Seeking Jesus

What is Zacchaeus doing? Why is he climbing a tree? Are we like Zacchaeus? Should we be like Zacchaeus?

We are busy; our days are crowded with concerns, activities, family, work, etc. All of these make it difficult for us to slow down, be aware of God in our lives. We forget. And we miss little moments where we can be blessed by an awareness of God with us always.

How do we be a follower of the Gospel today? Be a person of God, a Christian in our world? We are called to be holy. Openness to God, discipleship, awareness, and prayerfulness are characteristics we want in our daily lives. But we can’t be prayerful, aware, stopping to quiet ourselves all day. It’s not humanly possible.

Maybe our answer comes from Zacchaeus. He is also seeking, questioning, and then finding out for himself. He climbs a tree, finds a spot, puts himself in a place where he can view Jesus. He takes that extra step, that extra time to seek a glimpse of Jesus.

We can take a little time each week, each day to pause, be quiet, pray, practice openness. Take a few minutes to be in touch with the life that is within us, the life within us however we envision it: God’s spirit, God’s love, God’s blessings, etc.

If we highlight our day with prayer, then all that we do becomes a prayer. Knowing and living this lifts the burden and quest that sometimes wearies us: “How do I do this spiritual thing all the time?”

What will you do so to highlight your day with prayer, so that all you do is a prayer? Be like Zacchaeus. Find your own way to climb a tree to see God more clearly. Find your spot or time to get a glimpse of Jesus. Seek your few moments regularly to be in God’s presence.

With our Scripture readings for this week, we will be enabled to pray with the writer of Wisdom, “O Lord and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things!” We want to also pray for each other with St. Paul’s words to the Thessalonians, “We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.”

Mary Ellen Koenn is a member of St John's
Recommended Reading:
Retreat in the Real World by Alexander, Gillick, and McCann-Waldron
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/cmo-retreat.html
Question of the Week:
What can I do this week to be like Zacchaeus? How do I pray regularly so that all I do is a prayer?