“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
Jesus said, ‘I Must Visit Your House.’
One day Jesus was passing through the city of Jericho. It was the centre of the tax collecting districts and many tax collectors were employed there.
The chief tax collector was a wealthy man named Zacchaeus. He had learnt of Jesus’ coming and was anxious to see what kind of person he was. There was so many people waiting to see him and he could not see because he was a small man so he decided to climb a sycamore tree.
When Jesus came to the tree he looked up and said ‘Hurry down Zacchaeus, for I must visit your home.
Zacchaeus Welcomed Jesus In
Zacchaeus came hurrying down and welcomed Jesus into his house. Yet the Pharisees complained when they saw what was happening. Zacchaeus said to Jesus that he would help the poor and would pay back the people that he had cheated four times the amount that he had stolen. Jesus said ‘Today salvation has visited your home.
His Life Was Never the Same Again
Zacchaeus was curious to find out more about Jesus and as a result his life was never the same again. Jesus had been waiting for him to open his heart to him and when Zacchaeus did, Jesus spoke to him asking if He could visit the tax collector’s home.
We sometimes feel like one of a crowd that no-one notices, we may be worried or lonely with no-one to talk to. But we shouldn’t be afraid, Jesus knows where we are, even if we are hiding up a tree, he is watching us and waiting for us to want to find out more about him.
Let us Invite Jesus
In Jesus is for everyone. At any time we can go to him with our problems and troubles and ask for his help. He is present in all the tabernacles and we can invite him into our hearts when we receive the Eucharist. Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, offers himself to us. All we have to do is say, ‘Yes Lord, please come into my life and take control.’
His love can transform us and give us everything we need to face the daily challenges of life. He can bring peace, courage, joy, hope and love to strengthen us. We only have to ask him in and he will come.
Written by Ann-Maria Jiju