Jesus hung out with tax collectors. We have entered the Triodion, which is the service book which will take us through Lent (and you were right, Philippa, it was this Sunday and not last, blush). Last week, in a pre-pre-Lenten Sunday tradition , we heard the reading of Zacchaeus, and this past Sunday was the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee.

Something that stood out for me this year (and pointed out by our priests) was that both Zacchaeus and the Publican were tax collectors. While no one loves the idea of paying taxes these days, in Christ’s time, tax collectors were really hated as they not only worked for the unpopular occupiers, but would regularly take a cut of the profits so tried to collect as much as they could. I don’t think it is a small thing that Lent and Tax Season usually collide for those of us in the United States (and perhaps in other countries as well)

Now, why is it important that Jesus hung out with tax collectors? It isn’t to encourage us to explore career opportunities in the IRS, but to teach us as we head into Lent that no matter who we are, where we are in life, or what we do – we have an annual chance to repent and look towards the Kingdom of Heaven. And to focus on where we are and where we need to be and NOT where our friends, family members, church members and the guy down the street are.

On a side note, our priest when he was over blessing our house earlier this month commented (as my teenager sat upstairs not eating cupcakes and drinking coffee with us) that he often wonders if Zacchaeus had teenagers and what their reaction was when he came home with Christ as a houseguest.

May you have a wonderful week of the Publican and the Pharisee

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