Sunday of Zacchaeus – Matins: John 21:15-25; Liturgy: 1 Timothy 4:9-15; Luke 19:1-10

Monday - 1 Peter 2:21-3:9; Mark 12:13-17

Tuesday - 1 Peter 3: 10-22; Mark 12:20-27

Wednesday - 1 Peter 4:1-11; Mark 12:28-37

Thursday - 1 Peter 4:12-5:5; Mark 12:38-44

Friday - 2 Peter 1:1-10; Mark 13:1-8

Saturday - 2 Timothy 2:11-19; Luke 18:2-8

Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee- Matins Matthew 28:16-20; Liturgy: Timothy 3:10-15; Luke 18:10-14

SUNDAY OF ZACCHAEUS

Once again, we are asked by our Church to prepare ourselves to make a journey. The actual trip will begin four weeks from tomorrow. We call this journey "The Great Fast". If we take this expedition of our soul seriously, we shall find that when we reach our destination; the week of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we shall feel closer to Him than we did before Great Lent began. This is the purpose of this adventure: to get to know the Lord a little better and to understand a little more that "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:14-15).

Most people who have a problem with Great Lent complain that it begins too quickly and that before they are prepared to start it, they have already failed in fasting and prayer. The solution to that problem is quite simple. As with any major undertaking in our life, we have a need to get ready, to prepare for the long haul. And so the Church helps us by giving us a few weeks before the Fast to get our hearts, our minds and our souls focused on where we are to go during the Fast. The first thing that we need to prepare for Lent we learn from Zacchaeus: we must desire to see Christ and become closer to Him in our lives.

Have you ever tried to picture the scene in today's Gospel? Zacchaeus is a rich man who would have held at least the same status of a director of a bank in a small town. Zacchaeus was wealthy in material goods but yet had an empty spot in his soul. He decides that he wants to see Jesus. In spite of living a life against his own religion and a life perhaps even unworthy of him as a man, he still had a yearning to search out that which is true, that which is good.

In his passionate desire to see Jesus, Zacchaeus meets with two obstacles. First, he must catch the eye of Jesus. This will be no easy task since he was a very short man. Surely he would be hidden by the throng of the crowds.  Secondly, if he openly seeks Jesus, he will be criticized by his fellow men.

What should he do? He makes the decision. He will climb a sycamore tree. Can you imagine a director of the bank in which you do business climbing a tree in order to see a passing preacher? He was whistled at, laughed at, jeered at, mocked and then it got ugly! Zacchaeus did not care. His mind was made up. He was going to see Jesus. This was the most important thing in his life.

Let us ask ourselves, what would we have done if we were in the position of Zacchaeus? Would our desire to see Jesus, to be with Jesus have been so great that we would have tried to overcome any obstacle that stopped us from doing so, even at the expense of being a laughing-stock to our friends and neighbors? 

Being afraid of ridicule is probably what stops most people from building a closer relationship with God. The Fathers of the Church tell us that it is not often the attraction of evil nor the opposition that we encounter that prevents us from starting a new life - it is the fear of being ridiculed - to be laughed at that stops us.

There are only two possible choices for overcoming this vanity to public opinion: pride or humility. There is no third choice. The person who is vain becomes the slave of others. The conscience becomes silent before the voice of the crowd. God's laws are out - the will of the people is "in". The choice to give into peer pressure becomes even more foolish in the respect that the very people whose opinion we hang onto are usually the very people whom we do not even respect. But we are "small men" and would rather not work at trying to lift ourselves up and out of the hole that we dug for ourselves. It's easier to stay with the crowd.

Zacchaeus was different. In all humility he sat in that tree and waited for the coming of the Lord. What happens next is a total reversal of the plot. We saw that it was Zacchaeus who desired to see Jesus. But now, who finds whom? It is the Christ who finds Zacchaeus. As He approaches, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, finds His faithful servant prepared and waiting for Him. "Zacchaeus, come down, for today I must stay in your house," (Luke 19:15) Jesus says. What a beautiful picture! The seeker becomes the one sought after.

There is another reversal as well. Our old adage of being "up a tree", meaning that we are in trouble is now turned on its ear. For here was Zacchaeus, up a tree, but not in trouble: he is saved.

Let us begin our preparation for the Great Fast in all earnestness and seriousness. Let us stop deluding ourselves into thinking that we are the best that we can be and therefore have no room for improvement. Let us imitate Zacchaeus and let us desire to see Jesus with all our heart, all our mind, and all our strength. Let us put all other things aside as we prepare. Let us place God first in our minds, in our hearts and in our souls. Then we shall truly have begun our preparation for the Great Fast.

LOST AND FOUND

Today is the Sunday of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was, as we know, one of the last to con­vert before Jesus ascended the Cross (The penitent thief who was crucified with Jesus was the final convert). 

Zacchaeus said to himself that it was curiosity that drew him to Christ. There was something better that must have been stirring within him; possibly, Zacchaeus may have been afraid to acknowledge this within himself The fame of Jesus as a friend of Publicans had probably reached Zacchaeus and touched him. There is no other instance where Jesus volunteered His company by inviting Himself to Zacchaeus' house. Christ never goes where He is not wanted, nor does He stay away from where He is wanted.

This voluntary association with the outcast Zacchaeus is a symbol of Chris's whole work. The desire to save Zacchaeus coupled with His willingness to be identified with sinners) which led Him into the house of the shunned Zac­chaeus) led our Lord from Glory to earth and caused Him to "dwell among us

Zacchaeus comes down from the tree as fast as he can and is happy for He has found the Sav­ior Christ is glad for He has found a sinner whom He will make a Saint. The experience of Christ's love convinces Zacchaeus far more than any threat. The touch of love melts him as a warm hand laid upon the snow.

His so-called curiosity is changed into a higher feeling. The change shows itself in the new kind of life that he proposes to lead. It is Jesus Who chooses Zacchaeus. Jesus, the searcher of souls, knew that this particular soul was ripe and ready. And so, Jesus calls Zacchaeus down from the tree and invites Himself as a guest m his house: "I must stay at your house today". He needs only to see a soul will­ing to be changed. He seeks only a loving response from people when He offers to live with them

WHAT IS A LIVE CHURCH?

A live church has parking problems;

A dying church doesn't.

A live church often changes the way things are done to do things better;

A dying church doesn't need to change a thing.

A live church invites people to risk involvement and new ideas;

A dying church plays it soft and never risks anything.

A live church uses tradition and buildings to serve God and people;

A dying church uses peo­ple to serve its traditions and buildings.

A live church has lots of noisy children around;

A dying church enjoys the peace and quiet.

A live church forgives and seeks forgiveness;

A dying church never makes mistakes.

A live church evangelizes;

A dying church fossilizes.

A live church looks for challenges and opportu­nities;

A dying church looks for problems and dangers.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY – is expressed to all those celebrating their birthdays in January: Merrill Trader,  01/4; Beverly Hulik,  1/12; Debra Ammon,  1/15; Joan Bestpitch,  1/24; George Burritt, 01/25 & Arnold Cookson, 1/29. May God grant them a very happy birthday and may He keep them for many, happy and blessed years!

PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL – Metropolitan Constantine, Metropolitan Stefan, Archimandrite Athanasyj, Father Paul Bigelow, Father Nestor Kowal, Father James Norton, Father Paul Pappas, Father John Perich, Father Vincent Saverino, Father John Udics, Pani Dobrodyka Anna Hotrovich, Pani Dobrodyka Anna Hrynyshyn, Pani Dobrodyka Tamara Kowal, Pani Dobrodyka Diane Winsky, John Alexander, Debra Ammon, Esther Belliveau, Dmitria Cookson, Harriett Gately, Thomas Holt, Sally Hutnick, Judith Kocinski, Kristina Koutsoudes, Olympia Koutsoudes, Connie Mentis, Norman Kristic, Niki Pappas, Natassia Perrine, Robert Perrine, Clay Seman, Gail Sherman, Nicholas Taylor, Tina Tekivian, Kathy Theodorakos, Mary Trader, Merryl Trader, Cheryl Zabowski, Markos Zerefos. ­­

SLAVA TO SAINT SAVVA – I would again like to thank all of our faithful Parishioners for the wonderful time had by all last Sunday for the Slava! May God reward your kindness a hundred fold!

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