Michael Casey, Australian Cistercian, theologian, writes in his recent Fully Human, Fully Divine, an interesting, even provocative note: “The credal statement that Christ is a ‘perfect’ human being is easily misunderstood. It can make us imagine Jesus as a youthful man with a great body, good teeth, an attractive face.... The historical Jesus may have been heavier than we, overweight by our standards, middle-aged and bald.”¹

That the new Eve should have such a Son is indeed a bit puzzling, but let be for now. One thing is sure, our hero in today’s Gospel is much like the fancied Jesus in that he was short, not likely very heavy, otherwise he would not be given to climbing sycamores. When Jesus caught sight of him up there, He asked a companion: “Who is that?” A moment’s inquiry gave the answer: “It’s Zachaeus.” And then, with a touch of disgust, “He’s a tax collector.” And the response of Jesus was instant. He called up to Zachaeus, “Come down, Zachaeus! I want to stay with you today.”

Why would Jesus do such a thing? He would know, would He not, that no one, repeat, no one, would have any truck with a tax-collector, let alone stay with him, dine with him. Why does He deliberately antagonize people, exasperate them? Is this going to help His mission? He should know that people will be furious. And yet He goes ahead anyway.

To make a point, of course. And make it loud and clear. “I did not come to call the righteous, I came for sinners. How many times must I tell you?”

It is possible that in regard to the present Pope’s many journeys, that you sense them as good-will ventures in which he spreads good feeling, praises their beautiful city, their lovely country, their faithful people. And then preaches some aspect of the Faith that could be said anywhere at any time.

I suspect he is in all this more like Jesus than otherwise. I do recall that he had some good points to make, strong ones, when he was among us. He does not find our culture, our style, without flaw. And he said so.

Why I have such a vivid memory of it, I do not know, except that I once visited the Philippines and there heard much about the then ruling Ferdinand Marcos, as also of his wife, Imelda. But I must say I was astounded when I heard or read the Pope’s major address in the presence of Marcos. He was very direct, pointed, explicit, about the disorders in the Marcos regime, and listed them. It was rather breath-taking. At the end, Marcos discarded his prepared speech and made a few general remarks about improving the situation. But what was clear, and he seemed to know it, as the people did: that he was finished. For the Pope’s listeners suddenly sensed what they were putting up with, and there was no need to do so. A moment of enlightenment.

Not long after there followed the “People Power” revolution, an uprising and ouster of Marcos and his wife, who took refuge in Hawaii before it was too late. It was a revolution without gunfire, without violence, choreographed by the Cardinal of Manila, a most remarkable achievement, a new kind of warfare.

And we know, of course, that the same sort of peaceful, non-violent uprising toppled the communists in Poland. A new kind of warfare. A movement of moral power.

It makes the current scene in Iraq look so archaic, so outmoded, so dated. Violence is no longer the accepted tactic for achieving good ends. There is a spiritual power in the people that is stronger than weaponry.

It is, of course, rooted in the truth. The Pope spoke the truth, without rancor, without anger or heavy emotion. But simply, honestly, forcefully. The moral impact was enormous.

I suppose you could say, in a sense, that when John Paul went to Manila, he went to the worst sinner of all and revealed his sins to him in such a way that there was no refuge except in admission and repentance. That’s why Marcos went to Hawaii, not only because he had to, but also because he wanted to. He died there some time later.

I need not point out to you the significance of a life of honest confrontation of evil within the human heart, exposing it to the power of God’s grace, both for yourself and for the world. The warfare is within and it is non-violent. And victorious in Christ. Stick with it.   And what you look like does not matter that much.  Amen.
 

1. Michael Casey, Fully Human, Fully Divine, (Liguori, Missouri: Liguori/Triumph, 2004), pp. 3-4. [This bizarre bit of fantasizing by Casey finds no support in Christian tradition and iconography, and in our times it is belied simply by viewing the Shroud of Turin.  Reputable scientists and scholars today consider the Shroud to be of Palestinian origin dating from the time of Christ, and thus probably a transferred depiction of His actual image and physique. —Sitemaster].