33rd Week in Ordinary Time (B) : Tuesday, 19th November 2024

Revelation is indeed a puzzling book; however, if we read carefully, there are important messages for us. The message to the church at Sardis is to the point – the church appeared to be alive but it was not. The people were told to wake up and repent for their works were imperfect. The good news for them was that there were a few good people in Sardis who could teach them what they needed to do. The church at Laodicea was lukewarm. Because they were rich in material possessions, they didn’t feel the need for God. Jesus encourages all of us to open the door of our hearts to Him and follow His way.

Opening the door for the Lord is depicted in the story of Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus. It is also a lesson to never judge a person by what we think we know of them. Zacchaeus had obviously heard of Jesus and wanted to see what He was all about. Then Jesus shocked everyone by inviting Himself to Zacchaeus’ house. That was not the only surprising element to this encounter – Zacchaeus, the one considered a sinner, understood the need for him to change the direction of his life and to live generously for others. God’s revelation happens when we open our door to Him. We are capable of tapping on our honest and true desires. Acting on them is an event of conversion.

Lord, all I ask of You is to dwell in my heart that I live for others.

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