What We Can Learn From Airplanes!

It has been reported that commercial airplanes, like those that fly from Chicago to Los Angeles, are off their flight plan over 90% of the time.  You can easily see why: from cross winds, jet steams, to various weather conditions and storms.  But, even though they are constantly off course, they still make it to their destination.  How?  The airplanes are constantly being corrected by computer instruments to correct the airplane's bearings. 

Our Spiritual lives can be very similar.  If we acknowledge that God has a specific plan for us, then we can also acknowledge that we too are off the path over 90% of the time as well.  Just like airplanes, we encounter the cross winds of sin, we encounter the crazy storms of life.  We too need to constantly make self-corrections, we need to constantly turn back to the Lord!

We see this in the Gospel from this past weekend in the story of Zacchaeus.  Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector in Jericho.  Two things needed to be pointed out; first the town of Jericho and second the position of chief-tax collector.  Jericho was seen as a place of sin.  It was the town the Israelites had to overcome to enter into the Holy Land.  Unlike the holy city of Jerusalem built 1800 feet above sea level, Jericho was found 1200 feet below sea level.  Within 18 miles that separate the two towns, one would have to descend from Jerusalem, the holy city, to get to the town of Jericho.  The descent was not only a sign of physical descent, but spiritual fall.  Next, Zacchaeus was a chief tax collect.  He worked for the Roman Empire, the very oppressors of the Jewish people and faith.  So, not only was Zacchaeus in a town known for sin, but he held a position that was the worst of all!

Scripture says Zacchaeus was short in stature and so he didn't approach the Lord, but he had the full authority of the Roman guard at his disposal.  He could of went directly up to the Lord because of his authority.  But instead he climbed a tree, because he only wanted to see Jesus at a distance. He had strayed from God's plan and you can see how he felt unworthy to see God face to face.  But Zacchaeus small action to see Jesus led to something powerful.  And just like the prodigal Son, God runs out to Zacchaeus.  Jesus tells Zacchaeus to come down quickly for he must stay in his house.  Well what happens, when people enter another person's house?  They share a meal!

God continues to work the same way in our lives and we can see this in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharist.  In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, there is always a hesitation to go!  We, like Zacchaeus, don't jump to go to the Sacrament.  We know we have strayed from our path, and may sometimes feel unworthy to be in God's presence.  Yet once we enter, it is God who comes to us.  He forgives us our sins and tells us that He must stay with us!  And this is where the Sacrament of the Eucharist follows.  He invites us to share a meal!  He comes into our house, our hearts and feeds us with himself in the Eucharist! 

It is clear that we don't always follow the Lord and we fall of the path God planned for us, but it doesn't mean that the Lord doesn't stop calling us back to himself.  It's time to correct our bearings once again and set our hearts on our ultimate destination: to be with the Lord!