"See how Christ brought Zacchaeus to penance, not by force, but by kindness"
Saint John Chrysostom
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to the Apostle and Evangelist Saint Luke (Lk 19,1-10)
At that time, Jesus entered the city of Jericho and was passing through it, when behold, a man named Zacchaeus, chief of the publicans and rich, tried to see who Jesus was, but failed him because of the crowd, because he was small in stature. So he ran ahead and, to see him, he got on a sycamore tree, because he had to go through. When he came to the place, Jesus looked up and said to him: "Zacchaeus, come down at once, for today I must stop at your house". He came down quickly and welcomed him full of joy. Seeing this, everyone murmured: "He entered the house of a sinner!". But Zacchaeus, having risen, said to the Lord: "Behold, Lord, I give half of what I have to the poor, and if I have stolen from someone, I give back four times as much". Jesus answered him: "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. The Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost".
Reflection
Dear brothers and sisters in the faith, all peace, and blessings to you all!
It is with joy and gratitude that we gather today, on this 37th Sunday after Pentecost, to share and meditate together on the Word of God and to be able to strengthen our bond with the Lord even more. I greet each one of you with a conscious affection for the beauty and sacredness of this moment of communion.
In the readings selected for this divine liturgy, there are two texts that intertwine in a profound and significant way. The first reading, taken from the First Letter of St Paul the Apostle to Timothy (1 Tim 4:9-15), invites us to reflect on our call to holiness and service in the community of believers. Saint Paul exhorts Timothy to be an example for believers in word, behavior, love, faith, and purity. This passage reminds us of the importance of living a life in conformity with God’s will and of being consistent witnesses of the Gospel amid the world.
Concretely, to concretely realize the call to holiness and service, it is necessary to commit oneself daily to live according to the principles of the Gospel, to be a positive example for others and to contribute actively to the well-being of the community and the surrounding world through actions of love, compassion, and solidarity.
The Gospel passage from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 19:1-10), instead, presents to us the transformative encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus.
Zacchaeus was the head of the publicans, that is, a person responsible for collecting taxes on behalf of the Roman authority in the region of Jericho. Publicans were often viewed with contempt by the Jewish population because they were considered collaborators of the Roman occupier and were often associated with dishonest and unjust practices.
In today’s Gospel, Zacchaeus, a short man, shows great interest in Jesus and wishes to see him as he passes through Jericho. To overcome the obstacle of his height, he climbs on a sycamore tree. When Jesus arrives, he notices Zacchaeus and invites him to come down, saying that he wishes to go to his house.
When Jesus visits the house of Zacchaeus, the latter, full of joy, promises to give half of his goods to the poor and to give back four times as much to those whom he had unjustly defrauded. His conversion and commitment to redress the wrongs committed show the power of forgiveness and redemption that Jesus offers to all who sincerely accept His grace.
These two readings are linked because both call us to respond to God’s love with a life of authentic faith and generous service. They invite us to reflect on how we can witness to the Gospel through our daily actions and to accept God’s forgiveness with humility and gratitude.
Dear friends, on this special day, let us also turn our thoughts and prayers to Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr.
The history of Sant'Agatha dates to the third century A.D. She was born in Catania, Sicily, and dedicated her life to Christ from a young age. Her faith and purity aroused the admiration of many, but they also attracted the wrath of the Roman governor, Quintian, who tried to force her to abandon her Christian faith. Faced with Agatha’s refusal, Quintianus subjected her to terrible torments and torture, including imprisonment, scourging and mutilation of the breasts. Despite her sufferings, Agatha remained faithful to her Lord until her death, thus testifying to her holiness and her courage in defending her faith.
The decision to commemorate Saint Agatha today, together with the readings of the Sunday liturgy, can be seen as an invitation to reflect on the witness of holiness and fidelity offered by the saints and saints of the Church. The day’s readings speak to us of the call to holiness and service in the community of believers, just as the life of Saint Agatha inspires us to live our faith with courage and fidelity even in the most difficult circumstances.
Although today’s specific readings are not directly linked to the history of Saint Agatha, her life and martyrdom offer us a tangible example of what it means to live a life in conformity with God’s will and to witness courageously to faith in Christ, even in the face of adversity.
For me personally, this teaching has taken on a particular meaning in my journey of conversion and growth in faith.
In my youth, I lived my faith as a faithful Catholic, but I felt a deep desire to deepen my knowledge of the Christian tradition and to find a spiritual community that fully reflected the values and practices that I believed to be most authentically rooted in the teaching of Christ.
This is how, after a long journey of research and discernment, I found my way to the Orthodox Church and decided to embrace the Orthodox faith through the sacrament of baptism. It was a moment of spiritual regeneration and deep connection with the millennial tradition of the Eastern Church, a journey that led me to discover a spiritual and theological richness that has profoundly transformed my life.
In my experience, the Orthodox Church not only helped me to strengthen my faith in Christ, but also guided me in detaching myself from many heresies and misinterpretations that I had encountered along my spiritual journey. Through the liturgy, prayer, and teaching of the Orthodox Church, I have found a solid foundation on which to build my life of faith and a haven in the truth of the Gospel.
Today, as I prepare to receive priestly ordination, I acknowledge with gratitude the fundamental role that my conversion and spiritual journey have played in shaping my identity as a believer. I continue to be inspired by the witness of saints like Saint Agatha, who gave their lives for the love of Christ, and I commit myself to living a life of holiness and service, following the example of those who have gone before me in the faith.
May God’s grace continue to guide and sustain us in our spiritual paths, so that we may grow in holiness and in the knowledge of his infinite love, witnessing with courage and joy to the truth of the Gospel amid the world.
May God the Almighty Father, through the intercession of Saint Agatha, always bless you!
Archdeacon Michele Alberto Del Duca.
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