Repentance and Renewal<br/><br/>
The story of Zacchaeus the tax collector is about repentance and renewal.  (Luke 19: 1-10)  One day, Jesus passed through the town of Jericho.  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 climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus.  Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, today I must stay at your house."  When the crowd saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus was moved by Jesus’ display of love.  He 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."<br/><br/>
And Jesus exclaimed, "Today salvation has come to this house!”<br/><br/>
Once Zacchaeus got to know Jesus, money was no longer the most important thing in his life.  We do not know the fate of Zacchaeus, but from then onwards it was certain that he no longer let money run his life.  God is generous to each of us.  He hopes that each person will respond generously in return.<br/><br/>
Originally, there was to be a communal reconciliation with general absolution on March 26 as well as on April 1.  As a result of a discussion with Bishop Boissonneau, these have been cancelled.  The reason is because our parish has held the Holy Hour every evening for the past two years, where parishioners could receive the sacrament of reconciliation.  Hence, a communal reconciliation was no longer necessary.  According to Canon Law, the absolution of mortal sin also requires an individual reconciliation following a communal reconciliation.  I encourage each parishioner to receive the sacrament of reconciliation either at the Holy Hour, or before/after mass.