Words of Welcome
“So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him.”
Zacchaeus was a rich man, a tax collector. He probably had a large and beautiful home, perfect for entertaining. But he was excluded from most society, leaving him a lonely man. The Jews considered him a traitor to their nation. The Roman government used his services but did not accept him as a person. He was willing to climb a tree to see a man who associated with tax collectors and sinners.
Jesus broke the ice by inviting himself to Zacchaeus's home. Someone has suggested that Zacchaeus was converted when he hit the ground under the tree. Here was an opportunity to become a new man with a new outlook. To entertain the famous traveling rabbi in his own home was a prospect Zacchaeus had never imagined when he climbed the tree. No wonder he "was happy to welcome him." Zacchaeus demonstrated his welcome by repenting and making restitution for his past wrongs. This was a concrete way to demonstrate his trust in Christ, and his intention to move in a new direction.
Advent is our opportunity to welcome Jesus into our homes. This year open your heart to the presence of the only true Friend you will ever have. Then life will become a continuous celebration of the coming of Christ.
For Reflection: Is the door of my heart open?
A Prayer Seed:
O Jesus, Thou art standing outside the fast-close door.
In lowly patience waiting to pass the threshold o'er:
Shame on us, Christian people, His name and sign who bear,
O shame, thrice shame upon us to keep Him standing there.
William Walsham How, 1867
