One of the things that characterized Jesus' life was that he was about searching and saving lives. As we celebrate Mass today, we will discover that Saints Peter and Paul were also about searching and saving lives, as did Saint Rose Duchesne. Hopefully, in some small measure, we followers of Jesus seek to do the same.
We heard the remarkable story of the encounter Jesus had with a man named Zacchaeus, who was small in stature, and climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus as he passed by. We were told that he was a tax collector, which meant he probably did not have too many friends among his acquaintances.
However, what we needed to note was the sacrifice Zacchaeus made in climbing that tree. He was a professional and had a significant employment. He had to have been well-known, and yet here he was, willing to risk his professional standing, submit to ridicule from those who knew him.
Jesus saw Zacchaeus and looked into his eyes, seeing a spirit of repentance. He told Zacchaeus to come down, that he would join Zacchaeus at his house.
Jesus also took a risk to his reputation by going to the house of a tax collector. But Jesus was on a search-and-rescue mission. Lo and behold, the one Zacchaeus was seeking to meet was also searching for him, confirming that whenever we take a step toward Jesus, we discover that Jesus was near us all the time.
We have heard it said that whoever loses their life will save it, and whoever saves their life will lose it. Zacchaeus was certainly willing to lose his life, his reputation, his employment, and divest himself of wealth that could possibly have been obtained in an improper manner, but none of that mattered since he found something greater. Zacchaeus found the Lord.
As said earlier, we are celebrating the lives of others who searched and found themselves on a rescue mission. The two pillars of our Church, Peter and Paul—Peter, the rock upon which Christ built his church, and Paul, the missionary. Today, we commemorate two Basilicas in their honor places of salvation that represent the universality of the Catholic Church, and monuments to lives changed by Christ, much like the house of Zacchaeus, which was also a place of salvation.
We also commemorate the life of Saint Rose Duchesne, who left France to come to America to serve Native Americans and was known to them as “The Woman Who Prays Always.” She, too, came to search and find. She was also on a search and rescue mission.
Keep in mind that whenever we take a step toward the Lord, we discover He was near us all the time.