Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: November 18, 2025

Date: Tuesday of the 33^rd Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  Luke 19:1-10

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 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.”

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

Today’s gospel reading Zacchaeus’ conversion upon encountering Jesus.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

To what lengths would I go to encounter Jesus? How open am I to Jesus? Do I respond to Christ’s loving invitation and saving presence with the same radical conversion as Zacchaeus?

Praying:

LORD, I want to open my mind, heart and soul to welcome You completely. I want to turn to You and never turn away. I want to believe with a faith that is unshakeable; I want to hope in your promise that You are with me always. I want to love as You have loved me and as You have shown me I should love. Send the Spirit to grace me and gift me and transform me. Amen.