Today at Mass, the Gospel reading was of Zacchaeus who was a tax collector and consider quite a sinner in those days. He heard that Jesus was coming to his town and had a burning desire to see him. Since he was small, he couldn’t see above the crowd. So he climbed a tree to have a good vantage point. Jesus did indeed spot Zacchaeus and knew the guilt he held in his heart. Jesus invited himself to be with Zacchaeus that evening. Zacchaeus obliged and was converted. From that point on, he changed his way of life. Instead of taking advantage of others, he cared for them. The priest pointed out that Zacchaeus responded to Christ both immediately and joyfully. He encouraged us to think about the way we respond to Christ. Jesus is inviting Himself in to be a part of our life. We are able to receive Him in an incredible way particularly through Communion. The priest suggested we think about how we do that – in our preparation, our stance, our reception of the Body and Blood of Christ, and in our prayers. Then, do we allow Jesus to change who we are and fill us with joy? Are we converted – even if just a little at a time? Jesus wants to come to our house today. How do we respond?

I Found God today pondering receiving Jesus.