A SHORT MAN WHO BECOMES GREAT
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Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus is a creature corrupted to the bones. He is an income tax
collector. He sucks his fellow citizens in favor of the Roman enemy who has
been colonizing the country. He takes advantage of his function to fill up his
pockets to the full while drawing an interesting commission coming from the
Romans and enjoying their protection. Zacchaeus did not find anything better so
as to become somebody.
It is from his childhood that Zacchaeus has a deep complex because of
his short size. This
infuriates him. Everybody makes fun of him. His only dream is to grow taller.
More than a dream, it has become an obsession. But what can be done? Nobody
cares about him.
And so crosses his mind the idea of selling himself, of prostituting
himself, of sticking himself like glue to those who dictate what goes on in the
country. It does not matter for him that they are enemies as long as they pay
well. And so this is how Zacchaeus, the short man, has become a traitor to his
people and a very rich individual who, for want of being loved, is feared and hated
by everyone
Zacchaeus is a bastard, a living dead like there are everywhere, even
at the head of nations. His house is an impenetrable fortress. No one can enter.
Suddenly, some noise is heard in the street. It is Jesus who comes. A
joyful group accompanies him.
- Jesus,
the miracle worker? asks Zacchaeus. Here is my chance to add a cubit to my height. We never know. I
have money…
Zacchaeus cannot stay in place. Spurred on by his long time dream of being taller, he rushed out of his
fortress and climbs up a tree, just like when he was a child….From there, at
last, he can see things other than the feet of the people; he sees Jesus. And
Jesus sees that short man, that big wicked person, who clings to a branch and
waves one’s hand to him.
- Zacchaeus, come
down from that tree! shouts Jesus to him. I want to go to your place
The short man almost fells over backwards as if the end of the world
had come. With one jump, he is back at the foot of the tree and hastens to open
the door to Jesus and to his joyous group. Some do not enter. The Law of the
priests does not allow it. But Jesus and his friends have no qualms. They enter
with their joy, their humanity, their simplicity and their liberty in that
house that was only a sepulchre. They fill it with fresh air, and the sickened
heart of the short man is flooded with light.
At last some people who do not judge Zacchaeus…It is the first time
that such a thing like that happens. Zacchaeus is so happy that he loses his
head.
- I give one half
of my possessions to the poor, he shouts while holding Jesus and his companions
in his arms. And all that I have stolen I will repay it four times!
On that day, Zacchaeus became a very tall man. We still speak about him
until today. Thousands of things are written about him, including what you are
presently reading.
What saves Zacchaeus is his childlike heart. That pure heart was
slumbering under a mountain of suffering, of shame and of stupidities. That was
his hidden treasure, his precious pearl, his deep being, his «true self»…It was
the image of God, the kingdom, the new man, the risen one who was slumbering
within his being. That human heart suddenly emerged from the wicked Zacchaeus
because one day someone saw him as God sees him. Who could have believed such a
happening?
God does not judge by appearances…
Eloy Roy
Translated from the French
by Jacques Bourdages
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