How much are you willing to give up?
At the beginning of today’s Gospel, we meet Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector who was rich. By the end of the Gospel, he gives away half of his possessions, and promises to pay back anyone four times whatever he cheated them. What happened to Zaccheus? He was probably hoping that day at best to get a glimpse of Jesus from a distance, but instead, Jesus called his name and asked if He could stay at Zaccheus’ place that day.
If Jesus asked to come and stay at your place today, would you let Him? Would you be concerned that He might have the same effect on you as He did on Zaccheus? But do you think Zaccheus was really happier with all his wealth before having met Jesus? Or do you think he was happier after meeting Jesus and giving half of it away and making generous amends to those he had wronged after he met Jesus?
“…we regard as the supreme rule of our lives the following of Christ, whom the Gospel presents as poor, chaste, and obedient.” (CR Constitutions, 12)