About Zacchaeus the publican.

Those who love beauty are no different from those who thirst, beloved. Since they do not find what they are looking for, they are inflamed with a thirst for what they want; and at night, like thirsty people, they imagine desirable sources; During the day, moving from place to place, often looking around them, they look for what they desire for their hearts. And just as travelers pass through a waterless land in the hour of heat, look all around them to see if there are springs, oppressed by thirst, often rise to a height, (looking for) where the source is, and as soon as they see it from afar, they rejoice and hastily strengthen their path to it, then, having come to the source, they quench their thirst, so it happens with Christ-loving men. During the day they seek the Christ they desire through good deeds, at night they talk with Him in prayer, and in their dreams they imagine that they are walking with Him; if in visions they see Him from afar, then they rejoice and rejoice, like thirsty people, when they find the desired sources; Having awakened, they want to fall asleep again in order to find the same sight in their sleep. Such was Zacchaeus, about whom we just read to you from the Evangelist. Look: he is in a hurry, and ablaze with divine desire, and he ascends a tree, and looks at Jesus to see the life-giving source. Seeing the Lord, Zacchaeus was satisfied with his vision, but he also kindled desire in his heart even more. "Jesus entered Jericho and passed through it. And behold, a certain man named Zacchaeus, chief of publicans and a rich man, sought to see Jesus," since He had to pass there ("And he entered Jericho while he was passing through. And behold a man called Zacchaeus: and he was an old publican, and he was a rich man: and he sought to see Jesus") (Luke 19:1-3). See the desire of man, beloved! “But he could not see beyond the people, because he was small in stature, and, running ahead, he climbed up a fig tree to see Him, because He had to pass by it.” Zacchaeus, small in physical stature, but great in spiritual understanding, tried to see Jesus, wanted to see God, who gives heavenly things to people; I tried to see the creator of angels and the organizer of heavenly and supermundane light walking like a human being; tried to see how the Sun of Truth, being in a bodily cloud, enlightens the eyes of the hearts of believers; I tried to see God Jesus, a beautiful image, a desired object, the sweet name of Jesus, denoting by His name every object; tried to see the scarlet-fleeced ram, whose blood redeemed the universe and whose fleece covered the naked from Adam to death; he, a captive warrior, wanted to see his king, a sheep - a shepherd, a lost one - his path, a darkened one - the light; he, who did not have the sweetest means of knowing God, wanted to see a preacher of piety; he, powerless, tried to see health, the hungry - heavenly bread, the thirsty - a life-giving source; he wanted to see the life-giver of the priests and the resurrector of Lazarev. O divine love! Oh, good wish! Oh, golden-winged love, or, better, (the love of) Christ, Who raises to heaven the soul that has Him in itself! Divine love, lifting him from the ground, forced him to climb a tree; she no longer allows him to look at earthly things or communicate with people; but, looking at love, he expected heavenly things; He hurried to the One to whom he was prompted, and, ascending a tree, looked at Christ and mentally ascended to the cloud. Seeing Christ, Zacchaeus approximately said: “I lift up my eyes to You, Who dwells in heaven!” (“My eyes have lifted up to you, who dwell in heaven”) (Ps. 122:1). Zacchaeus saw the Lord and was inflamed with love even more; she touched his heart, and he became different: instead of a publican - a zealot, instead of an unfaithful - a faithful one, and instead of a wolf - a sealed sheep. So that we can test this matter, (let us ask): who loves a father or mother so much, who has ever loved a wife or children as much as Zacchaeus did the Lord? For Christ, he gave all his property to the poor, and whoever he slandered, he returned fourfold. O good image of a disciple! Oh, the meekness of the teacher and the divine power, which by one contemplation of Jesus leads to action! The Lord had not yet spoken a censorious word to Zacchaeus, but He only allowed him to see Himself, and the power of faith was drawn from the willing heart. The bleeding woman had something similar: approaching the Lord and asking Him to heal her, she did not expect the touch of his hand, but she herself, approaching, quietly touched the hem of His robe, and the power of healing was extracted from the touch, like a sponge. And Zacchaeus acted in ignorance, under the influence of divine jealousy, and, flaming with spiritual love, hastily ascended the fig tree; but the Lord, seeing something more mysterious, said: “Come down!” ("tears") (Luke 19:5) I know your soul, I know your godly love. Come down! Remember that naked Adam hid under the fig tree, and you, wanting your salvation, do not rush to the fig tree. I need to dry up this fig tree and plant another one - a cross. He is a useful tree; hasten to it with your soul; From here, eagerly strive to heaven. (A) on this tree the snake curls in the leaves, on this he hides, on this he nests. Hurry to get down before he begins to whisper to your soul, as he did with Eve, whom he convinced to taste sweet pleasure. Hurry up to get off; while I stand, come down; when I look at him, he is curbed. Hurry up to get off; I don’t want to leave you on the fig tree, I don’t want your destruction; You are My sheep, you have come running to Me. Hasten to go down, and warn Me in your house; I need a rest there. Where there is faith, there I rest; Where is love, I come there. I know what you're thinking of doing; I know that you are thinking of giving all your property to the poor, and first of all, returning fourfold to those whom you have slandered. I willingly stay with such people.” And Zacchaeus hastened down and came to his house and received Jesus. Out of fullness of joy, standing up, he said: not walking, not sitting, but standing to show the immutability of the decision of your soul; standing up, he said, when he struggled with an unrepentant thought, burning in spirit; he already knew where he sowed and where he would reap - he said: “I will give half of my property to the poor, and if I have offended anyone, I will repay him fourfold” (“I will give half of my property to the poor; and if I have offended anyone, I will repay him fourfold”) (Luke 19:8). Oh, pure confession, coming from a pure heart; a confession that is not shameful, standing before the shameless glory of God, breathing with faith and blooming with truth! May God honor us all with this truth, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Creations attributed to St. John Chrysostom and in the Patrology of Min, classified as Spuria. You might be interested in: