Yesterday was a delightful day for Anabelle and me. We met up with Gilda and Drake for lunch and we reminisced our days in Xavier Row where our children grew up as close friends, almost like brothers and sisters. Then, we met up with Tintin and Mike, Maribel and Allan, Randa and Noli and renewed the bonds that tied us together as a Faith community in our common apostolate in the Discovery Weekends. From the vantage point of time and space, we reminisced our common past of joys, struggles and accomplishments. We talked about our present busy-ness, some still actively engaged in careers, others winding down affairs to retire, and still others – like Anabelle and I – enjoying our second wind in retirement. We shared our hopes for the future: though not assured, still bright and faced with expectancy, trusting that based on what we have gone through the best is yet to come.
There are times, I need the perspective of distance, be it in time or space, to see the import and meaning of things. Zacchaeus had to go up the sycamore tree to see Jesus passing by. Moses had to go up the mountain to encounter God. Jesus often went up the mountain to pray. And it was up in Mount Tabor that He was lifted up and transfigured before His apostles. These peak moments are times of insight, inspiration and integration of life into one meaningful whole. Things come together when we go up.
But to live life, we must come down. Zacchaeus had to come down from his perch up in the tree to be able to welcome Christ into his home. Moses had to come down from the mountain before the people of Israel were totally lost to idolatry. Christ has to come down from heaven to become man and show us how to live our live in love and service to our fellowmen.
I find solace, strength and inspiration in going up the mountain to pray and encounter God. It gives me the vision of what my life can be and should be. But I also need to come down to earth, feel the ground beneath my feet and get my hands dirty with grime as I execute and accomplish the mission that God has set out for me. I rise with my vision and come down to earth with my mission.
A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today .” So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him.
Luke 19:1-10
Amen.
Great article….