Seeking Hope Up a Tree

He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 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. All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."     Luke 19:1-10
Luke 19:1-10 is the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus. It takes place while Jesus was passing through the city of Jericho. Zachaeus, a tax collector, was trying to see Jesus but could not due to his small size. Therefore, he went ahead and climbed a tree so he could see Jesus as he passed. When Jesus passed, he called Zacchaeus down from the tree and says that he will stay at his house for the night. This shocked the people of Jericho who wondered why Jesus was staying at the house of a sinner. Zacchaeus then offered to give back all that he had taken from the people. Jesus then said that salvation has come upon his house and that the Son of Man (Jesus) had come the seek out and save the lost.
This passage shows how God sent Jesus to forgive the sins of the people. It also shows God’s mercy towards those who admit their faults and repent by undoing their wrong deed.
The Catholic Catechism teaches us this about sin and mercy:
The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God's mercy to sinners. The angel announced to Joseph: "You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." The same is true of the Eucharist, the sacrament of redemption: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (CCC 1846)
"God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without us." To receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (CCC 1847) Our sins are only forgiven through Christ and only if we are truly sorry and seek penance.
Core Values: hope
In Luke 19:1-10, the core value Hope is expressed throughout the entire passage. Do you think Zacchaeus had hope when he climbed up the tree? Did he have hope that Jesus could change him? Zacchaeus knew he needed to change and he was willing to ask for Jesus’ help. If Zacchaeus did not hope that God would forgive him, he may have never asked for help to follow the teachings of Jesus and become a new and better person.
Prayer: 
O God, mercy and forgiveness are Yours by nature and by right.
Receive our humble petitions.
Though we are bound tightly by the chain of our sins, set us free by the power of Your great mercy.
Amen.