31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
Wisdom 11:22-12:2 | Psalm 144(145):1-2,8-11,13b-14 | 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2 | Luke 19:1-10
The Gospel story of Zacchaeus is both refreshing and disturbing. We read with amusement about a grown man who displays youthful enthusiasm, climbs a large tree to get a good view of the Lord, then makes brash promises of generosity and compensation, like a child who doesn’t yet have a good grasp of the value of money.
Then the homilist at today’s mass inevitably asks, “How about us? Why don’t we follow Zacchaeus’ example?” Our instant reaction: “You’re joking, right? I’m too old for this tree-climbing crap, and besides, I’m not that rich, so I can’t afford to give half my wealth away!” And the lesson of Zacchaeus is instantly purged from our minds, never to bother us again.
Until possibly tonight, when we suddenly hear God say:
“Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?” (Luke 12:20)
Uh oh.
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As every regular runner knows, you don’t go from couch potato to marathoner overnight. You start by getting off the couch, then brisk-walk a bit, then a bit more. Gradually, you build up enough stamina to jog a bit, then a bit more. Before you know it, the miles are flying by, but it all starts with wanting to run.
The same goes for improving our spiritual selves; trying to leap from sinner to saint in a single bound is just asking for failure and discouragement. Instead, perhaps we can start by waking up with a short prayer, “Lord, thank you for this day, and everything that will be in it. Amen.” Then go to sleep with another short prayer, “Lord, thank you for this day, and everything that was in it. Amen.”
Then as we get used to saying short prayers regularly, we could add a weekly rosary. Then the rosary could become bi-weekly, then every other day, then daily.
Then we can start adding quiet reflections about the week that went by, then bi-weekly, then every other day, then daily.
Gradually stir in scripture reading, helping others, etc. so forth, but it all starts with wanting to be close to God.
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One oft-forgotten trick to getting good at running, both physically and spiritually, is to run with a friend. As a good running partner helps set a reasonable pace and urge us to keep to it, so a good partner on our faith “run” helps set a reasonable rate of spiritual development, and keeps us honest.
Just as important is our ability to return the favour; it’s a mutual support arrangement, after all.
So if you’re looking for a partner to train for the Living Saintly Marathon, drop me a message in the comments section and we’ll work something out.
And before we know it, we’ll be running towards Jesus in love and joy and righteousness…and with almost no conscious effort.
Christ is coming, brothers and sisters. Time to get spiritually fit enough to climb that tree of faith for a good vantage point.
Amen.