The Syriac Church remembers Zacchaeus who climbed a tree to see the Lord and received as a gift the conversion of his heart.

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people acquired by God
to proclaim his marvellous works.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Luke 19,1-10

He entered Jericho and was going through the town and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.' And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. 'He has gone to stay at a sinner's house,' they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, 'Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.' And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man has come to seek out and save what was lost.'

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

You will be holy,
because I am holy, thus says the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Today the Syriac Church remembers Zacchaeus, the tax-collector who welcomed Jesus in his home. It is a memory that touches our heart, even because it comes from the tradition of a Church that has suffered so much because of the Gospel in the many conflicts that still shed blood in the Middle East. While Jesus is walking in the streets of Jericho, he lifts up his eyes towards Zacchaeus who had climbed up a tree because of his small of stature and calls him by name. Jesus knows us by name. In an anonymous and depersonalized society like ours, this attitude of Jesus offers us a great lesson. The Gospel is always personal, it always pronounces our name. It is we who often consider it generically like a distant show because we do not listen to it. We imagine Zacchaeus' amazement in hearing his name called. He was a tax-collector, therefore a sinner, and yet Jesus calls only him. Jesus reads in the hearts and realizes the desire of that tax-collector; as soon as Jesus sees him, he tells Zaccheaus his desire to go to his house. The book of revelation comes to mind: "Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me." That day in Jericho, this word became reality. Zacchaeus wanted only to see Jesus. Jesus instead wanted to meet him and give him salvation. Only by opening our heart we can free it from fear and pride and find hope again. Once he heard Jesus' proposal, Zacchaeus comes down in a hurry and, with joy, welcomes Jesus in his home. This time the rich man does not go away sad in front of the invitation and also Jesus is full of joy. At the end of the encounter, the publican decides to return what he had stolen and to give half of his goods to the poor. And so, begins his conversion: he is no longer the same man as before. Zacchaeus establishes his measure, and he puts it into effect. He does not say, "I will give everything," but "I will give half." Welcoming Jesus in our heart helps us to find our personal and generous measure of charity.