We had First Penance in the parish this evening. Our number is small – eight children – but the celebration was important. It was great to see the children there, supported by families and their teachers.
The liturgy was simple – a focus on the story of Zacchaeus, the little man with a desire bigger than himself to see Jesus. Climbing a tree, he hid in its branches in the belief that he’d see but not be seen. He was wrong. Jesus, the passage tells us, stopped beneath the tree and called him down “I must have a meal at your house this evening.” Salvation.
The response: Acknowledging his sinfulness, Zacchaeus vowed to repay people he had wronged and to give to the poor.
LENTEN THOUGHT: What’s our response to Salvation? Are we willing to go to that place where we have a good view of Jesus and are we willing to be called from that place to be better people?