“This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation.” The first reading for mass ends with this sentence, which sums up the effect of Eleazar’s virtuous death. Eleazar died a virtuous death in part, because he lived a virtuous life. Eleazar was a well respected scribe who lived by what he believed. Pork was unclean and it would be a violation of Jewish law to eat it. Period. Dot. No gray area there. He did not do the “politically correct” thing, by even pretending to eat pork in order to satisfy the king’s command and save his own life.
Eleazar set an unforgettable example of virtue for the young people, by how he lived his life. What he said was important, but it was what he actually did that was unforgettable.
Like so many things in life, our actions speak louder than our words. Are we setting a good example for the young people we know? If you are a young person, do you realize that you are setting an example for others, simply by how you live your life? That example can be either positive or negative. Many of the actors in television shows and movies, portray characters that do not reflect the gospel values, and they have had a significant influence on our entire culture, even changing our way of life in many aspects. That is something even older Catholics need to be wary of. We may think that we know the difference, that it is just a movie or a television show and we know that it isn’t real life, but that’s not true. We become our thoughts, a little at a time. That is also why it is so important to go to mass every week, read the scriptures, pray, and go to confession. We can become more like Jesus a little bit at a time. Who are we really letting influence our lives? Actors, musicians, sports figures, politicians, our family, friends, or Jesus Christ? The way to know what is really important to you is by what you spend your time on. People remember what we do even more than what we say.
Sometimes the non-christian values that are so prevalent in our society can rub off on us, without us even realizing that it is happening. For an example, just because everyone else thinks living together without being married is ok, that doesn’t mean we should allow those around us to influence our own thinking. The gospel values can seem “outdated” in the face of our modern culture. We can even appear to be judgmental of others, if we disapprove of a sin that someone is committing. Sin is no longer called sin, but a lifestyle “choice”.
If you are beginning to notice that the permissiveness of the culture we live in is starting to wear off on you, then this is an act of grace. God’s grace prompts us to recognize what is holy, good, pure and of real value in life. We are lost without his grace and that is why it is so important for us to stay in a close relationship with Jesus Christ through our prayer and sacramental life.
Zacchaeus was definitely the recipient of grace in the gospel reading today. He received an over abundance of grace, but only because he was physically close to Jesus. Zacchaeus drew near to Jesus, and Jesus in turn drew near to him, to the point of actually staying in his house.
There is something well worth paying attention to in today’s gospel, especially in comparison with the first reading for mass today. Eleazar was a pure and virtuous soul who died a martyr’s death, and set a beautiful example of a life of holiness for the young people and the whole country, much like our saints have done for us.
However, Zacchaeus didn’t set a good example for anyone. No one looked up to Zacchaeus, in fact they looked down on him for the kind of life he led. But, the beautiful example of Zacchaeus’ life is how he set things right again. Zacchaeus recognized the truth in Jesus’ words when he heard them, and then he did something about it. If our lives have been less than perfect, then Zacchaeus can give us hope that things can be set right again in our lives as well, no matter what the past may be.
Maybe we’ve let the prevailing attitudes in our culture rub off on us a little more than they should. Or, maybe we haven’t led a pure and virtuous life ourselves, or set a good example for the young people in our lives. If you are young, then perhaps you haven’t set a very good example for your peers lately. Today isn’t a day for judgement though. Christ didn’t judge Zacchaeus. On the contrary, he invited himself to dinner at his house! Maybe we could work a little harder on inviting Jesus into our homes as well. That would be a good thought for the day. How can we invite Jesus to enter into our homes a little more than what we have been doing lately, and make him truly the center of our lives?
