HOW marvelous are the words of the Book of Wisdom for this Sunday’s Liturgy:
“For you love all things that are and loath nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called for you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things!” (WIS 11:24-26)
One who reads these words can’t help but become impressed by God’s intense love for humankind and all creatures. Indeed, how could God hate anything or anyone that he created? The Scripture is consistent with this supreme attribute of God. His Son, Jesus Christ, made it incarnate in the way he lived with people of his times. He continued to show to humankind the compassionate heart of God, the Father.
Jesus’ dealing with Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector who was known for exploiting people, especially the poor, by imposing heavy taxes on them for his greedy commission, was a prime example of how Jesus revealed the heart of God. Seeing this midget man on top of a tree with the earnest desire to meet him, Jesus called out to him, saying, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” Zacchaeus and the crowd were caught by surprise. “How could he come to the house of one who is a sinner?” they murmured.
“Scandalized” is perhaps an apt description of the people’s reaction to Jesus’ action. But the scandal of God’s mercy and forgiveness is the spirit of the Gospel. God seeks out the lost, the forsaken and all those in need of salvation. He came not only for the healthy but, most especially, for the sick. He sees the smallest opening in a person’s heart for conversion and fills it with tender love.
It’s not that God would not admonish people at all to change their lives and sin no more. The Scriptures is also consistent in this regard. The later part of this Sunday’s Reading from the Book of Wisdom shows this approach: “Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O Lord!” (WIS 12:2)
Jesus’ astonishing treatment of Zacchaeus—he entered his house and dined with him and his whole family—touched the tax collector’s heart to the point that he decided to amend his ways by giving half of his possessions to the poor. Here we see the heart of God that is patient, “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness” (Psalm 145: 8-9).
Today we experience tension between tenderhearted and strict approaches to dealing with people who are not following the rules of the Church, particularly in regards to morality, whether it is about marriage, sex, or sanctity of life. We get astounded or confused when a holy man like Pope Francis reaches out to people who are not living out the ideal Christian way of life. We may not be able to overcome this tension—we continue to live with it—but this does not mean that we close the doors of our hearts and our homes to those who are not strictly following the rules of our faith. If Jesus dined with sinners, we too can live among them in love and kindness, hoping that they realize the truth of our faith and come to a full encounter with the Person of Christ.
We cannot live in anger, pride, arrogance, and hatred; we can only continue to dwell among people of all beliefs and lifestyles in kindness, graciousness, compassion, and hope.
We’ll continue to name the evil ways here on earth and challenge people to have the heart of God and live according to His precepts. We leave the judgment to God, the creator of all beings, good and bad in the eyes of men and women.
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From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1999-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of ImmAaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.
