As we meditate on the readings from Revelation 21:2-5 and Luke 19:1-10, a profound theme of God’s transformative and redemptive love emerges. These passages present an invitation to renewal and communion with God, echoing the Church’s hope for the final fulfillment of all creation, a theme particularly relevant in the Epiphany season as we reflect on the manifestation of Christ to the world.
In Revelation, St. John speaks of the “holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:2). This vision of the new Jerusalem reveals God’s ultimate plan: to dwell with His people, making all things new and wiping away every tear. St. Augustine interprets the holy city as the redeemed community of the faithful, purified and made holy by God’s grace, saying that it “is being built now throughout the ages, as the individuals called by God come and accept the faith” (City of God, XXI.27). In the midst of a world full of suffering, this image of the holy city comforts us, reminding us that God desires to restore us completely, to a state of harmony and peace, even greater than the one we lost in Eden.
The promise that “God himself will be with them as their God; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev 21:3-4) reveals God’s intimate concern for each soul. St. Gregory the Great reflects on this intimacy, explaining that God’s presence, the source of all consolation, “does not suffer any to be afflicted in His presence” (Homilies on the Gospels). This dwelling of God with His people is not merely physical but is a complete indwelling that fills every desire and removes all pain, fulfilling Christ’s promise of eternal joy for those who persevere in faith.
This theme of God’s transformative presence is mirrored in the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus in the Gospel of Luke. Zacchaeus, a tax collector, is seen as a notorious sinner, yet he yearns to see Jesus. In a symbolic gesture of humility, he climbs a tree, elevating his heart and soul above the material concerns of his life. St. Cyril of Alexandria notes that Zacchaeus’s encounter with Jesus teaches us that “Christ is ready to show mercy upon sinners, and to give His grace to those who seek Him with a sincere heart” (Commentary on Luke, Sermon 127). Jesus’ decision to enter Zacchaeus’s house signifies His willingness to enter and sanctify the soul, regardless of its past sins, as long as there is true repentance.
Zacchaeus’s response to Jesus is immediate and sincere: “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold” (Luke 19:8). St. Ambrose praises Zacchaeus’s zeal for justice, noting that “the conversion of a sinner is a greater thing than the creation of the world” (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke 7.225). This act of restitution signifies a complete transformation. Through grace, Zacchaeus not only repents but also seeks to repair the harm he has done. This transformation illustrates that true repentance goes beyond sorrow for sin; it includes a desire to live in justice and charity.
The encounter with Zacchaeus is a microcosm of God’s greater promise in Revelation. Just as Zacchaeus is transformed through his personal encounter with Christ, so too will all creation be renewed and purified by God’s love. St. Augustine describes this divine renewal as an act of love: “Behold, I make all things new,” meaning that God “transforms us from within by His own presence” (Confessions XIII.9). In both passages, we see the Lord’s desire to renew us completely, not only in the life to come but beginning now, in our daily lives through grace.
On this Saturday after the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, let us remember that God’s ultimate plan for each soul is to dwell with Him in holiness. In our journey, we, like Zacchaeus, are called to seek Christ with humility and allow Him to enter our hearts. May we embrace His grace, recognizing that in His love, every sorrow and sin can be transformed, and through His mercy, He indeed “makes all things new.” Let us hold fast to this hope, looking toward the day when we will see the fulfillment of this promise in the new Jerusalem, where all tears will be wiped away, and joy will be complete.