He entered Jericho and was passing through it.  A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich.  He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.  When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today."  So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him.  All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner."  Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much."  Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."

The soul knows when its origin is passing by.  In a moment of grace it rises above the din of the world and recognizes that he who is its destiny and only love draws near.  But "the cares and riches and pleasures of life," like the crowd, threaten to move in and choke off the brief moment of grace.   What are we to do?  Climb the tree of recollection, silence and prayer.  Let wealth, pleasure, worldly cares and anxieties pass below us.  It may be difficult to impossible to not have cares, anxieties - even wealth - but we can discipline ourselves to remain unaffected by them if our focus is always on getting that glimpse of Christ each day.

Zacchaeus did not gain salvation because he promised to give away half his wealth and make four-fold restitution.  Salvation was given him when he welcomed Christ into his home.  His repentance was an overflowing reaction to that grace.  So too does salvation come to us when Christ enters our lives.  What is our reaction?  Zacchaeus was overcome by Christ's presence and dispossessed himself of half his wealth.  What will we do?  We cannot remain indifferent to grace; Christ will keep walking till he finds another soul in a tree.

A prayer-

Lord God I sensed your grace today and climbed a tree to see it more clearly.  Invite me down, come into my house and into my heart.  Change me forever.