, "Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). Not only that, Jesus restored Zacchaeus to the family of Abraham. Why? Because Jesus came to “seek and save” all those who are lost, forgotten, estranged and stigmatized.
Trick or treat? We can trick ourselves into believing that we are better than other people and separating ourselves from them and from God or we can treat ourselves to the immeasurable grace offered to us by Jesus who loves all of us in spite of ourselves.
Lord God, lover of life,
we are small before you
because we are aware that we are sinners.
We thank you for the joy and the forgiveness
that you let your Son Jesus bring to your people.
Help us stay close to him,
so that he may change our lives and our hearts.
May he dispose us to share with our brothers and sisters
your mercy and forgiving love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
