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(Wis.11:22-12:2;\xa0\xa0 Ps.145:1-2,8-11,13-14;\xa0\xa0 2Thes.1:11-2:2;\xa0\xa0 Lk.19:1-10) \xa0 \u201cThe Son of Man has come to seek and save what was lost.\u201d \xa0 How beautifully the readings speak today of our \u201cLord and lover of souls\u201d whose \u201cimperishable spirit is in all things\u201d and who is \u201cgood to all and compassionate to all His works.\u201d\xa0 It is indeed \u201cin accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ\u201d that we be glorified in Him and He in us, and so we praise Him: \u201cEvery day I will bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.\u201d The Lord \u201clove[s] all things that are\u201d; all is made by Him, so how could He but love all.\xa0 Though to Him \u201cthe whole universe is as\u2026 a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth,\u201d He loves it all with a most personal affection, shown in the grace-filled coming of His Son among us.\xa0 And why has this Son come but to forgive?\xa0 Why has He walked the earth but to call men back to their place in the loving heart of the Father?\xa0 Why has He come but to show the Father\u2019s loving mercy? And appropriate is Paul\u2019s warning \u201cnot to be shaken out of your minds suddenly\u201d in fear of the Lord\u2019s imminent return in judgment.\xa0 Here is remedy against all the false prophets predicting the sudden end of this universe God has created, as if they could move His hand, as if they could know His mind.\xa0 Whence does this come but the same grumbling of the people when Jesus moved to go in to sup with Zacchaeus, the famous sinner?\xa0 Whence does this come but a failure to understand the Lord\u2019s wisdom and love and manner of working in the world, failing to see that what the Lord does is \u201crebuke sinners little by little, warn[ing] them and remind[ing] them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in [Him]\u201d? It is evident that the majority in the crowd would have preferred, in fact, rejoiced in seeing, Zacchaeus\u2019 utter destruction.\xa0 They expected the Lord\u2019s punishment on this sinner, and desired it to come immediately.\xa0 Why?\xa0 Again, they knew not God\u2019s love or the Lord\u2019s purpose.\xa0 Why?\xa0 Even more to the point: they were sinners themselves who failed to recognize their sin and realize their own need for mercy \u2013 and so had neither the Lord\u2019s patience, nor His love. How well that loving forgiveness is illustrated in our gospel; how like the parable of the Prodigal Son.\xa0 As the son returns to the father, Zacchaeus goes ahead and climbs the tree.\xa0 As the father sees the son from far off and goes to him, so Jesus spies Zacchaeus in the tree and calls to him.\xa0 As the father\u2019s generous love sparks the son\u2019s complete repentance, so Jesus\u2019 acceptance of Zacchaeus brings salvation to his house, shown in his generous penance.\xa0 I pray we all seek the Lord who seeks for us and act as Zacchaeus, who \u201ccame down quickly and received Him with joy,\u201d as the Lord freely offers His love and forgiveness to our souls.\xa0 Praise Him for His kindness! \xa0 Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. \xa0 Music: "Save the Children" (first half) from Cleansing Human Frailty, fourth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. \xa0 ******* O LORD, our stature before you \xa0has been diminished by sin, but your Son comes to raise us to Heaven. YHWH, how compassionate you are toward all your creatures, desiring the repentance of all in whom your imperishable Spirit dwells that they might not die but turn to you and live.\xa0 And so you have sent your Son to seek and save the lost.\xa0 And so we should praise you for your greatness.\xa0 You have indeed made all things, and man in your image and likeness.\xa0 And so you cannot but look upon us with pity as we distort your blessed image by sin; and so, little by little you rebuke us, LORD, reminding us of our sin that we might abandon our wickedness and believe in you.\xa0 You are our God and King, faithful and holy in all your works, but we are weak and prone to stray from your grace.\xa0 So in your kindness you bow down to lift us up, we who are falling, that we might look upon your face, that in glory we might dwell with your only Son\u2026 that your salvation might come even to the house of the worst sinner.