31st Sunday Reflection: The Way to Healing
Franciscan Reflections From The Hermitage – The Way To Healing – 31st Sunday In Ordinary Time – (Luke 19:1-10)
For you love all things that exist, and reject none of the things that you have made, for you would not have made anything if you had despised it. (Wisdom 11:24)
The majestic Sycamore trees with their beautiful heart-shaped leaves stand guard at the eastern gate of paradise, the Garden of Eden, there stands the Tree of Life. Beyond these two Sycamore trees, there is the offer of immortality from death, light from darkness, Truth from illusion, and joy from sadness.
It is here that the sentinel keeps watch, to turn aside those who would enter with the pretence of worldly esteem, with worldly attachments and riches, all baggage and attachments: I do not recognize you, you cannot have come from here, turn back! You have judged and condemned others: by the same judgement you stand condemned, turn back!
As chaplain to Swaleside and Canterbury Central prisons, I became involved in what is termed the “Sycamore Tree Project”. This brings together unrelated victims and offenders; that is, they are not each other’s victims and offenders.
The program gets its name from today’s gospel story about Jesus and Zacchaeus, a rich chief tax collector. Zacchaeus wanted to catch a glimpse of Jesus but couldn’t see over the crowd. So he climbed a Sycamore Tree to get a better view. Jesus noticed him and stopped to talk. Out of that meeting came something unexpected: Zacchaeus repents and unburdens himself of these attachments.
Jesus the Christ is the fruit from the tree of life and today he helps us to understand the reconciling power of justice that restores rather than punishes. The Sycamore Tree Project is an intensive 5-8 week in-prison programme that brings groups of crime victims into prison to meet with groups of unrelated offenders.
They talk about the effects of crime, the harms it causes, and how to make things right. Then follows conversations about responsibility, confession, repentance, forgiveness, reparation, and reconciliation.
These lead naturally into opportunities for the participants to express their experiences and feelings. Offenders explore ways of making restitution for the harm caused by their criminal behaviour. Victims consider ways they can continue their journey toward healing and restoration. Finally, the group meets in a public celebration of this reconciliation.
It was time for this ceremony to take place on a Saturday morning and I too was among the group representing society from all walks of life. The ceremony was simple but moving, with each prisoner telling their story asking for acceptance back into that society; placing a pebble in a pond of water, and lighting a candle.
In the next part of the celebration, those representing society are asked to speak to the assembly. A grandmother in the group rose and asked the prisoners for their forgiveness for those who had experienced neglect or abuse by their parents, grandparents, or other family members. These hurts are the burdens we carry and the suffering that we transmit to others. This is the terrible transmission of our hurt and burdens from one generation to the next.
The atmosphere became hushed as one of the prisoners started sobbing. Soon there were not too many dry eyes present and it was as though the Holy Spirit had breathed through our gathering creating that sacred space for trust, true healing, and reconciliation to take place. “Today salvation has come to this house”.
As a crime victim from New Zealand attested “I witnessed a man murdering my father. I have been carrying this hatred and hurt for more than 25 years. For the first time, I can truly say that I have forgiven the man that murdered my father. The feeling is something I can’t describe.”
Jesus speaks to us today in our world as we clamber for rights, retribution, and justice while at the same time tearing the fabric of our society apart. These are the heavy burdens that we also carry. The gospel message calls us all to responsibility, confession, repentance, forgiveness, amends, and reconciliation.
What riches, baggage and attachments am I carrying today?
Where have I transmitted my own hurt and suffering to my family, to my children or grandchildren?
Who do I despise in the darkness of my heart?
Where have I set myself up as judge to condemn others?
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