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15th Sunday in Luke Ocala 1/21/07
Many writers have described Zaccheus the Tax Collector, as the Midget, who
became a Giant! He was short in stature, and even shorter in his spiritual life,
having bled the people for years through his office of Tax collecting. The story
of Zaccheus, which we heard from today’s Gospel Lesson, is some 2000 years old.
Yet, even today it is very contemporary, because it is so applicable to all
people.
The Holy Fathers of the Church many centuries ago, very diligently chose certain
excerpts from the Holy Gospels to be read in sequence, in order to awaken us
spiritually and bolster our character.
Zaccheus was a man of wealth as a result of his position as Tax Collector,
exploiting the people to his personal advantage. However, neither his wealth,
nor his position brought him the envisioned happiness. He sensed deeply in his
heart a complete, and I may say, a consuming vacuum. His life was devoid of true
love and honor. He was literally shunned by all.
Material gifts or personal wealth, of themselves cannot of themselves insure
happiness, but, properly using them, as stewards of God can make us happy. Most
assuredly Zaccheus was not a steward.
One day he heard that the Great Teacher, Who even performed Miracles was going
to pass through Jericho. Upon hearing the news, and apparently having heard
stories of Jesus’ life, something inexplicable came over him. He was truly
shaken. No doubt he must have mentally made a comparison of his life, and that
of the Great Teacher, who lived in simplicity, and for the first time in his
life, Zaccheus sensed that he was a horrible and despicable individual.
Having awakened from his spiritual lethargy, he said to himself; that is what I
need. “A true miracle in my life --- a spiritual transformation. I must sense
the joy of a rebirth of my whole life. I must see this Teacher at all costs!”
He commenced to make every preparation; he took every precaution not to miss
seeing the Master. But, he had a natural problem, his short stature. How would
he be able to see the Lord among the throngs, which always surrounded Him. Here
is where we get a lesson in perseverance. When we make up our minds to
accomplish something worthwhile, we let nothing stop us in our way, as Zaccheus
did.
Yes, Zaccheus was short of stature, but he had made his irreversible decision.
There was no backtracking. He had a genuine feeling that something good would
happen to him. He felt that he was going to acquire something new; something
that would finally give him the happiness he sought. This feeling gave him great
faith, which prompted him to climb up a sycamore tree on the main thoroughfare
to see Jesus.
This act was totally undignified for a man in his position. But, at this point,
nothing mattered for him except to see Jesus from a close vantage point. This
determination showed, how deeply he was willing to resign himself to God, and
did not care in the least, as some would have, what would the people say?
Zaccheus must have been a despicable person. He must have felt the wrath, and
even heard the curses as he walked down the street. To all, he was an
extortionist, protected by their Roman rulers.
Waiting on the sycamore tree and seeing the Lord approaching, two persons
flashed through his mind. His own miserable self, as compared to the approaching
Great Teacher. Like an old re-run movie he visualized his greatly blemished
life. The blood of his innocent victims was virtually dripping from his fingers.
His ears resounded with the curses coming from those victims. All in all, he now
despised the course he had set in his life.
As the Master approached he noticed the Lord’s simplicity, with a countenance
that reflected the fullness of love. While Zaccheus possessed everything, for
the first time he felt like a pauper, and seeing the Lord, Who had nothing, he
seemed to possess the world. But, Zaccheus had prepared himself to be bathed in
the Grace of the Lord.
He climbed the sycamore tree, but his personal pride and his arrogant egotism
were left on the ground. He had broken the shackles, which kept his soul
imprisoned for so many years, and now, up on the tree, he had truly been
transformed into a veritable giant in character.
When the Lord Jesus, followed by the multitudes came near the trunk of the tree,
He stopped and looked up to see Zaccheus. His eyes met the staring eyes of the
reformed Tax Collector. But, the Lord’s eyes went deeply into the very core of
Zaccheus’ heart.
The Lord saw the transformation, and the spiritual regeneration, which had
overtaken his heart and soul.
Without a word from Zaccheus, the Lord says: “Zaccheus, hurry down; for today I
will visit with you, in your house.” (Luke 10:5) This announcement dealt the
final blow, in the total destruction of the old Zaccheus founded on conceit, on
false pride, on force, on deceit, on slander, on cheating and extortion.
The midget in body and soul, instantly becomes a giant, and now rebuilds a new
spiritual empire, over the ruins of the old Zaccheus. He hastens to come down
from the tree, and before the Lord and the multitudes Zaccheus he declares:
“Lord, I will gladly give one half of my wealth to the poor, and to all those,
whom I have cheated over the years, I shall repay fourfold.”(Luke 19:8)
It wasn’t like some would have it, that he would beg forgiveness from the Lord,
after his confession, admitting, that his wealth was the result of cheating and
extorting people. Furthermore, that he was now going to turn over a new leaf.
Nothing of the sort. His guilt was expressed in kind; that is, the announcement
of his decision to make amends, and repay those, whom he had cheated fourfold.
With his open confession, and that he would amply make restitution, he hears
from the Lord: “Zaccheus, today salvation has come to this house!” (Luke 19:9)
Isn’t it odd? People judge others, without any authority; and of this bad trait,
so many are guilty. But the Lord Jesus was specific, when said in the 7th
Chapter of St. Mathew’s Gospel, verse 1: “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” People
are so prone to judge, whether they know the facts, or not. I presume, that is
perhaps the basis of the common saying: “People, who live in glass houses should
not throw stones.”
That was the situation with the surrounding crowd who said: “Look, the Teacher
is going to visit the house of a sinner!” (Luke 19:8). Instead of being elated,
that someone they hated and considered so evil, and after having personally
witnessed the conversion of this person, who was to give one half of his wealth
to the poor, and restore fourfold to all, whom he had cheated, --- instead of
expressing joy, they condemned the Lord, because He would go to be the guest of
a sinner. But, the answer was swiftly given by Jesus, who replied, that “He came
to seek out and to save those who were lost.” (Luke 19:10)
Zaccheus was saved, because he followed through, and was able to bury his old
self. founded on arrogance, vain glory, lies, slander, thievery, slander and so
many other evils. For the first time in his life, he felt free. In some form,
even remotely, so many people can be likened to the old Zaccheus, because they
are burdened and allied to habits, which are not in consonance with our Lord’s
teachings. While they do recognize this, and do feel the weight and the stress
of their sins, somehow they procrastinate to make the decision, and like
Zaccheus, to climb up the sycamore tree to see the Lord, and receive him
totally, so as to hear those life-saving words: “today, salvation has come to
your house.”
+ Fr. George Papadeas
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