Thirty-first Sunday. Year C - Sunday, October 30, 2022 (EPISODE- 389)

Readings for Sunday, October 30, 2022 - Thirty-first Sunday. Year C
FIRST READING: Wis 11:22—12:2 (diff)
Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13b-14. "I will praise your name forever, my king and my God"
SECOND READING: 2 Thess 1:11—2:2
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 3:16). Alleluia, alleluia! God loved the world so much, he gave us his only Son. That all who believe in him might have eternal life.
GOSPEL: Luke 19:1-10

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed.Stock Vector ID: 2174901319 - Zacchaeus climbed up into a sycamore tree to have a better view of Jesus. Biblical series -Vector Format - Vector Contributor: AndryDj
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers, and homily), for Thirty-first Sunday. Year C - Sunday, October 30, 2022, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-31c-ordinary-time-2022-episode-389/s-WBd0CIz2g6B

(EPISODE- 389)
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In the first reading this weekend, we have an excellent key to the reason God deals with us the way he does in relation to our sins and mistakes....   The Lord "overlooks people's sins, so that they may repent....For you love all things that exist,  ....{and} .... you correct little by little those who trespass,

and you remind and warn them of the things through which they sin,

so that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in you."

 

The Gospel puts this message into action.   Our Lord shows us that ostracising or rejecting and shunning people who have sinned doesn't work.  In fact it often reinforces them in their sin, as they are left nowhere else to go.  Our Lord sought out, associated with and ate with sinners ...  he shows us that all people are God's beloved children...  and the Lord only shows us our faults and errors not so that we would lose hope but so that we can see where we are going wrong and turn back to the Lord who loves us so much.   Jesus wants us to have the same compassionate and constructive approach to others who have gone down dead-end paths....  he comes near to those who have strayed and invites them to re-connect him. How else could anyone be saved if they are not given the opportunity to draw near again? 

 

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The gospel for this Sunday offers us one of Luke's most delightful narratives: the story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector.

 

JERICHO (one of the oldest inhabited cities in history), was known locally as "The City of Palm Trees," and was a very wealthy and important town. The Romans transported its date-fruits and balsam all around the known world.  All this made Jericho one of the greatest taxation centres in Palestine.

 

Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector, and the Jewish people would have loathed him because he was seen as collaborating with the ruling Romans by collecting their taxes for them. He was a rich man in a very rich and prosperous area. And much of his wealth came from taking more than was fair. And so, he would have been one of the most hated men in the district.

 

Zacchaeus was wealthy but he was clearly not happy. Inevitably he would have been very lonely, for he had chosen a way that made him an outcast, even if a rich one. He had heard of Jesus who welcomed tax-collectors and sinners, and he wondered if he would have any word for him. Despised and hated by people, Zacchaeus was already longing for the love and compassion of God.

 

Zacchaeus is determined to see Jesus and would let nothing stop him.  For him, mixing with big crows was a dangerous thing to do.  People would certainly use the opportunity of the crush of the crowd to give him an anonymous kick, or push as he moved through the crowd.  People would not have been able to resist.  Zacchaeus would have been black and blue with bruises that day but he would not give up.

 

Because he was a short man, he was eager to see Our Lord so much that he did something very undignified for a man with his rank and wealth;  he climbed a tree, just like an eager child.   A Sycamore tree, with its short trunk and very wide branches in all directions, was a fairly easy tree to climb. 

 

When Our Lord stopped at the tree and looked up, the crowd would surely have laughed at Zacchaeus and mocked him and awaited what they thought would be a scene where Jesus stood there and told him off for his dishonesty and lack of generosity.  If they were expecting Our Lord to berate and condemn him, they must have been absolutely astounded when, instead, Our Lord spoke kindly to him and said to him, "hurry down; I must stay at your house tonight." 

 

We notice that Jesus is the one who invites Zacchaeus to open the door. The initiative (as always), comes from Our Lord - -  and Zacchaeus responds eagerly.  Zacchaeus accepts Jesus' invitation and, rising to his feet, also rises to the occasion by promising to give half of his possessions to the poor and to pay back those who have been victimised by his greed and dishonesty and collusion with the hated Romans. Jesus' action of reaching out to this outcast and sinner has a profound impact on Zacchaeus' lifestyle: He is changed into a person of generosity and justice.

 

There is something else really astounding here about this. Zacchaeus could have stopped at just giving what Jewish law required of fraudulent crimes like this. According to the Book of Leviticus (6: 5) and the Book of Numbers (5: 7),  he only needed to repay the value plus 1/5th of the value. So he was saying, I am not hiding behind the minimal requirements of the letter of law. I am going to act justly and generously and go far beyond what is demanded.  How utterly changed he had become.  By Our Lord refusing to reject him and ostracise him, and by giving him space and kindness, this sinful man was given the room to repent and be transformed.

 

Of course, Our Lord expects not just a change of words but also words backed up by practical actions.

 

Finally, Jesus reminds us that being a true son or daughter of Abraham is not a matter of inheritance, race, or culture. Being a true member of God's family is a response to God's invitation by practical actions, as stated in the second reading this weekend,        (2 Thes 1:11).

 

Zacchaeus (and all of us) are called to be "lovers of life," as the book of Wisdom beautifully puts it, (11:26). The God of our faith is the one who always forgives and who wants all people to put their trust in him, (Wis 12:2). This trust is well placed.

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References: 

thanks to an extensive quotation from these two sources, for this week's homily. namely - Sharing the Word through the Liturgical Year. Gustavo Gutierrez; The Daily Study Bible. Gospel of Luke. (revised edition). by William Barclay;  

 

Fr. Paul W. Kelly

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed.Stock Vector ID: 2174901319 - Zacchaeus climbed up into a sycamore tree to have a better view of Jesus. Biblical series -Vector Format - Vector Contributor: AndryDj


Thirty-first Sunday. Year C  (Sunday, October 30, 2022) (EPISODE- 389)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{heartfelt thanks to you all for uniting in prayer and reflectying upon God's goodness and care.}}

My brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.
Lord Jesus, you were lifted up to draw all people to yourself: Lord, have mercy//You shouldered the cross, to bear our suffering and sinfulness: Christ, have mercy// You open for your people the way from death into life: Lord, have mercy//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13b-14. "I will praise your name forever, my king and my God"

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 3:16). Alleluia, alleluia! God loved the world so much, he gave us his only Son. That all who believe in him might have eternal life.
Memorial Acclamation
3. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
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PREFACE: Sundays Ordinary III
Eucharistic Prayer TWO

(theme variation:  1)


(pre+post variation: v1-long)
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{heartfelt thanks to you all for uniting in prayer and reflectying upon God's goodness and care.}

Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

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Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009,  The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria,  Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of  William John Kelly -     Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.

Microphones: -      Shure MV5 Digital Condenser (USB)

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[Production -  KER -  2022]
May God bless and keep you.
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