Seeing Jesus

Luke 19.1-10

1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. 3He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, because he was going to pass that way. 5When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ 6So he hurried down and was happy to welcome Jesus. 7All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ 8Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ 9Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’

Dulverton Sermon

Among the hundreds of photographs that I possess are a couple that are rather special. I am on both of them but the important point is the person there within sight of me. The first is Her Majesty the Queen on her Coronation Day. I am there too on the pavement edge as the Royal Coach passes by. I am in military uniform on lining the route duty , with my rifle and fixed bayonet , between the crowds and the coach. The other photo shows His Holiness Pope John Paul II among the crowd in St Peter's Square following his weekly audience with me no more than a couple of feet from him.

The Gospels suggest that it was something like this with Jesus. When he was passing by everybody wanted to see and meet him. So we have Zacchaeus determined to see him in today's gospel story. He doesn't stand on ceremony but clambers up a nearby sycamore tree to see Jesus. He is determined not to miss him. He has heard that he is happy to mix with tax collectors and sinners. Despised by his fellow men and women he didn't want to miss the chance to see Jesus and reach out to him and receive something of the love of God through him.

Then there was blind Bartimaeus who sat begging by the roadside as Jesus passed through Jericho. "Master, my prayer is to be able to see" he cries out. The crowds tell him to keep quiet but he is not going to miss the chance to emerge from his darkness into the light of Christ. His persistence is rewarded. Jesus gives him the ability to see him. Out of gratitude he become one of his followers.

There were also the Greeks who approached Philip with the request that they might see Jesus. Their wish was also fulfilled. I guess they went home talking about him and how Jesus is pleased to respond to all enquirers whatever their nationality.

Always and everywhere men and women are drawn to Jesus. They want to see him and be blessed by contact with him. Millions across the centuries experience the life changing nature of such an encounter.

As well as being a once in a life time experience leading to conversion we need to make 'seeing Jesus' a daily experience leading to sanctification. He passes by in prayer and scripture and sacrament. Also in loving friends and needy strangers. We tend to become like those we love and admire. Those who love Jesus and regularly draw near him become like him.

God grant us a deep desire to see Jesus and the determination to place ourselves where he can see us.