Upcoming Events
Friday 27th - Sunday 29th January: The Macarian Homilies
A presentation by Dr Marcus Plested, organised by the Orthodox Fellowship of St John the Baptist. Full details here.
Wednesday 1st February: Presentation of Christ in the Temple
Divine Liturgy at 6pm, St Matthias' Church Centre
Please note: Wednesday opening of St Matthias' Church Centre will RESUME on 15th February.
Christ is in our midst! He is and ever shall be!
With the joy of the Nativity still fresh in our hearts, Zacchaeus Sunday (this year falling on 22nd January in the New Calendar) marks the point at which we turn our minds towards the Passion and Death of Our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And thereafter, of course, to His glorious Resurrection.
We read the story of Zacchaeus in the Gospel of St Luke, chapter 19, verses 1-10. Here was a man who was mired in sin: he was a tax collector who regularly defrauded those from whom he collected taxes, and grew wealthy at the expense of others. He was not a good man. All this changed when he heard that Jesus would be coming his way. He knew that this was his one chance of salvation. God was going to pass by, and may not come that way again. So desparate was he to see God that he made a fool of himself by climbing into a tree for a better look.
And Jesus stopped. And saw him. And loved him. Perhaps for the first time in his life, Zacchaeus was truly aware of the love of God. So powerful was this revelation that Zacchaeus immediately repented. He turned his life around, and promised, publicly, to make good all the frauds he had committed. And Jesus declared that Zacchaeus had received salvation. Holy Tradition tells us that Zacchaeus became a follower of Christ and was one of the Seventy Apostles who were sent out by Him to preach the Good News. After the Ascension of Christ, Zacchaeus travelled with St Peter, and remained in Palestine as its first bishop.
Zacchaeus teaches us that in order to receive salvation, we must first desire to see God, and then to recognise our own sinfulness. Just as Jesus passed by, knowing that Zacchaeus was going to be there, so He is always present with us, just waiting for us to follow his example.
Lent will soon begin. Repent and believe the Good News!