Daily reflection _ the short and the tall of it

THE SHORT AND THE TALL OF IT
Wow! See what can happen when we let Jesus into our lives? Zacchaeus has a change of heart that resulted in a change of life and God wills the same for us!  
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
Zacchaeus was "short in stature," but he certainly stands out in the Gospel of Luke today! Jesus often "drops-in" at unexpected times and, oftentimes, He visits with the "uninvited" - the poor, the lame, and even with sinners such as Zacchaeus, the tax collector! Tax collectors were despised and treated as outcasts in society. Undoubtedly, because they overcharged people and accumulated great wealth at the expense of others. Zacchaeus needed our heavenly Father's merciful love and forgiveness. In his encounter with Jesus Christ he finds more than he could have ever imagined possible.
He shows the depth of his repentance by deciding to give, and give generously. He said he would give half of his goods to the poor and use the other half for making restitution.
Wow! See what can happen when we let Jesus into our lives? Zacchaeus has a change of heart that resulted in a change of life and God wills the same for us! Short or tall, it is really each one of us with whom Jesus comes to stay. Our challenge is, like Zacchaeus, to receive Jesus into our hearts with joy. May we also imitate the generosity of Zacchaeus to the poor.
In addition to this Christ-centered Gospel is today's memorial of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul. The original oratory over Peter's tomb dates back to the late first century AD. It was replaced by the basilica of the Emperor Constantine and dedicated in 326. Thirteen hundred years later, in 1626, the present Saint Peter Basilica in the Vatican was consecrated. The largest church in Rome after St. Peter's is the basilica of St. Paul Outside-the Walls, built near the site of Paul's martyrdom. When a later basilica was destroyed by fire in 1823, the present building was consecrated in 1878. This is great history for us to reflect upon!
That's the short and the tall of it!