31st Sunday - homily

We hear about Zacchaeus in today’s Gospel. Zacchaeus is my boy! He’s a little guy, short in stature, who needs to climb a tree in order to see Jesus. If you are like Zacchaeus, not so much that you are short in stature, but that you are seeking to see Jesus, give me an AMEN! If you are like Zacchaeus and are willing to go out on a limb, give me an AMEN! Zacchaeus goes to great lengths to see Jesus. And, he risked a lot. He was a rich and powerful man, so he had a lot to lose. With all of his money, he was missing one thing and went out on a limb to find it. He was missing happiness. It’s not until he finds Jesus that he finds happiness and joy.


There are many ways for us as Catholics to seek to see Jesus. I’d like to challenge you in one way to go out on a limb to see Jesus: daily Mass. Now, I know that going to Sunday Mass is going out on a limb for GW students. You risk a fair amount to come here. But, we’re supposed to be here every Sunday; we’re supposed to keep holy the Sabbath each week. There is something special, though, about going above and beyond what we’re supposed to do, especially with regards to daily Mass. We definitely go out on a limb to see Jesus when we go to daily Mass. And, when we do, like Zacchaeus, our lives are changed forever.

We have Mass every day in the Catholic Church and it is awesome! As much as I love Sunday Mass, daily Mass is my favorite. It is much more intimate and personal, less distracting, and, ahem, shorter (no singing or collections, either!). Daily Mass changed my life as it has for so many people. It was in college that I started going to daily Mass. I much preferred going to Mass than going to class! I saw Jesus in a new way. I saw the Eucharist in a new way. I saw our faith in a new way. This is the experience of many people who are seeking to see Jesus at daily Mass.

Now, if you’re thinking, ‘daily Mass is not for me’, did you say “Amen” when I asked if you are willing to go out on a limb to see Jesus? If so, this is for you. This is God asking you to seek Him. I promise you, you will not regret it. If your schedule doesn’t allow you to hit the 12 noon Mass at the Newman Center Monday through Friday, try to hit one of the Saint Stephen’s Masses: 6:30 am, 12:10, and 5:30 pm. Also, go to masstimes.org which lists all of the Mass times around the area. Try to go to one Mass this week.

At Mass in our chapel each day, we get a nice turnout of government workers, World Bank employees, and students. People love it! They go out on a limb every day to see Jesus. And, when they receive salvation in their home – meaning when they receive the Eucharist – they receive the joy and happiness that Zacchaeus received from Christ.

Tomorrow, we celebrate All Saints Day. One of the secrets of the saints has been daily Mass. In fact, one of the greatest saint-makers is the Eucharist. So, if you go out on a limb to see Jesus at daily Mass, you are not only there with Zacchaeus, you are there with the saints! They are the happiest people in the world, and daily Mass has a lot to do with it!

So, your challenge is to attend a weekday Mass this week. Your challenge is to seek to see Jesus…to go out on a limb to see Jesus at daily Mass.