Pope Francis catechesis on Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus

Pope Francis encourages in the text of his catechesis to discover the mercy of God, especially when we feel lost, just like Zacchaeus did.

Due to the delicate state of health of the Holy Father, there was no general audience on the seventh consecutive Wednesday and the text of his catechesis was distributed by the press office of the Holy See.

Next, the complete catechesis of Pope Francis:

Dear brothers and sisters:

Let’s continue contemplating Jesus’ encounters with some gospel characters. This time I would like to stop in the figure of Zacchaeus: an episode that is particularly loved, because it occupies a special place in my spiritual path.

Luke’s Gospel introduces us to Zacchae as someone who seems irremediably lost. Maybe we feel like this too: without hope. Zacchaeus, on the other hand, will discover that the Lord was already looking for him.

Jesus, in fact, went down to Jericho, a city located below sea level, considered an image of hell, where Jesus wants to go looking for those who feel lost. And, in reality, the risen Lord continues to descend to the hell of today, to the places of war, to the pain of the innocents, to the heart of the mothers who see their children die, to the hunger of the poor.

Zacchae, in a sense, has been lost, perhaps made wrong decisions or perhaps life has put it in situations that it costs to leave. In fact, Lucas insists on describing the characteristics of this man: he is not only publican, that is, one that collects taxes from his fellow citizens for the Roman invaders, but is even the head of the publicans, as saying that his sin multiply.

Lucas also adds that Zacchaeus is rich, implying that he has enriched himself at the expense of others, abusing his position. But all this has consequences: Zacchae is probably excluded, despised by all.

When he learns that Jesus is going through the city, Zacchae feels the desire to see him. He does not dare to imagine an encounter, it would be enough to look at him from afar. However, our desires also find obstacles and do not come true automatically:

Zacchaeus is short! It is our reality, we have limits that we must deal with. And then there are the others, which sometimes do not help us: the crowd prevents Zacchae from seeing Jesus. Maybe it is also a bit of your revenge.

But when you have a strong desire, it does not discourage. A solution is found. But you have to have value and not be ashamed, you need a little of the children’s simplicity and not worry too much about the image itself. Zacchae, like a child, climbs a tree. It should be a good observation point, especially to look without being seen, hiding behind the fronds.

But with the Lord the unexpected always happens: Jesus, when he comes close, looked up. Zacchae feels discovered and probably awaits a public reproach. People may have waited for it, but they will feel disappointed: Jesus asks Zacchae to go down immediately, almost marveling at seeing him in the tree, and he says: “Today I have to stay at home!” (Lk 19,5).

God cannot happen without looking for the one who is lost. Lucas highlights the joy of Zacchae’s heart. It is the joy of who feels looked at, recognized and, above all, forgiven. Jesus’ look is not a reproach look, but of mercy. It is that mercy that sometimes it is difficult for us to accept, especially when God forgives those who, in our opinion, do not deserve it. We mutter because we would like to put limits to the love of God.

In the scene at home, Zacchaeus, after hearing the words of forgiveness of Jesus, gets up, as if resurrected from his death status. And gets up to commit: return the quadruple of what he has stolen. It is not a price to pay, because the forgiveness of God is free, but the desire to imitate the one of whom he felt loved. Zacchae assumes a commitment to which he was not obliged, but he does it because he understands that this is his way of loving. And does so by combining Roman legislation on theft and rabbinic law on penance. Zacchaeus is not just the man of desire, he is also someone who knows how to take concrete steps. Its purpose is not generic or abstract, but starts precisely from its history: it has looked at its life and has identified the point from which to start its change.

Dear brothers and sisters, let’s learn from Zacchaeo not to lose hope, even when we feel marginalized or unable to change. Let’s cultivate our desire to see Jesus and, above all, let us find the mercy of God, who always comes to look for us, in any situation in which we have lost ourselves.