Homily One on the Fifteenth Sunday of Luke
(32nd Sunday After Pentecost)
By St. John of Kronstadt
(32nd Sunday After Pentecost)
By St. John of Kronstadt
Today's Gospel, beloved brethren, teaches us by the example of the chief of the publicans, Zacchaeus, the good science of giving alms to the poor, to repent in deed, and not only in word, and to satisfy our neighbors for the offenses we have committed against them (Luke 19:1-10). It teaches all, both rich and poor, the science of active repentance, the science of giving generously and within one's power of alms to the poor and by recompense to the offended, to acquire the great and rich mercy and favor of the Lord and the eternal salvation of the soul.
Zacchaeus was a publican, a tax-farmer, or a collector of taxes from his fellow citizens; and the tax-farmers often collected taxes, not without sin, and not without greater sin they extorted, so to speak, taxes from the people, often by all kinds of oppression and unrighteousness, if only to take twice or three times more than they themselves paid to the Roman officials appointed from Rome to collect, and to enrich themselves as much as possible at the expense of the people's need. And Zacchaeus, for this reason, was very rich and was very disliked by the people, who called him a sinner. But this sinner – wondrous are You, Lord, in all things! – with the coming of the Lord to Jericho and to the house of iniquity, came to his senses, knew the ugliness and ruinousness of the love of money, gain, unrighteousness with hardness of heart, and sincerely repented to the Lord of all his iniquities and became a righteous man. "Lord!" he said, "I will give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have wronged anyone in any way, I will repay fourfold." O blessed voice of the repentant publican, who felt all his blessedness from the visit to his house by the first Goodness and the Source of the blessedness of rational creatures! How the publican was suddenly reborn! He who had previously known only the art of making money and getting rich, now suddenly learned the good science of giving and distributing and carefully unwinding the ball that he had previously diligently wound.
May this serve as an example for you and me, brothers and sisters! Even now, my brethren, among us Russians, although not specifically among us, there are many cruel tax collectors, who are flattered by easy gain and unrighteous enrichment, but it is a pity that they are not like the publican of the Gospel. Zacchaeus, having acquired unjustly, gave all to the poor, of whom there were many at that time, not only in ours, and to whomever he had wronged, he returned fourfold; but our publicans, who soon acquire much more than Zacchaeus, enrich themselves only and do not think of distributing their unjustly acquired things to the poor, or even - what insolence and pride - laugh at those who give or distribute to the poor, who, in their opinion, are not deserving of a piece of bread. You see, all these beggars are idlers and drunkards, all of them, supposedly, to the last one. It is true, it is easier to condemn everyone, while it takes a long time to sort out, to distinguish a real beggar from a fake one. Let us assume that even among the beggars there is some sin, all people are sinners, and among them there are real drunkards and idlers. But I will say a word to these stern judges, not mine, but the Lord's, what will they say against them? With what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with what measure you measure, it will be measured to you (Matt. 7:2). Are you pure and righteous before God, who judge the least brethren so severely? And you, I would say to them, are you eternal conscientious workers, abstinent, chaste, uncorrupted to the depths of your heart, not acquisitive, your wealth has been acquired through righteous labors, your conscience does not convict you of lies, unrighteousness, bribery, idleness, idle play that nourishes self-interest, envy, vanity, rivalry, mutual hostility and dislike, feasting, all kinds of luxury, etc.? And you dare to raise an eyebrow and condemn the younger brethren to hunger strike and almost starvation? Do the poor have an iron nature, made of steel, and not an obsequious and weak one, like the rest of us, that they are not allowed to drink, eat, or warm themselves in a warm corner, after standing in the cold for several hours? No, our tax collectors are cruel, although they were born and brought up in the Christian, heavenly, loving faith, and live and enjoy its innumerable blessings. Anyway, do they use it? The publican of the Gospel shines as a bright star of active repentance and mercy: we must imitate him.
May the All-Good and Almighty Lord soften our hearts and the hearts of all wealthy and prosperous people. It has become customary to only scold the poor, to despise them, to call them parasites, but no one will bother to give them work or something to do, or to give them clothes so that they can work in the cold, no one wants to. But can scolding and contempt really help grief? Come to these poor people with active help: dress them, feed them, give them something to do - and you will see that they will work with joy. Or, without further trouble, give material assistance to the parish trusteeship for the establishment of the House of Industriousness, so that they can build it and establish permanent work in it, so that our and your parasites do not eat bread in vain, and take care to give them all work within their capabilities - and then there will be no parasites. All of them, by the way, are the fruit of our hard-heartedness, inattention, our pride and self-indulgence - it is not only they who are to blame for their idleness, but society as well. Tell me: what would you do if you found yourself in their midst, if you took their place? May God deliver everyone from their fate, and may the happy ones of this world thank God that, with all the multitude of their sins, voluntary and involuntary, they live in contentment, luxury, that all the blessings flow to them like a river - may they repent of their vain life, of their games and amusements. But let them not forget that when they are very warm and light, and nourished and cheerful, many, many are very cold, hungry, and extremely unhappy. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
