We run across saints in the least expected people and places.
The Gospel according to Luke makes this point over and over again.
By this point, 19 chapters into the story, we have come to expect the unexpected, to not be surprised by the surprising, to not be disturbed by the disturbing.
But Luke has gone and done it again, disarming us with humor then revealing God yet again just when we thought we couldn’t be surprised.
Zacchaeus. A man of short stature. “A wee little man was he”, running ahead of the crowd, “He climbed up in sycamore tree, for the Lord he wanted to see.”
A rich man. A tax collector. A collaborator with the occupying empire. He was full, not of dignity and decorum and importance, but rather enthusiasm, wanting to see.
And Jesus calls him out.
“Hurry and come down.”
“For I’m going to your house today. For I’m going to your house today.”
The faithful response to God, that reveals God, that invites us to respond faithfully.
A funny story, with an unlikely saint, a child of Abraham.
Luke does it again.
The faithful response to God. It isn’t what we expect or where we expect it.
A homeless beggar, a Samaritan passerby, another Samaritan with leprosy, an angry widow, a humble tax collector.
Then along comes Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, the guy who employs all the lesser tax collectors.
Imagine Al Pacino, the God Father of the mob running their government sanctioned protection racket. Bad news.
Imagine the Godfather running and climbing, joyfully and hurriedly welcoming Jesus, then cutting way back on the profit margin.
Zacchaeus probably didn’t live too long after this.
The faithful response to God.
To be extravagantly generous, especially to the poor, to set right any abuse of authority, to joyfully welcome the visitation of God into our homes, preferably with lots of singing.
Luke drives this point home over and over again, simple, straightforward, pragmatic, exuberant.
Run ahead, try hard to catch a glimpse, climb a tree, hurry down, be generous, joyfully welcome the visitation of God with generosity, especially to the poor, set right any abuse of authority, and sing, don’t forget to sing.
The faithful response. The saints of God. Revealing the way of God in the world.
And they aren’t the ones we expect.
There are big saints and little saints, but then there are the surprising saints, saints unawares, they don’t make it on any list, they just fall out of trees at our feet, and show us God when our defenses are down, and our hearts are turned.
Who are those saints? Have you seen them? Perhaps you are one. Have you fallen out of a tree lately?
We run across saints in the least expected people and places.
Standing, we now remember those who have gone before, revealing the God in whose image they were made…