Tuesday, October 25, 2016

A Poem a Sunday
Pentecost 24 – C
October 30, 2016

St. Luke 19:1-10 - NRSV

Jesus and Zacchaeus

19 He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” 9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”

A Poem a Sunday
Pentecost 24 – C
October 30, 2016

A Small Tale

It is a small tale not a tall tale
about a man named Zach,
and a Rabbi who seeks the lost
and always has their back.

Imagine Zach, say 5’ 4”,
or even shorter then
because you know that might be tall
among First Century men.

Curious Zach sought out a tree
to see this popular Teacher.
Little did he know he’d be hosting dinner
for this itinerant Preacher.

Small in stature high in enthusiasm,
Zach looks down upon the crowd.
The Prophet speaks:  “Come down!
I’m coming to your house. Be proud.”

Imagine a Tax Collector hosting this Sage
what happens
is nothing less than
a preview of God’s New Age.

An outcast heart – compassion true,
gifting half of all he collected.
A sign that God makes all things new
from those we least expected.

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May be used with permission.


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