The moment of transformation has begun in Zacchaeus’ life when Jesus told him that he will be staying with Zacchaeus. The social stigma and the scars of discrimination in condemning him as an untouchable (because of his job as a tax collector) was deep rooted and now they have been completely removed in his first encounter with the Lord. As a public sinner until that time, he was seen a person unworthy of relating to any Jew, let alone God. He has been hated by many, at the same time, he also hated everyone. He could not forgive himself as his inner conscience haunted him for doing the traitor’s work of collecting tax for an oppressive foreign regime. Now he has been experiencing the forgiveness of the Lord and begins to forgive others and himself. He has realized that the love of God can wipe away the inner guilt created by his sinful way of living.
His search for a meaning in life has been fulfilled as he encounters the forgiving Lord. He knew that he was lacking something even when he had the wealth and health than most people in his neighborhood. Until now he thought having more in his life would make him happy. The rejection and loneliness he experienced in his workplace and home was getting to a point that he couldn’t face life anymore. Now he begins to realize that owning the one who owns everything is the only thing he might need in his life.
It was not a temporary stay Jesus meant when Jesus told Zacchaeus that he was going to stay with him; but a stay for the rest of his life. Zacchaeus was happy to open the door for the Lord so that he can enter into his life. He was happy that he could run from the crowd, the noise of the world and climb to the top of the tree. Those skills turned out to be life saving in a crucial moment when he faced the impossibility of experiencing and encountering Jesus.
It was Jesus who came on his way as Zacchaeus made a little attempt and then Jesus changed his program for the day to stay with him. Zacchaeus tried to remember and recite all the forgotten prayers he learned as a little boy from the synagogue. Jesus just smiled even when Zacchaeus lost half of the Shema in his eagerness to impress Jesus. He rehearsed several times in his mind of what he has to say to the Lord when he would be in his house.
Zacchaeus asked one of Jesus’ disciples, Matthew, to go ahead of them and tell his family to open the gates of the house for Jesus and the crowd. He also reminded him to tell his family to put his bull dog (his name is Winston) in the cage as the dog is not used to the big crowd. Zacchaeus knew Matthew from work since he was very active in AITCA (All Israel Tax Collectors’ Association) until he left everything to follow Jesus. Zacchaeus’ wife panicked hearing the number of people coming to their house for dinner. She never had that many people at her home before, but she sent two of her children immediately to the Super Market to buy enough groceries to prepare meal for everyone. Unlike previous dinner parties where only invited people of the same class attended, here comes a group of uninvited guests who seemed informal at the same time happier than most guests she ever had.
(to be continued).
