The story of Zacchaeus

I shall continue sharing on our theme for the month of September: ‘Showing Respect for Others’.

St Peter, who is one of the patron saints of our school and also one of the most important figures for us Catholics, summarizes the Bible’s teaching on respect in his first Epistle with one sentence: “Show proper respect to everyone”. We cannot pick and choose who is worthy of our respect, instead we should respect everyone, including ourselves.

Before we can respect others, we need to begin with respect for ourselves. I am sure we can all remember what Mr Kwan shared on Wednesday morning, The person doing it, that thing, was it a mistake of missing the bowl? But then again, even IF it was, because it was SO urgent, an educated and respectful person would clean it up. To show respect, we want that person to explain. This is why we shared the incident. Now, did that person take the chance to own up to the mistake and apologise?

I want to take this incident one step further and ask why this person, did what he did? Perhaps, it is because he wants to show no respect for the school and the people in it because he felt wronged. Perhaps, he does not like the school or some people and then want to show anger. But is disrespecting yourself, the best way to do so? That student obviously has no love for the school and does not treasure the chance to be here. Sad really and we pray that he can see the light soon so that he can begin to respect himself and make best use of the education he is lucky to have.

Here I want to share a conversation I had with my son last weekend when we were out on a family trip. He said “Mom, thank you. I am so very lucky to have the best parents in the world and I am sorry if there were times when I did not show this when I talked back and did not show respect to you. Of course, in my mind, I was thinking, what does he want, and I asked him. He said he did not want anything but he has seen the light because of experiences of late. I am glad he can say this to me but remember not all of us might be that lucky, we must treasure what we have TODAY. Think of your relationship with your family, do you respect your parents, your siblings? Do you show that respect?

Let’s go back to the bible and look at the story of Zacchaeus who no one in the town of Jericho liked because he was a chief tax collector, taking more money than he should from the people. He was hated by people as many believed him to be corrupt or a thief. But Jesus stayed with him at his house, of course stirring the anger of the people as they knew him to be bad – how could Jesus stay in the house of a sinner. At the end, Jesus brought salvation to Zacchaeus with Zacchaeus giving up half of what was his and paying back to those he stole from, four times as much. He was saved because of the respect Jesus has shown to him, by befriending him.

What Jesus has done is hard to do — to show respect to someone who is so bad. The school has tried to give a chance to the one soiling the place, with little result because unlike Zacchaeus that person does not want to be saved. Here I am asking again for that person to come forward.

Now let us see if each of us, as Shungtakians, students of a Catholic school, deserve respect? Can you say, yes I do since:

✅At home, I treat my parents with respect. I say thank you and I help out at home.

✅At school, I respect my school, I obey and do not break the school rules. I do my homework, I participate in class and I speak English on English For All Days. I also give service to the school whenever I can because I understand that it is better to serve than to be served. I am a credit to the badge I wear.

✅In my community, I give service. I belong to groups that help others, I help whenever I see someone in need.

Remember by treating others with respect, we are in fact showing respect towards ourselves. We also need to be mindful that we must always treat others with respect, regardless of their position or status. We need to remember St Peter and show proper respect to all.

Join me now in saying the prayer:

Dear Lord,

Help me to respect myself for You have made me in your likeness

Let me learn to love myself, to respect myself.

Help me to be a respectful child to my parents

A respectful sibling, and a respectful family member helping when I can.

Help me to be a respectful student in school,

respectful to all staff and respectful of the rules.

Help me to be a respectful member of my community, contributing to her growth

Help me to be a gift to all those who know me.

Help my actions to always be louder than my words.

Guide me to be a good and respectful person to all

Give me the power but even more importantly the strength to treat all people

with the same love as Jesus has given to us

This I ask in Jesus’ name, Amen

Ss. Peter and Paul, pray for us.

Ms Lee B
22 September 2023