Daily Gospel Reflection

What’s Stopping You?

Welcome back to Radical and Relevant, where each day we explore the genius of the life and teachings of Jesus, looking for a word or phrase or an idea from the daily gospel so that we can anchor our lives today in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 19, verses 1 through 10. Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not on account of the crowd because he was small of stature.

So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for I will stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down and received Jesus joyfully. And when they saw it, they were all murmuring. He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house since he also is the son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost." It's another great story. We've got like Jesus' greatest hits this week. Yesterday, we had the blind man. Today, we've got Zacchaeus. What jumped out at you today? The thing that jumped out at me was Zacchaeus wanted to know Jesus, wanted to see Jesus. And so many crowds, too many people couldn't get near Jesus, couldn't get to see Jesus. So he went and he climbed the tree.

What is it at this moment in your life that is stopping you from getting to know Jesus more, from being with Jesus, from getting close to Jesus, from seeing Jesus? Like Zacchaeus, it was all the crowds and whatever. And he had to climb up the tree. What effort do you have to make so that you can connect with Jesus in a new way, in a unique way? That was one of the things that jumped out at me today. So many great things. Maybe something else jumped out at you. He received Jesus joyfully was another thing that jumped out at me. He received Jesus joyfully. Do we receive Jesus joyfully?

Maybe Jesus calling us to things that are maybe not that convenient or maybe not that enjoyable. Do we receive Jesus joyfully? What jumped out at you? Remember each day, we're just looking for a word or a phrase or an idea. What jumps out at me doesn't have to be the thing that the Holy Spirit uses to stir you or to capture your attention. But find your word, your phrase, your idea each day, and carry it with you through the day. Remember, Be Bold, Be Catholic.