WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.759 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 00:00:02.759 --> 00:00:29.070 of the Holy Spirit. Amen. enable thee to proclaim 00:00:29.070 --> 00:00:32.549 to our kindness the great power to the fulfillment 00:00:32.549 --> 00:00:36.969 of the gospel of his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus 00:00:36.969 --> 00:00:41.750 Christ. Amen. Wisdom, stand aright. Let us hear 00:00:41.750 --> 00:00:47.049 the Holy Gospel. Peace be to all. And to thy 00:00:47.049 --> 00:00:53.149 spirit. Reading from the Holy Gospel according 00:00:53.149 --> 00:01:16.890 to Luke. At that time, nigh unto Jericho, a certain 00:01:16.890 --> 00:01:20.829 blind man sat by the wayside begging. And hearing 00:01:20.829 --> 00:01:24.090 the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. 00:01:31.090 --> 00:01:34.790 Five weeks before Lent starts. So you can see 00:01:34.790 --> 00:01:37.790 where Lent is going to take you. Lent is hard. 00:01:38.890 --> 00:01:42.769 But it's also the best time of year. And if you 00:01:42.769 --> 00:01:46.000 embrace it, and if you're moderate, and if you 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:53.079 pray, what joy you will have when we get to Holy 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:57.579 Week and Pascha. So you see now why Zacchaeus 00:01:57.579 --> 00:02:01.719 Sunday, this gospel is read today, and why that 00:02:01.719 --> 00:02:05.060 fresco is placed in that spot. It's to remind 00:02:05.060 --> 00:02:10.020 us of the journey we're going on. We're preparing 00:02:10.020 --> 00:02:13.500 ourselves. We're preparing to prepare for Lent. 00:02:14.060 --> 00:02:18.719 Next week, you'll be hearing again about a tax 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:22.960 collector. Maybe it's the same one. Certainly, 00:02:23.060 --> 00:02:27.900 the day after Jesus comes to Zacchaeus, the next 00:02:27.900 --> 00:02:34.400 day, Zacchaeus is probably in his study thinking, 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:39.400 this is going to be hard. This is going to be 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:44.520 really tough. Let's look at this particular gospel. 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:49.580 I point out that today, since the gospel account 00:02:49.580 --> 00:02:52.719 about Zacchaeus, he was a tax collector, he was 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:55.300 a publican, he was a public official to take 00:02:55.300 --> 00:03:00.120 taxes. This comes from the gospel written by 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:08.120 Luke, chapter 19. Again, this tells us that next 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:11.180 week... We're entering into the preparation time 00:03:11.180 --> 00:03:16.979 for Great Lent. Father Zacharias, one of the 00:03:16.979 --> 00:03:20.020 elders from the monastery of St. John in Essex, 00:03:20.060 --> 00:03:25.439 he wrote this in his meditation on this day. 00:03:25.620 --> 00:03:29.400 He says, Jesus was walking towards the cross 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:35.340 of shame. What's that mean? The cross looks like 00:03:35.340 --> 00:03:38.560 failure. which is what most of our life is about, 00:03:38.699 --> 00:03:43.340 and not beating ourselves up because we have 00:03:43.340 --> 00:03:46.879 failed, but knowing that exactly is where we 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:49.080 meet Christ, because the excellence is of God, 00:03:49.139 --> 00:03:51.800 not of us. We have the treasure in earthen vessels. 00:03:52.419 --> 00:03:55.740 Clay pot, says St. Paul, so that the excellence, 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:58.479 the glory of God, will not be because we've succeeded, 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:02.919 but that God is dwelling in us, inspiring us, 00:04:03.099 --> 00:04:06.490 and saving us. Jesus was walking towards the 00:04:06.490 --> 00:04:11.469 cross of shame to be crucified, so as to transform 00:04:11.469 --> 00:04:15.610 it into a place of sanctification and clothe 00:04:15.610 --> 00:04:21.029 us with glory once again. Leaving the good opinion 00:04:21.029 --> 00:04:25.449 of the people behind, Zacchaeus prophetically 00:04:25.449 --> 00:04:28.769 placed himself on the way of the cross through 00:04:28.769 --> 00:04:34.180 voluntary shame. Think of it. A grown man. Not 00:04:34.180 --> 00:04:38.100 very much, not respected at all. In fact, hated 00:04:38.100 --> 00:04:42.819 because of what he was. He climbs a tree and 00:04:42.819 --> 00:04:46.360 he found the Lord, says Father Zacharias, as 00:04:46.360 --> 00:04:51.319 a fellow traveler. Let's speak today only about 00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:54.899 a couple of things. First, perspective. Perspective. 00:04:56.040 --> 00:05:00.250 Zizekias was rich. Probably a lot richer than 00:05:00.250 --> 00:05:03.069 the rich young man in chapter 18 of Luke that 00:05:03.069 --> 00:05:05.389 you heard about a few weeks ago. You remember 00:05:05.389 --> 00:05:10.250 him. And Jesus said he turned away as if Jesus 00:05:10.250 --> 00:05:15.750 failed at his evangelism. The rich young man 00:05:15.750 --> 00:05:19.089 turned away. Jesus says how hard it is for a 00:05:19.089 --> 00:05:23.110 rich man to enter into the kingdom. And we have 00:05:23.110 --> 00:05:29.230 this man. Probably a lot richer. but he sought 00:05:29.230 --> 00:05:35.389 to see Christ. That was in his mind. Zacchaeus 00:05:35.389 --> 00:05:39.550 may have been short of stature, and because of 00:05:39.550 --> 00:05:44.430 that, being a short man, because of that, in 00:05:44.430 --> 00:05:48.490 a crowd like the one passing through Jericho 00:05:48.490 --> 00:05:51.350 with Jesus at the center of this large crowd, 00:05:51.689 --> 00:05:55.290 Zacchaeus... found himself also not just short 00:05:55.290 --> 00:05:57.850 of stature, but short -sighted. He couldn't see 00:05:57.850 --> 00:06:01.670 anything. So he's an example for us. When we 00:06:01.670 --> 00:06:04.550 look at that, we remember. He set his attention. 00:06:04.990 --> 00:06:11.449 He directed his thoughts to an action that remedied 00:06:11.449 --> 00:06:15.449 that problem that he had of not being able to 00:06:15.449 --> 00:06:21.529 see Jesus who he was. This chief of the tax collectors 00:06:21.529 --> 00:06:25.310 was probably very corrupt. As I said, much hated. 00:06:26.089 --> 00:06:30.089 I won't say he's a bad man. I won't say he's 00:06:30.089 --> 00:06:32.509 a good man. I don't use that kind of terminology. 00:06:33.430 --> 00:06:36.290 Oh, I'm a good person. I don't say those type 00:06:36.290 --> 00:06:41.269 of things. God made all things good. And the 00:06:41.269 --> 00:06:45.990 image of God, sin or not, remains in a person 00:06:45.990 --> 00:06:54.160 always. But that image, and Zacchaeus had this 00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:58.740 problem, and so did the crowd, who no doubt made 00:06:58.740 --> 00:07:03.079 fun of him and judged him. Zacchaeus had the 00:07:03.079 --> 00:07:06.439 problem that that image was so tarnished, so 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:10.779 transfigured, disfigured, it's like a crazy house 00:07:10.779 --> 00:07:13.079 mirror. Have you ever been at the fair and gone 00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:15.360 into one of those rooms and seen that mirror 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:18.259 where you can't even get a perspective on yourself? 00:07:20.269 --> 00:07:24.189 The reflection is all distorted and out of whack. 00:07:26.949 --> 00:07:31.649 That's the image we often show to others. When 00:07:31.649 --> 00:07:34.769 we should be showing the image of our Savior. 00:07:35.889 --> 00:07:40.649 That's what we're created to do and to be. To 00:07:40.649 --> 00:07:47.149 be image bearers of God. Instead we... our anxiety, 00:07:47.389 --> 00:07:50.029 our fear, our anger, our dysfunction, our prejudice, 00:07:50.230 --> 00:07:54.529 whatever it might be. But see, Zacchaeus is our 00:07:54.529 --> 00:07:58.810 model. Why? Because he wanted to know who Christ 00:07:58.810 --> 00:08:03.329 is. You can come to church all your life and 00:08:03.329 --> 00:08:08.009 have no inkling that this is what we're here 00:08:08.009 --> 00:08:13.550 for, to know Christ and to be known by him. Zacchaeus 00:08:13.550 --> 00:08:16.500 is our model, how to direct our thoughts, and 00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:19.819 our actions towards Christ. For him, he heard 00:08:19.819 --> 00:08:21.939 that this great prophet was coming to town and 00:08:21.939 --> 00:08:25.620 was passing through his patch of ground where 00:08:25.620 --> 00:08:30.459 he did his tax collecting. This great miracle 00:08:30.459 --> 00:08:36.279 worker, Jesus of Nazareth, coming to town. Remember, 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:40.840 this is chapter 19 of the Gospel of Luke. A lot 00:08:40.840 --> 00:08:45.639 has happened already. He knew for sure. Zacchaeus 00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:48.480 did that the religious authorities the Pharisees 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:51.179 and the Sadducees the experts on the religious 00:08:51.179 --> 00:08:55.179 teachings and traditions were envious of Jesus 00:08:55.179 --> 00:08:59.860 were plotting to arrest him did not like him 00:08:59.860 --> 00:09:05.000 at all knowing this I surmise perhaps Zacchaeus 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:07.480 figured he had something in common with Jesus 00:09:07.480 --> 00:09:13.710 he wasn't accepted And so he needed to see Jesus, 00:09:13.730 --> 00:09:17.289 who he is. And all his attention went into making 00:09:17.289 --> 00:09:22.070 that happen. This is what Lent's about. We bring 00:09:22.070 --> 00:09:26.610 our attention to Jesus Christ. We change our 00:09:26.610 --> 00:09:30.529 perspective like he did. He climbed a tree to 00:09:30.529 --> 00:09:33.250 change the perspective. We do something else. 00:09:33.269 --> 00:09:36.490 What I'm talking about today is Lent is the time 00:09:36.490 --> 00:09:40.730 when we get out of the usual crush. The distraction 00:09:40.730 --> 00:09:44.690 of things, we let our faith lift us out of the 00:09:44.690 --> 00:09:49.470 quagmire, the mire of this sinful world, where 00:09:49.470 --> 00:09:53.289 our heart is always divided. We try to reconcile 00:09:53.289 --> 00:09:59.149 love with God, with love for the world. Then 00:09:59.149 --> 00:10:02.769 Father Zacharias says, then grief consumes our 00:10:02.769 --> 00:10:06.149 inner world, our heart, and deprives us not only 00:10:06.149 --> 00:10:09.009 of the spiritual joy, but even temporary joy. 00:10:10.409 --> 00:10:12.950 So we rise above what others, like Zacchaeus 00:10:12.950 --> 00:10:18.190 did, what they think. He lifted himself. He didn't 00:10:18.190 --> 00:10:23.649 care about the shame of it all. One word from 00:10:23.649 --> 00:10:27.889 Jesus. This is the second thing I want to say. 00:10:28.110 --> 00:10:32.289 First perspective, then this. One word from Jesus 00:10:32.289 --> 00:10:37.210 changed this man's outlook completely. Again, 00:10:37.330 --> 00:10:41.870 Elder Zacharias. Our God is a God who comes to 00:10:41.870 --> 00:10:45.850 meet us in the course of our lives. He does not 00:10:45.850 --> 00:10:50.509 predetermine our future, ordaining who will be 00:10:50.509 --> 00:10:54.529 saved and who will perish, since his only desire 00:10:54.529 --> 00:10:58.929 is the salvation of all of us. He just foresees 00:10:58.929 --> 00:11:01.049 who will be filled with gratitude at his calling 00:11:01.049 --> 00:11:04.070 and follow him. To such a man, to such a person, 00:11:04.230 --> 00:11:07.470 God grants the grace of salvation and destines 00:11:07.470 --> 00:11:13.159 him. her for the glory of heaven. How marvelous 00:11:13.159 --> 00:11:19.279 is our Lord that if we humbly approach Jesus 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:23.820 Christ to really know him, this is our prayer, 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:29.179 that one word of the gospel, one paragraph, one 00:11:29.179 --> 00:11:33.179 sentence, will strike our hearts, will soften 00:11:33.179 --> 00:11:37.519 it, and will give us such joy or tears or conviction. 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:43.419 That we will be changed as much as that man on 00:11:43.419 --> 00:11:48.899 that day was changed. And imagine, imagine that 00:11:48.899 --> 00:11:52.779 God comes to us, not after we've done some great 00:11:52.779 --> 00:11:57.480 and holy and marvelous thing. He says to Zacchaeus, 00:11:57.500 --> 00:12:00.379 I'm coming to your house today, so come down 00:12:00.379 --> 00:12:04.879 quickly. Run, run, get down here. The Lord doesn't 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:06.899 wait for us to be good and righteous before he 00:12:06.899 --> 00:12:10.820 comes to us. The Lord didn't save the Hebrew 00:12:10.820 --> 00:12:15.399 people in Egypt because they were great. He saved 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:20.000 them to bring a family, a people of God together, 00:12:20.179 --> 00:12:24.559 and then gave them the law of Moses, then to 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:27.500 teach them how to be a light to the Gentiles 00:12:27.500 --> 00:12:30.940 and to the world. The same with us. Jesus doesn't 00:12:30.940 --> 00:12:33.399 wait for us to get good, righteous, settled, 00:12:33.659 --> 00:12:36.639 religiously well -adjusted, or whatever you want 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:40.789 to say. He sees us where we are. He seeks us 00:12:40.789 --> 00:12:45.730 out. And he loves us. This is Christ's perspective 00:12:45.730 --> 00:12:51.730 on us. And then what did Zacchaeus say when Jesus 00:12:51.730 --> 00:12:56.769 was at the house? Lord, the half of my goods 00:12:56.769 --> 00:13:02.990 I give. If I have cheated anyone. He doesn't 00:13:02.990 --> 00:13:10.190 say, Lord, I'll make a plan. Future tense. I 00:13:10.190 --> 00:13:12.509 will do this. No, he put it in the present tense. 00:13:13.250 --> 00:13:16.629 Brothers and sisters, do not procrastinate in 00:13:16.629 --> 00:13:19.789 your spiritual life. You do not know the day 00:13:19.789 --> 00:13:23.090 nor the hour. You don't have a contract with 00:13:23.090 --> 00:13:25.649 death. It doesn't matter if we're healthy or 00:13:25.649 --> 00:13:29.450 sick. We don't know. But what we do know is God 00:13:29.450 --> 00:13:33.669 loves us and wants us to be with him. We do know 00:13:33.669 --> 00:13:38.750 that if we procrastinate, we wait. For some less 00:13:38.750 --> 00:13:42.830 stressful time, Zacchaeus didn't wait. Some more 00:13:42.830 --> 00:13:45.789 convenient time for our spiritual life, Zacchaeus 00:13:45.789 --> 00:13:49.649 didn't wait. We can easily miss the time of our 00:13:49.649 --> 00:13:54.009 Lord's visitation to us if we wait for when things 00:13:54.009 --> 00:13:58.370 are convenient. Again, Elder Zacchaeus says, 00:13:58.629 --> 00:14:02.450 the fiery breath of the divine spirit cannot 00:14:02.450 --> 00:14:06.279 remain with us. if we start weighing the gains 00:14:06.279 --> 00:14:10.519 and the losses, if we postpone our spiritual 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:16.639 life decisions for later. This isn't simply a 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:21.139 story of a bad guy who became good. This is not 00:14:21.139 --> 00:14:23.320 a story of, well, Jesus just happened to pass 00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:28.779 through Jericho, and he met this person. This 00:14:28.779 --> 00:14:31.919 story is the signpost of our preparation for 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:35.080 Lent. It sets the tone of how we're going to 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:41.840 approach that. How? We humbly, we bear our shame 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:44.340 to confession. We don't have to do it before 00:14:44.340 --> 00:14:47.000 the multitudes. Although you may have to confess 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:50.460 your faith before men. And don't worry, the Lord 00:14:50.460 --> 00:14:54.620 says, God will give you a word. So don't even 00:14:54.620 --> 00:14:56.539 put it in your heart yet. The Lord will give 00:14:56.539 --> 00:15:01.700 it to you. This is the time. when we make amends 00:15:01.700 --> 00:15:04.679 like Zacchaeus to those that we may have wronged. 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:09.539 This is the time seen in Zacchaeus, what it's 00:15:09.539 --> 00:15:18.299 like to actually take Lent seriously. Take it 00:15:18.299 --> 00:15:22.139 seriously. Be orthodox on purpose, we might say. 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:27.059 What a blessing, what a joy it can be. There 00:15:27.059 --> 00:15:29.480 are no tax collectors in our parish. So this 00:15:29.480 --> 00:15:31.919 isn't about tax collectors, although years ago 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:34.159 we had someone who worked for the IRS in our 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:37.179 parish, but she was a nice lady. This is for 00:15:37.179 --> 00:15:40.879 us. We are to follow this man's example and to 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:45.500 expect the Lord's word when we approach him humbly 00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:50.279 to speak in our heart, and we will be transformed 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:54.259 little by little, step by step. Maybe none of 00:15:54.259 --> 00:15:57.240 us are as in... enthusiastic as Zacchaeus, or 00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:59.580 don't care about what the crowd thinks about 00:15:59.580 --> 00:16:02.519 us with our faith as much as that man didn't 00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:07.000 care. So little by little, we will change. So 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:12.759 it's coming. Let's look at Lent with great expectation, 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:17.320 a little bit of fear, obviously, but we're going 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:21.679 to fail anyway. It's okay. The Lord meets us 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:25.059 with the cross in our failures too. Amen.