Monday, November 5, 2007

Today's text

Luke 19:1-6

Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town, and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too sort and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.

Prayer

A smile tugs incessantly at the corners of my mouth, Jesus. Does it not mirror your own? You stop on the road to watch this little man climbing his tree to gain bird’s-eye vision of your approach. And you smile.

Your smile is silent grace, speaking louder than any words, a holy blessing on the divine craving that stirs our blood.

You delight in the transparent desire of Zacchaeus’ soul, his uninhibited hunger for your heart. Bemused, you are, at his impetuous, shameless scamper up the tree, utterly unconcerned at making a spectacle of himself.

It does not matter. All that matters is seeing you, Jesus. Swept up in the Excessive Spirit of holy craziness, Zacchaeus finally comes to his senses and knows what, no who, his heart must have.

And you smile, Jesus, at the extent to which we humans go when we see what we must have to live. We need you.

May I give myself utterly and excessively to that need this day, dear Friend? For I want to be the secret of your smile. I want you to delight in my impulsiveness, my impetuosity, my shameless scamper to stay near you. For I need you no less that this little man. And I want to see your smile raining blessing over the hunger of this heart.

Pr. David L. Miller