Gospel in Art: Salvation comes to the house of Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus, by Justin O'Brien, 1990 © Bonham Armadale, 1 September 2020

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 19 November 2024
Luke 19:1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: 'Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.' And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. 'He has gone to stay at a sinner's house' they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, 'Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.' And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.'

Reflection on the painting

Whenever Zacchaeus's story appears in our daily Gospel readings, it fills me with joy. At its heart, Zacchaeus simply wanted to see Jesus; he longed for just a glimpse. He didn't ask for much. he was just full of love and enthusiasm. Despite being a chief tax collector, he humbled himself, climbing a tree like an eager child. From this new vantage up in the tree, he was open to whatever might unfold - including salvation from Jesus, who redeems those who seek him. There is also a beautiful sense of urgency: Jesus tells Zacchaeus to 'hurry'. Meeting Jesus leaves no time to waste. We are all called to roll up our sleeves and dive into helping to share the Good News.

Our painting is by Justin O'Brien (1917-1996), one of Australia's leading artists of his time. During World War II, O'Brien served in Palestine and Greece, where he was captured near Athens. In 1944, he was among a group of prisoners of war sent to Barcelona in exchange for German prisoners, after which he soon returned to Australia. His time in Palestine influenced his landscapes, a skill evident in our painting. There's an almost Byzantine quality to this work, with its figures rendered in flat, two-dimensional poses and vibrant blocks of red, green, blue, and yellow.

Like Zacchaeus, Jesus calls each of us by name, inviting himself into our lives. But the desire to climb that tree, must come from us. What 'tree' can we climb today to see Jesus more clearly?

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-19-1-10-2024/