Acceptance in the practice of the Church

In this work we use as a model of encounter Jesus'' reciprocal acceptance of Zacchaeus a profound experience of encounter an ever-new paradigm for the Church. In this passage Jesus appears welcoming and being welcomed. An experience that culminates in the conversion of Zacchaeus. In this encounter we highlight some expressions of the Gospel welcoming: the merciful look of Jesus the simple and true dialogue with the tax collector he looked up where the Master expresses his desire to visit him. Jesus goes to his house and brings a word of hope today salvation has come to this house. On the other hand the welcome comes with Zacchaeus'' disposition to go further ahead to climb a tree to look for the Master''s figure to accept Jesus'' self-invitation he runs to his house to await the Lord''s visit. In fact there are two movements from Zacchaeus to Jesus and from Jesus to Zacchaeus. It is the way of welcoming. The first is certainly the one from Jesus to Zacchaeus because we believe that the Spirit of God is already at work in people''s hearts preparing the way for the great moment of encounter.