Pope Francis: Let us welcome Jesus into our lives with joy
(Vatican Radio) At his Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis spoke about the day’s Gospel
account of the conversion of Zacchaeus.
The Holy Father recalled that Zacchaeus,
a man “short in stature,” because he was a publican “was a lost sheep, despised, an
‘excommunicate’ . . . a friend of the hated Roman occupiers, a thief and an exploiter.”
Nonetheless, although he was far away from Jesus, he climbed a tree in order
to be able to see the Master as He passed by. Although it seemed ridiculous, the Pope
said, “this exterior act expressed the interior act of a man who sought to bring himself
beyond the crowd to come into contact with Jesus.” Zacchaeus himself probably did
not recognize the significance of his action, but Jesus, when He passed by, called
him by name. “This man of short stature, rejected by all and far from Jesus, was like
one lost in anonymity; but Jesus calls him, and his name has a significance full of
allusions: Zacchaeus, in fact, means ‘God remembers.'”
Jesus, calling Zacchaeus
and going to his house, is criticised by the people of Jericho. Why, the Pope asked,
with so many good people in Jericho, did Jesus go to the house of that publican? It
was precisely because Zacchaeus was ‘lost.’
“There is no occupation or social
condition,” Pope Francis said, “no sin or crime of any kind, that could erase from
the memory and the heart of God even one of His children.” God is a Father, always
keeping a watchful and loving vigil “to see reborn in the hearts of the child the
desire to return home. And when He recognizes that desire, even simply stated, He
is immediately close by, and with His forgiveness He makes the path of conversion
and return easier.”
“Let's look at Zacchaeus, today, on the tree,” the Pope
continued. “His is a ridiculous gesture, but it is an act of salvation. And I say
to you: if you have a weight on your conscience, if you are ashamed of so many things
that you’ve done, stop for a moment, do not panic. Think about the fact that that
Someone is waiting for you because He has never stopped remembering you — and this
Somone is your Father, it is God Who waits for you! Climb up, as did Zacchaeus, climb
onto the tree of the desire of being forgiven. I will assure you that you will not
be disappointed. Jesus is merciful and never grows tired of forgiving! Remember well,
that’s the way Jesus is.”
“Brothers and sisters, let us also call upon the
name Jesus!” Pope Francis said, concluding his Angelus address. “In the depths of
the heart, let us listen to His voice that says to us: ‘Today I must stay at your
house,’ that is in your life. And let us welcome Him with joy: He can change us, can
transform our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh, He can liberate us from selfishness
and make our lives a gift of love.”