Thursday, October 27, 2022

Friends,

The Gospel reading at Mass this Sunday is such an incredible story. Stop what you’re doing - or take a look at it later today - and really read through it slowly. There’s so much that might resonate with your life:

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."

And he came down quickly and received him with joy.

When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying,

"He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner."

But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,

"Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,

and if I have extorted anything from anyone

I shall repay it four times over."

And Jesus said to him,

"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." (Luke 19:1-10)

Put yourself in Zacchaeus’ shoes. Or maybe you already feel like you’re there. Zacchaeus is relatively successful. He has what he needs. He’s not poor or hungry or suffering… but still he’s looking for something more. Something greater. The Gospel tells us that he was “seeking to see who Jesus was.”

Think about it. This incredible man named Jesus was going around Galilee and the surrounding areas teaching wild things, referring to Himself as the Son of God, forgiving people, performing miracles and healings left and right. Wouldn’t you also want to see who He was if this guy passed through your town?

The only problem was that there was a huge crowd and Zacchaeus was, as they say on football broadcasts, “vertically challenged.” But Zacchaeus was determined. He ran and climbed up a tree to see Jesus. But what a crazy moment when this man, Jesus, stops in the middle of the crowd, looks up into the tree, and refers to Zacchaeus by name:

“Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.”

What did Zacchaeus do to deserve Jesus’ love? Literally nothing. Did he repent from his sins? Did he learn how to pray perfectly? Did he promise to live a better life? Not at first.

Jesus simply called out to him. And Jesus saved him. “Today, salvation has come upon this house… for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

Do you feel lost? Remember that being lost isn’t always dramatic or depressing. Zacchaeus had a comfortable life. He was fine. But still something was missing. When he opened his heart just a crack to see Jesus, he encountered way more grace and peace than he could have ever imagined! He realized that he had been lost, just wandering around without a true goal or true purpose. Jesus gives him just that: meaning, purpose, a goal to strive after.

And the same is true for YOU. Maybe you do feel totally lost and confused. Maybe you feel comfortable but slightly dissatisfied. Maybe you’ve never thought about any of these things before. Wherever you are, take the first step to run and climb the sycamore tree like Zacchaeus. In other words, try to look above and beyond the endless distractions that you face every day. And try - for just a moment - to catch a glimpse of Jesus who is at work in your life, who is alive in your heart.

Put the phone down and pick up the Bible in your home. Turn off the gaming system, go for a walk and listen to a COR playlist. Walk away from the drama at school and choose to do what is good and joyful and life-giving. Jesus already sees you, like He saw Zacchaeus. Jesus already loves you, like He loved Zacchaeus.

Just climb above the noise and distractions to see Him gazing back at you.

THIS SUNDAY:

Camp Hope Halloween Party

Please consider taking time to help at the Camp Hope Halloween Party

on Sunday, October 30, from noon until 2 pm!

Camp Hope is an organization committed to building community and offering support for teens and young adults with developmental disabilities. St. Mary's and COR have a long-standing relationship with Camp Hope, with many high schoolers helping as summer camp buddies throughout the years.

The Halloween Party is a chance for campers and buddies to come together and celebrate Halloween with lunch, games, crafts, and more. Whether you've been to a COR event yet or not, all high schoolers are welcome to come to the CROYA Building (Lake Forest Rec Center) on October 30 to share lunch and help lead crafts and games.

Come and experience this life-giving community!

No RSVP required. If you have questions, contact Chase.

Introducing an awesome new way to engage in your faith:

The Chosen High School Discussion Groups!

The Chosen is a ground-breaking and powerful series about the life of Jesus and how Jesus encounters us today. It's the first multi-season series about the Gospels and it's completely crowd-funded!

Discussion Groups will come together to watch an episode, eat snacks, and discuss how the episode relates to our lives and our relationship with God. This is a unique, informal, and powerful way to learn more about the faith, the life of Jesus, and your own relationship with God - especially if you can't normally join us for COR on Sunday nights!

If you want to be part of this new opportunity, click the image above to fill out the interest form. First deadline is Monday, November 7 so sign up today for more info!

Watch a trailer for Season 1 of "The Chosen" below!

Afternoon of Service @ Fill a Heart 4 Kids

Stay tuned for more info about a service opportunity with Fill a Heart 4 Kids! Fill a Heart 4 Kids is located in Lake Forest and aims to help children and teens who experience homelessness and/or live in the foster care system.

We are scheduling a day after school where you can come for an hour or so and help organize their donations and learn more about the work of Fill a Heart 4 Kids. This service opportunity will likely take place during the week of November 7 but stay tuned on Instagram and the COR website for more info!