Reflection for November 18 Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 19:1-10

Gospel: Luke 19:1-10

At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. 

When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” 

But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

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Reflection:

The story is told of a man who aspired to become wealthy because he believed that once he achieved riches, he would finally experience happiness and fulfillment. He worked tirelessly to attain his ambition, even to the point of dirtying his hands with dishonest wealth.

And although he eventually became wealthy, he remained neither happy nor fulfilled. His heart was still restless—until he found Jesus. From then on, his life changed, and he finally discovered the peace and fulfillment his soul had been longing for.

Zacchaeus was very much like that man—and very much like many of us. He aspired to become wealthy no matter the cost. His job as a tax collector helped make that ambition a reality, and he did not hesitate to enrich himself with corrupt money. Externally, he seemed successful, powerful, and secure. But deep within, he was empty, unsettled, and without peace.

Perhaps after indulging in the trappings of dirty wealth and influence, Zacchaeus realized that something essential was still missing. Despite having almost every worldly thing he could ask for, his heart remained restless. He longed for something more, something deeper, something that no amount of money or power could ever give.

Many of us can relate. We chase wealth, success, status, or power, thinking that these will finally satisfy us. We strive harder, accumulate more, and compete fiercely, believing that once we “make it,” we will finally be happy. But often, the more we gain, the less we sleep soundly. Our hearts remain anxious, our minds restless, and our spirits unsettled—all because we try to fill spiritual hunger with material things.

But something happened to Zacchaeus. When he heard about Jesus, hope stirred in his heart. From then on, he promised himself that he would seek Jesus no matter what it took. And when Jesus passed by, Zacchaeus ran with all his might.

He didn’t mind pushing through a sea of people. He didn’t mind climbing a sycamore tree just to catch a glimpse of the One who could heal his tired heart. He knew deep within that only Jesus could give him the peace and fulfillment he had been searching for all his life.

Zacchaeus found in Jesus what wealth and power could never provide. And the same remains true for us today. We may have our own ambitions. We may have our own pursuits. We may have our own “sycamore trees” to climb. But in the end, true peace and lasting fulfillment can only be found in Jesus.

What are we chasing today? And when Jesus passes by, will we climb whatever tree we must, just to meet Him and let Him change our lives? – Marino J. Dasmarinas