“Zacheus Ascends”

“Zacheus Ascends”

By: Eric Gajewski

From the work, "Fortress of the Soul"

“Zacheus Ascends”

Luke 9: 2-4
And behold, there was a man named Zacheus, who was the chief of the publicans, and he was rich. [3] And he sought to see Jesus who he was, and he could not for the crowd, because he was low of stature. [4] And running before, he climbed up into a sycamore tree, that he might see him; for he was to pass that way.

 

Brothers and Sisters I write to you in the Selfless Love and peace of the Union and Marriage of Jesus Christ and of His Sacred Heart and all the blessings that flow forth from it.  Behold there was a rich man who could not see God! For as we accumulate those material possessions the heart continues to be impeded in our progress unto spiritual perfection. We notice first that Zacheus was rich and could not see God. And so for those, who in this life, seat themselves upon the throne of “self” in exaltation, only find as a result, a low place before God. They shall have a low stature before God like Zacheus before entering the tree. He could not see because of the crowds, that is, because of these clouds that covered his heart and therein occupied it. Zacheus was weighed down heavily and yet his heart still yearned for the Living God. And so he climbed. How many today are like Zacheus who have at least some desire for God but cannot see God due to being distracted by “the  crowds” or an inordinate wanting to “fit in” with these crowds?

 

Verily, what is the solution laid down in the Gospel to remedy this ailing problem of man who is so heavily weighed down by possession and distracted by the latest novelty? Answer, “…it is the Blessed Virgin Mary, the tree of Life and Paradise.”  Notice how Zacheus responds in order to “see the Living God clearly” He climbs into the tree in order that he might see Him from on high! And so, mystically speaking, we too, must climb the tree in order to see Christ. Yea, we must enter into the Immaculate Heart of the Queen in order to clearly see our Beloved. We must see it from her vantage; we must be led and guided by Heaven’s Tree in order to have the proper vantage of Christ which can only be held “above the crowds’. It is Her Heart which elevates our own into the Divine Life. Our Lady thus will takest us away from earthly distractions so that we might “lock in” on Her divine Son. And like eagles we shall be content in contemplating Him as He pass by. She elevates the inner eye far above the natural wherein we discover more intimately His Sacred Heart. Our Lord awaits us all in this tree;  for he who would takest notice of His Mother the Son in return hast eyes to takest notice of he. God is seen on top of the Mountain as a burning Fire in the bush.  He is seen on high, therefore, who amongst men other than our Blessed Virgin is so exalted to come to in order that we mayst see Him as He truly is?

Furthermore, Zacheus had to ascend in the tree even as the man who follows Christ must always be looking to advance in grace. Wisdom sayeth, “Once a man entereth into the Fortress of the King who would be satisfied with staying on the floor level?  Does not the Lover seekest out the Beloved who dwells in the highest floor of this Fortress? Thus, Our Lady is a Ladder by which we ascend. She is a great Tree by which all those who truly want to behold their God forever must enter in and climb her branches. Let us travel in this interior journey as a child led by the hand of the Mother of God thru this Fortress who knows all these “branches”; for she knows very intimately the Sacred Heart of her Son. Let us not take this for granted and just as Zacheus responded and climbed so must we. We cannot get complacent nor be satisfied with where we are today for in the tomorrow there is always more of Him to strive for. The multitudes below stood next to Christ but didst they truly “see Him’. Yea, heretics believe they accompany and see Christ but they are only amongst the multitudes who do not enter Mary in order to see the Son as intended.  Further, it wast not until Christ called Him down from the Tree that Zacheus responded in obedience and so must we behold our King in contemplation until He calls us into action for Love works. Truly, we cannot teach, that which, we ourselves, first ‘do not know or understand”. Therefore, even as the seasons change, let us be reminded that the eagles are found in Mary, that is, we are found in this Tree contemplating Our King and respond to the daily call awayst and above the multitudes. Moreover, this “silence and solitude” are found away from the crowds and thus this Tree is the eagles home. Ultimately, an eagle makes his nest in this Tree and weathers the storms of life and endures the seasons of the soul. 

O’ how modern man could only dream of living so simply and yet who wouldst dare to leave the crowds and be seen as the “fool for Christ” and ascend up this tree? And Wisdom doth answer, “…the very few!”  And yet by the time it is Gods Will for Zacheus to come down in so that Christ might enter into his home he is now prepared to give all away just to be in His Presence. For what possession(s) can take the place of our Beloved Prince? Yea, in this Tree is the seat of Wisdom; in this tree all grace do flow.  Therefore, let us get away from this world and climb this tree today that we too might loosen our own hearts from the multitudes and from the oppressing distractions which impede our “inner sight”. If we enter into the Immaculate Heart of Mary assuredly Jesus will call our name and ask us if He could enter into our very own homes.  May thee Immaculate Heart of Our Lady guide, protect and guard your heart everyday in this exile, Ave Maria – Amen.

 

Prayer:
O’ Divine Fire which envelops and eradicates the sins of men have mercy upon us. Expunge me from these smudges of sin which are attributed to the “self”.  A “self” which competes in the battlefield of my heart wherein Your divine Heart seeks to rest alone. Carve me out a new man by Thy Divine Fire, in so that, all in which I remain of, is in Thee. Prepare my heart for Thy purging for I only want to rest in Your Sacred Heart’s peace. Mayst my love for Thee grow everyday wilst at the same time the “self” in me “shrink” so that Ye might accomplish in me Thy Divine Will. Let me not take for granted thy grace which gives me the opportunity to distance myself from who I “used to be” so that I might focus now on who You ‘want me to be”. Let me drown in thy Fire, Your Love. O’ gentle Virgin, Queen of the Fortress, protect me, aide me, guide me and pick me up as but thy own child so that from thy own vantage I mayst see your Son clearly as He ought be seen,  Amen.

An Eagle's Message: Mary, Tree of Life