I love to welcome my girlfriends into my home for lunch dates. But these well-planned social engagements never happen on the spur of the moment. My friends arrive to a pristine kitchen, a table set with our special dishes, and fresh flowers blooming brightly on the counter. Welcoming them in this special way shows them how much I value the gift of their companionship.

When called, Zacchaeus didn’t have much time to get his proverbial house in order to welcome Jesus. In an instant, he opened his heart and soul, embracing the Lord with joy and conversion. Am I ready, as Zacchaeus was, to give my all and to embrace the promise of the Cross? As I journey toward the glory of the Resurrection this Lent, may I look for opportunities to welcome Jesus quickly and with zeal, seeing Him in the face of the needy, the helpless, and all I meet.