"Today salvation entered this house ..." (Luke 19: 1-10)
Biblical reflections by Mauro Leonardi*, priest and writer
In ancient Egypt Sicomoro was a symbol of immortality. It is beautiful then to think that Zaccheo, small of stature, that is creature, sinner, fragile like all of us, rises with effort and determination on this tree of immortality to see the one who gives this eternal life: Jesus. But Jesus proposes another path. There are no "shortcuts" for paradise, there are no magic or stratagems: you have to go down again. Being men, hosting Christ in our daily lives and ensuring that he transforms our lives, in order to make him the vine and be the branches of a truly immortal tree because it is nourished by the love of the Trinity.
From the Gospel according to Luke 19: 1-10
At that time, Jesus who entered Jericho crossed the city. And here is a man named Zaccheo, head of the publicists and wealthy, he tried to see what Jesus was, but he was unable to him because of the crowd, since he was small of stature. Then he ran forward and, in order to see him, went up to a Sicomoro, since he had to pass from there. When he came to the place, Jesus looked up and said to him: "Zaccheo, get off immediately, because today I have to stop at your home." Quickly he went down and welcomed him full of joy. Seeing this, everyone murmured: "He went to stay with a sinner!". But Zaccheo, getting up, said to the Lord: «Here, Lord, I give half of my assets to the poor; And if I have framed someone, I return four times a lot ». Jesus replied: "Today salvation has entered this house, because he too is the son of Abraham; In fact, the son of man came to seek and save what was lost ».
*Mauro Leonardi (Como 1959) has been a priest since 29 May 1988 and has been inhabited in Rome since then. He spends many hours of his day to make the priest and prefers to build bridges rather than raising walls. For years he has been writing stories, articles, essays and books that revolve around the relationship between man and God. Author of the blog Like Jesus. Abelis (Lindau) is his latest novel. The volunteers of the Gionata project thank him for sharing these reflections on the word with us.
