The Feast of St Margaret of Scotland & St Gertrude.

"At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” (Luke 19: 1....10).

Tuesday 16th November 2021, 33rd Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Margaret of Scotland (1046 - 1093). Born Hungarian and married to King Malcolm of Scotland. Mother of 8 children who raised her children in the fear of the Lord. She is noted especially for her love for the poor. Margaret is the Patroness of Scotland.

Today is also the feast of St Gertrude. (1256 - 1301). Virgin. German. Known as Gertrude the Great, she was a respected scholar and mystic. Over 300 years before St Margaret Mary Alacoque, Gertrude, a mystic like Margaret Mary introduced the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pope Benedict XVI, says that St Gertrude “shows us that the heart of a happy life, of a true life, is friendship with the Lord Jesus.”

Our Gospel for today deals with the lovely story of Zacchaeus. Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Jesus changed his plan in order to stay with Zacchaeus for the night. From what we learn from the Gospel, Zacchaeus is a very interesting and nice man. Jesus delights to hang out with these types of personality. Remember Matthew the Tax Collector who became St Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist?

The story of Zacchaeus teaches us the following lessons:

#1. Zacchaeus is a better human being than many of his critics.
#2. Jesus delights in showing mercy to people like Matthew and Zacchaeus.
#3. Zacchaeus seized the opportunity of his accusations to volunteer a restitution. His wealth did not possess Zacchaeus.
#4. Zacchaeus welcomes Jesus in his home with joy. How do we welcome Jesus after Holy Communion?

Jesus shows His delight with Zacchaeus by saying:
“Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

The Son of Man came to seek and save the likes of Zacchaeus and Matthew and us.

"Make it your first care to find the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33 The kingdom of God is present in all its fullness, though in a hidden manner, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. He who seeks out My Eucharistic presence is seeking the kingdom of God. He who approaches Me in the Sacrament of My love will find the kingdom and therein all that he desires according to My Spirit. Come first to Me in the Sacrament of My love. Let this become the supernatural instinct of your soul: always to come to Me, always to seek My Eucharistic Face." (IN SINU JESU, Monday, August 25, 2008).

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