October 30, Ordinary 31C (Luke 19:1–10)

In Catholic school, Zacchaeus was presented to me as a biblical hero, someone to emulate. I remember a religion class where I colored mimeographed pictures of him sitting in his sycamore tree. What would I do to see Jesus? the coloring page prompted me to wonder. Zacchaeus muscled his way to the top of a tree, and Jesus was so delighted with this effort he invited himself over for dinner.

That’s how we heard it, anyway. I couldn’t help but equate spiritual effort with God’s favor. Here was a warning against spiritual laziness, some extra motivation to keep my butt off the pew while I knelt during mass or to stay awake while we prayed the rosary in the dim light of our classroom with some soft pan flute music playing in the background.

Later, when my dad took me to evangelical churches, the Sunday school message was similar. Zacchaeus in his tree was a warning against backsliding. Yes, he was a sinner, but at least he was ready to clamber up that tree for a mere look at Jesus. Tax collector or no, that kind of passion was proof of spiritual commitment. If we really loved Jesus, what would we do? Would I respond to the altar call? Would I get in this Jacuzzi bathtub in my gym shorts in front of the whole church and let the pastor dunk me under the water? Yes, I would. Would my dad burn his Black Sabbath records? Also yes.