For many of us, our search for God takes us out of ourselves in search of a “god” out there. In doing so we are actually distancing ourselves from the God who already dwells within our hearts—a God who is closer to us than we are to ourselves—to paraphrase Saint Augustine. And so, Jesus comes in search of us and, as he did to Zacchaeus, insists that we return to ourselves and that he stay at our house—that house that is our heart. But if he is to stay (and not depart) our hearts, increasingly enlightened by the radiance of Christ’s presence have, like Zacchaeus, to be purified and grow in holiness. And when this painful purification seems too painful and demanding we may unconsciously “nudge’ Christ out of our hearts. Fortunately, he doesn’t give up on us but, as we heard in our first reading, comes knocking at the door of our hearts, seeking to reenter and complete his saving work, and so abide in us—not for a time, but forever. Saint Mechtild, like every saint, answered that gentle knock again and again; may her prayers grant us the grace to do likewise.