ThirtySecond Sunday after Pentecost The Sunday of Zacchaeus

Ambono Prayer 55 or 56

Leave-taking (Otdanije) of Theophany. Our Venerable Fathers killed by the Arabs in Sinai and Raitho in 312. Commemoration of the Passing of the holy Equal-to-the Apostles Nina, Enlightener of the Georgians.

Title

Conversion as a Process

Outline

Conversion has a beginning

That is what we see in Zacchaeus. We do not know how much he knew about Jesus before climbing into that tree, only that he was short and wanted to see Jesus. See him, mind you, for he to “pass by that way,” not stop and give a teaching. We also do not know that he was particularly sinful as a customs duty collector, only that his profession, especially his contact with the ruling Gentiles, condemned him in their eyes.

Jesus saw more, for he saw Zacchaeus’ heart. It was no accident that he spotted him in the tree. It was no accident that he invited himself to Zacchaeus’ house, and it is no surprise that Zacchaeus responded to this personal call, that his heart began to grow, well, “discipleish”, to coin a word, and he searched for an appropriate way to express this. He likely did not know what Jesus had said about wealth in the previous chapter in Luke, but he knew enough to know what to do: “The half of my goods I give to the poor.” That is charity, poured into his heart by God. And, then, “I do not mean repaying anyone I have wronged - those I will repay fourfold” (far more than the law required.

The onlookers could not overlook their perception of Zacchaeus’ past focus on money and any wrongs he had done: “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” Had they heard what he had said to Jesus? Jesus realize that Zacchaeus may have been a sinner, but that he was one no longer: “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” Conversion had begun, but Zacchaeus would, I am sure, have to work to live it out.

Conversion has a goal

Paul realized that “God . . .is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.” And he had been an agent in Timothy’s conversion, so Timothy’s heart was not set on wealth or power, but he with Paul had “{his] . . . hope set on the living God.” That is where conversion started.

But now in his letter to the young “bishop,” (probably at least 30, but younger than 40) he sets out a goal: “set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” Notice that character comes first, the virtues come first. Then comes his ministry goals, “attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching.” Paul says, “do not neglect” and later “Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.” He does not say, be successful in terms of this world. He says, “be faithful to one’s vocation.”

We all have the same call to virtue, to character, as Timothy, but our scripture reading, exposition, and teaching may be to children as we take them deeper and deeper into what we know and live. not something public. Or it might be in talking with a neighbor. Developing this virtue and learning how to communicate scripture and Jesus to others will take us a lifetime.

So brothers and sisters, I hope you have both

I hope that whether it is from as far back as you can remember or from a later experience, sudden or gradual, you know the call of God through Jesus and have responded, being enrolled among his disciples.

I also hope you do not stop there, but are going on to maturity. That you realize that character and vocation go together and that you are striving to, by the grace of God, to grow in both, that your “hope set on the living God” is pulling you onward.

That is difficult to do in a culture that is set on bastardizing Christianity by making it a vehicle to power through the political process or privatizing Christianity by making it your “personal thing” and not how you live your life in public. But it is what will get you God’s “well done” in the end.

Readings

EPISTLE

Option A

(32nd Sunday, Greek)

1 Timothy 4:9–15

9 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. 15 Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 1-28-2024: Ephraim the Syrian

GOSPEL

Option A

(32nd Sunday, Greek)

Luke 19:1–10

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 1-14-2024: Sunday after Theophany

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 1-14-2024: Sunday after Theophany

On the same date: Sunday after Theophany; Leavetaking of Theophany

Matins Gospel John 21:1–14

Epistle Ephesians 6:10–17 (27th Sunday)

Gospel Luke 18:35–43 (31st Sunday)