psalm 15: Lord, who may dwell in your tent? 33rd week tuesday

Today we reflect on Psalm 15.  Psalm 15 actually begins with a question asked in two different ways.  We cannot find this in our responsorial psalm today, only the answers.  But I believe it might be good to know the question so that we can better appreciate the answers.  So what is the question – Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy mountain?  In David's time there was no temple yet.  The ark of the covenant, the presence of God was placed in a tent or what the Jews call the tabernacle.  The tabernacle was a tent.  Who may dwell on your holy mountain.  This holy mountain refers to Mt. Zion, the temple mount where the tent, the tabernacle was located.  So who can be admitted in the presence of God, who are worthy of climbing the Temple Mount to come face to face with God?  To be admitted to the tent means also you are a family member, you are a very close friend, you call God Father and he has admitted you as his son or daughter.  In effect the question asks, who is God's family, who can be called his children, who is God's real friend?

Then our psalm today, the answers, follow.  There are eleven descriptions of one who belongs to God's family, and if you notice all the eleven answers pertain to the inner life, not on what we do during at mass or the number of novenas we prayed or the number of relics we kissed.  No.  The answers as to who is God's family, who is God's real friends pertain to how have we lived our lives, how we relate with others.  Doing what is right, speaking the truth, fulfilling our promises bisan pierdi pa kita, loving others and doing no harm to others even in our speech, honoring those who fear God but disassociating ourselves from wicked men, using money for the good and for the good of others, not taking advantage especially of the poor.

When Zacchaeus in our gospel said “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over," Jesus said in reply, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham." It means that Zacchaeus the sinner has once again entered the household of God, he has become family, he has become the friend of God once more.  This time however Zacchaeus doesn't have to go to the tent or go up the hill, Mt. Zion, instead Jesus went to his home and made his home a tabernacle.

It is no mere random coincidence that this gospel is read during house blessings.  To be blessed means to invite Jesus to our house, to our families and to allow ourselves to be transformed by his presence in how we behave, how we treat others, how we do business, how we use our resources.