Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Perhaps you have heard about the recent Amazon Synod of Bishops. The Synod met in Rome from 6 to 27 October 2019. On 15 October 2017, Pope Francis had announced that the Synod would work "to identify new paths for the evangelization of God's people in Amazon region. His focus was on the indigenous peoples who are often forgotten and without the prospect of a sustainable social and religious future. The obstacles to evangelization of this region are many. It includes the difficult terrain, the great variety of languages spoken, and most importantly the vested interest of landowners and business interests who exploit the land and the indigenous peoples, most of whom are Roman Catholic.
However, the Synod attracted fierce opposition of Pope Francis from the traditionalists in the Church. Some bishops, a few priests, and a handful of lay people (many of whom hold a very narrow and primarily doctrinal view of religion and Catholicism), launched a ferocious attack on Pope Francis, calling him a heretic. Some of them even went into a church in Rome, stole an Amazonian indigenous image, and threw it into the Tiber river, accusing Pope Francis and the Synod bishops of idolatry. The Synod concluded on Oct 27th with some significant resolutions. First, it was open to ordain certain married men (who are already deacons or stable leaders), as priests. In other words, the church in the Amazon region could very soon see married clergy. Second, it was proposed that Pope Francis reopen the commission which is looking into the possibility of women deacons. Among other resolutions, which still have to be officially passed by Pope Francis, the Synod also called for an Amazonian Rite for worship. The Catholic Church consist of twenty-three churches or rites which are in full communion with the Pope in Rome. The Amazonian Rite would be the newest rite. As I mentioned, all these points have attracted severe opposition to the Vatican.
It is in light of the Amazon Synod and opposition to it, that I would like to reflect on today’s gospel reading– the conversion of Zacchaeus. Here are my three points for today:
- The Jesus Alternative. The Palestinian society was a complicated society. The power struggle between the Romans, Herod, the Zealots, the religious authorities, the scribes, and the Pharisees left bulk of the people scrambling to make a living and to find meaning. Things just got a little more complicated when Jesus came into the picture. Jesus provided the common folk a very different alternative. He stayed away from the religious and political power centers. Rather, he moved with love and compassion in society and catered to the needs of people on the grassroot level. One person at a time, one healing at a time, one teaching at a time – he began to transform people lives. He began to change their thinking, to change hearts, to touch lives. But he was transforming more than individual lives. He was transforming religion; he was transforming society. I believe that, today, the Church has to play the role that Jesus played. I call it the 'Jesus alternative'. Today, the Church must be the alternative Jesus gave to people. Too often the Church is like the people in the Zacchaeus story, who said, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner” (Lk 19:7). Sometimes, the Church can be far removed from the lives of people or from society. It can create its own world and become as irrelevant as the Pharisees who accused Jesus of blasphemy. On the contrary, the Church’s role, like Jesus, is to invite those who, like Zacchaeus, feel alienated, those who indeed are alienated, those who feel unworthy, those who do not belong, into communion. The Church must be the place that everyone belongs! I believe, this is the Church that Jesus founded. This is the Church Pope Francis is proposing. This is the church you and I must be.
- Jesus, in whom God and human beings met. In light of today’s gospel reading and the controversies in the church, I have often wondered and prayed about my role in the world and in the church. Why am I a priest? Especially at a time when people are abandoning organized religion, why do I still carry much hope? I was at the archdiocesan convocation of priests and the archbishop reported that since 2010, there was a 21 percent drop in church attendance. Among other things, surely the child sex abuse crisis has something to do with it. So, why do I still continue to be a Catholic priest? Why, do I still believe in God, in the Church, and in the mission of the Church. Because, I believe that my role in the world, like Jesus, is to move among the people with love and compassion on the grassroot level. In spite of it all, I have dedicated my life to Christ and His mission. My mission, like Jesus’ mission, is the become the person through whom God and people meet. Unlike those who said, “He has gone to the house of a sinner,” I consider my mission to bring God and every person together. It is not my job to convert, to judge, to police, or to condemn people. My task is to make God accessible to all. However, this is not just my mission. This is the mission of every baptized person. This is the Jesus alternative. I believe that this is what Pope Francis is trying to live. I am inviting each one of you to be the person through him God and people meet. Like Jesus together let us move in the world with love, mercy, and peace, so that in us, people may encounter Christ.
- True Conversion. For a moment, let me focus on Zacchaeus. Unlike Zacchaeus who was on the top of a tree, we are sitting in church. However, there is a Zacchaeus inside each one of us. There is not a single person here who is not in need of conversion. If there is anyone here who thinks that conversion is for the person sitting next to you, then you need to be first in line. Is it not the case, whether it is at work, or home, or in the neighborhood, we always think that it is the other person who needs conversion? Zacchaeus, on the other hand, recognized his own need for conversion. Zacchaeus teaches us the meaning of true conversion. He sought to see Christ, but when he met Jesus, he recognized the problem within. He realized that he needed to set his relationship right. He realized that he needed to reverse the injustice he had done. He realized that he needed to make reparation. He realized that he needed change. He realized he needed to take the Jesus alternative. He did. Only then did Jesus say, “Today, salvation has come to this house.” Today, the Church, you and I, need to reject being a church of condemnation! Rather, together we must be a church of conversion!
At this Eucharist, each one of us in invited to dine with Christ. May Christ say to us what he said to Zacchaeus: “Today, salvation has come to this house!”
- Fr. Satish Joseph