Jesus does not wait (Fr. James Martin)

      Notice something important:  Jesus does not announce that he will visit Zacchaeus’ house after the tax collector makes his promise of restitution, but before.  Jesus does not wait until we are perfectly sinless before inviting us to join him.  And we should not wait till others are perfectly sinless before inviting them to join us.

   Sometimes, I admit, I am part of the crowd.  I am the one who thinks the other person cannot possibly change.  Like ‘everyone,’ I harden my heart to the possibility of conversion for others.  I have to remind myself never to close my heart to anyone.  If you run across a ‘chief of sinners,’ who are you to condemn him, if God is waiting to welcome him?

--Posted by Fr. James Martin on Facebook, November 20, 2012

Image source:  Egino Weinert, Jesus calls Zacchaeus