31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

He wants to see Jesus.
We can learn several lessons from this story.
If you are like Zacchaeus, who seems pretty happy and quite successful in life, but feel deep down inside that you are missing something, then please know, that all you need is Jesus. If you will go to Him, as He passes by, He will fill that emptiness with His presence. Let us remember that without Jesus Christ, we are nothing and can do nothing. In the gospel of John (15:5) we read Jesus saying, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
We may try to fill the emptiness with all kinds of things like food, drinks, diversion, spare-time and people but as Saint Augustine says, “our heart is restless until it rests in Him because He has made us for Himself”. When we do realize, that Jesus is the only hope we have, then we will go to Him. However, there are obstacles both external and internal we have to overcome.
One of obstacle between us and Jesus is the feeling of guilt and fear. We must courageously and confidently deal with sin, particularly with pride and greed and get right with God. We must be willing to make sacrifices. We take one step toward Jesus, He takes two steps toward us. When He sees our desire to seek Him, He stops to redeem us regardless of every obstacle that stands between him and us.
Zacchaeus’ story is also our story. When we look for Jesus like Zacchaeus did, we too can be changed.
Particularly let us joyfully wait on Him at Holy Mass, which is the soul of our faith. During Holy Mass Jesus manifests Himself in the scriptures, homilies, prayers, people, and most of all in the blessed bread and wine. When we are waiting to see Jesus, let us keep our ears open to listen to the voice of Jesus who will whisper to us that He wants to make His home not only in spirit but deep in our heart. Finally, when Christ is in us let us delightfully respond to Him without holding anything back.