Augustine Sokolovski
Brothers and sisters,
We have just read a passage from the Gospel of Luke that tells of the conversion of Zacchaeus. This is reading 94, chapter 19, verses 1-10. In honor of this reading, today's Sunday is called "The Sunday of Zacchaeus."
Hearing this, we immediately ask ourselves why this Sunday has its own special name. This is because "The Sunday of Zacchaeus" is the first preparatory Sunday for Great Lent. The liturgical book "The Lenten Triodion" is not yet used in the service of the day yet, but the content of the Gospel reading speaks of repentance. This is a sign of the approach of Great Lent.
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
In the Holy Scriptures, Jericho means "Sin City". After the Exodus of Israel from Egypt, the power of Jericho frightened the biblical people. Then the people renounced Moses and it was for this that God commanded the Israelites to wander in the desert for forty years. These events are described in chapter 14 of the biblical Book of Numbers.
In the Gospel reading, Jesus enters Jericho and passes through the city. He does not stop, but passes by. Sin has no power over Him.
2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
The Jews despised the publicans, these tax collectors, because they collaborated with the Roman administration. The publicans were considered sinners. But, as often happens, this contempt was not based on their own righteousness. The publicans were often despised out of envy. Zacchaeus "was rich." Those around him envied his wealth.
In addition, the tax collectors often were well intelligent and well educated. They had to be literate, to know the laws, understand the Roman and Jewish financial systems. Archaeologists have managed to find various fiscal documents from those times. From these documents it is clear how difficult the work of a tax collector was.
The words of the Gospel teach us to examine ourselves in order to understand why we condemn or approve of certain people. Do we condemn them because we are offended that God's Law is being violated, or are we simply envious of someone else's wealth, and what is even worse, someone else's skills, talent and work capacity?
3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.
The people around saw Jesus and they saw Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus saw Jesus and he saw himself. He saw himself and he saw that he was small in stature. He could have shouted, or simply dispersed the crowd. After all, a tax collector usually had many people under his command. But for some mysterious reason, he did not do this.
He was “small in stature.” Among other things, these words teach us to weigh ourselves and see our own limitations.
4. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
Indeed, Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, not only knew how to count, but he knew how to measure distances. This was a professional skill. He used it to see Christ.
Furthermore, this was not just a ridiculous or impudent gesture. After all, the Bible cursed the one who hung on a tree (Gal. 3:13; cf. Deut. 21:23). Zacchaeus climbed the tree and made a prophetic gesture. Without knowing it, he was pointing to the Tree of the Cross.
5. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, „Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.“
Jesus speaks as the Messiah. He does not express His own wishes, but fulfills the will of the Heavenly Father. Therefore, He “must be in the house of Zacchaeus the Publican.” This obligation should be perceived as the Lord’s submission to the will of God, Who sent Him into the world to save people.
“Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost,” says the Gospel (Matt. 18:11). These words are the messianic confession. Disagreement with these words means unbelief. We are called upon to repeat these words morning, evening and throughout the day, to make these words our Creed and the main answer when unbelievers ask us who Jesus is.
6. So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
The Evangelist does not "choose" words by chance. Zacchaeus came down "with haste", he showed hospitality "with joy". These were Abraham's gestures. Abraham's hospitality was accomplished by he tax collector in response to the words of the Lord Jesus about his readiness his house.
7. All the people saw this and began to mutter, „He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.“
Apparently, those around had “their own plans” for the Lord. Perhaps they wanted to invite Him to the house of the “ruler of the synagogue,” or some other honorable citizen of the city. But Jesus thwarted their plans. Since they did not dare to condemn Jesus, they condemned Zacchaeus, suddenly remembering that he was a “sinful man.” But since Jesus entered the house of a “sinner,” they condemn Jesus Himself. This is the same mysterious “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 12:32), a sin that will not be forgiven, because in it the good will of the Holy Spirit is declared evil.
Sometimes the story of Zacchaeus is used by us to justify the currying favor of the ministers of the Church with rich people. But such currying favor, if it takes place, occurs because of money or other privileges. Jesus enters the tax collector to save him. Only the Messiah can save a person. Therefore, we have no right to say about ourselves that we do something for the sake of saving others; we have no right to give our banal and everyday gestures a sacred, saving and messianic meaning.
8. But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, „ Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount,“
In essence, Zacchaeus anticipates the very demand of Jesus, which he once uttered in the Gospel in response to the rich young man’s question about what he needed to do to be saved. “Distribute your possessions to the poor and follow me” (cf. Matt. 19:21). Paradoxically, Zacchaeus did not ask this question, but expressed his willingness to give up his possessions. He climbed a tree to take up his cross.
9. Jesus said to him, „Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
Zacchaeus fulfilled Abraham's hospitality and he distributed his property to the poor. Thus the Old and New Testaments were designated in one single event. Therefore, salvation came to him. Salvation comes in response to uncompromising willingness to follow God's call. Abraham was ready to sacrifice his son. Zacchaeus was ready to atone for his guilt to his own detriment. His example also teaches us that one cannot atone for great guilt "just like that", "with small efforts".
There is no such thing as the "economy class" virtue.
10. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save to lost.“
In biblical times, a person who had sinned could try to make a sacrifice. But this sacrifice could not work on its own. Only if the "other party," religious and legal, expressed a willingness to accept the sacrifice, was the sin forgiven. So Judas gave thirty pieces of silver, the priests accepted the money and gave it for the "burial of strangers," and he was forgiven. But this forgiveness only further destroyed him. Forgiveness from people can destroy, only forgiveness from God is always saving.
Here the sacrifice of Zacchaeus was accepted by Jesus Himself. The words “today salvation has come to this house” and the recognition of Zacchaeus as “the son of Abraham” signify the fullness of the blessing; this is the acceptance of Zacchaeus’ offer by Christ Himself.
The Gospel reading about Zacchaeus is also read during the blessing of the home, and, most importantly, this is the second reading, out of seven readings, in the orthodox sacrament of unction. This means that Zacchaeus is the companion of our everyday life, and the friend of our last minute. When we are sick and when we are alone, Zacchaeus climbs a tree, giving us an example to place our burden on the Tree of the Cross. For only from the Cross can we see Christ, who passes through our life, this city of sin.
On this day, we recall the story of Zacchaeus anew. We identify ourselves with him. We thank God that in Christ Jesus, in His Body and Blood, He entered the cleft of our heart. We ask the Lord to remain with us forever.