440 Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale

Spirit, you are not under the law".14 Every célébration of Penance should

cause the soul of the penitent to leap with the same joy that Christ's

words inspired in Zacchaeus, who "made haste and carne down and re-

ceived him joyfully".15

8. The availability and superabundance of mercy should not however

obscure the fact that it is only the premise of salvation, which reaches fulfil-

ment to the extent that it meets a response in the human being. In fact, the

forgiveness granted in the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not some external

action, a kind of legai "remission of the penalty", but a real encounter of

the penitent with God, who restores the bond of friendship shattered by sin.

The "truth" of this relationship requires that we welcome God's merciful

embrace, overcoming ali the résistance caused by sin.

This is what happens in the case of Zacchaeus. Aware that he is now

being treated as a "son", he begins to think and act like a son, and this he

shows in the way he rediscover s his brothers and sisters. Beneath the loving

gaze of Christ, the heart of Zacchaeus warms to love of neighbour. From a

feeling of isolation, which had led him to enrich himself without caring

about what others had to suffer, he moves to an attitude of sharing. This

is expressed in a genuine "division" of his wealth: "half of my goods to the

poor". The injustice done to others by his fraudulent behaviour is atoned

for by a fourfold restitution: "If I have defrauded any one of anything, I

restore it fourfold".16 And it is only at this point that the love of God

achieves its purpose, and salvation is accomplished: "Today salvation has

come to this house".17

Dear Priests, this journey of salvation, so clearly described in the story of

Zacchaeus, should guide us and help us accomplish with wise pastoral balance

our diffìcult work in the ministry of the confessional. It is a ministry always

beset by two opposite extremes: severity and laxity. The first f ails to take

account of the early part of the story of Zacchaeus: mercy comes first, en-

couraging conversion and valuing even the slightest progress in love, be-

cause the Father wants to do the impossible to save the son who is lost:

"The Son of Man carne to seek and save the lost".18

14 Gal 5:18. 15 Lk 19:6. 16 Lk 19:8. 17 Lk 19:9. 18 Lk 19:10.