Zacchaeus and the Temptation of Comparison

Dear Parish Faithful & Friends in Christ,

I noticed and then read the two fine short homilies posted on our parish websiteconcerning the story of the publican Zacchaeus and his conversion to following Christ. One was written by Fr. Thomas Hopko; and the other by Fr. Ambrose Young (in which he extensively quotes Metropolitan Anthony Bloom). These two homilies offer a great deal of insight into the character of Zacchaeus and the nature of his repentance, and I would highly recommend that you take the time to read them. I see no reason to write a further meditation that would cover the same ground.

However, there is a point that I would like to add as a general comment on reading and reflecting on the Scriptures, and their “application” to our own lives. Or, rather, I would like to add a word of caution in the face of what I would call “the temptation of comparison.”

By this I mean that when we read the Scriptures and encounter a character such as Zacchaeus – or other unnamed publicans – as well as the prodigal son, and other “great sinners;” we may well console ourselves with this consciously or unconsciously formulated train of thought: 

“Well, I am not quite so bad as these sinners. I am basically a good person who has not fallen to the depths of sin that these figures found in the Gospels have. They are there precisely to show us that even great sinners can be forgiven by God in His mercy. And I appreciate the dramatic effect of such a lesson. I certainly need to improve myself; and I certainly need to work on my relationship with God. But I have not defrauded others as Zacchaeus did, and I have not wasted my life in loose living as did the prodigal son. Most people like and respect me. Of course I, too, am sinful, but in comparison to the sinners mentioned in the Gospels, it would be false humility on my part to admit to an equally sinful life. In other words, I may be a sinner, but I am not such a great sinner.” 

Even if “objectively” true – and we can never claim absolute certainty about that - such a line of reasoning would basically waste the entire meaning of the passage on us, and perhaps further mean that we would have been better off not even listening to or reading the given passage! Such self-righteousness is considered to be a great sin in the Gospels. If, in comparison to Zacchaeus and the prodigal son, we are not as bad of sinners, does that mean that we are not as equally in need of the mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and love of God?

We seem to be drawn to such comparisons because we always come out looking good, or at least better than the other, when making these comparisons. One further and fascinating attribute of “human nature.” This, in turn, appeals to our vanity and self-regard. We are very much preoccupied with how others perceive us; our self-image as projected outwardly is of great concern to us. We would be mortified – and then either angered or depressed - if we thought that others thought poorly of us. We have a deeply-felt need to be able “to hold our head high” when compared to our neighbor. If only we were as concerned about how God may see us!

There may be another revealing side to the “temptation of comparison:” How does our repentance “compare” with that of Zacchaeus or the prodigal son, or other great sinners encountered in the Gospels? When the Lord came to his home, Zacchaeus was moved to give one-half of his possessions to the poor, and he agreed to restore fourfold what we had stolen from others. Do our fruits of repentance even begin to match that of Zacchaeus? And who compares well with the prodigal son throwing himself on the mercy of his father with no expectations in return? Have any of us been so overwhelmed by the saving presence of Christ and the sheer graciousness of the Gospel to react in such a manner? Perhaps it is this comparison that can teach us some humility.

Before approaching the Chalice in order to receive the Eucharist, each one of us makes the same confession as we collectively share the same preparatory prayer: “I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first.” 

The very point of this public confession is that we are not comparing ourselves with others, but confessing to our own sinfulness before God. If analyzed comparatively, such a prayer would be reduced to a kind of empty rhetoric. Compared to the great villains of history and the great sinners that fill our news stories, we again come off as good, decent human beings. But that does not mean that we are in less need of the saving grace of the Gospel. Do I need “less grace” than the great sinners of history and contemporary life because I am comparatively not as bad? Hopefully, the absurdity of such a question is more than immediate. 

The only way that we can effectively prepare for the approaching Lenten season is to open our minds and hearts to the Gospel lessons of humility, repentance, conversion, the fruits of repentance and a renewed love of God and neighbor. We do this by listening to each Gospel passage as a direct call from Christ: “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!”

The Conversion of Zacchaeus and our desire for Encountering Christ

Dear Parish Faithful,

The Sunday of Zacchaeus signals the approach of Great Lent in four weeks. This year, the beginning of Great Lent will be Monday, February 27.  Thus, Pascha will be celebrated on April 16 this year.  My goal is to write a short meditation or two this week so that we can further reflect on this marvelous passage from St. Luke's Gospel (19:1-10). 

At the moment, I would simply like to address the issue of our familiarity with a given Gospel text, and how that (supposed) familiarity can lead to the tempting thought that we know a given passage thoroughly.

I am not concerned with how well we may know the words of a  given passage - perhaps we know them practically "by heart!" -  or even the over-all story-line.  I am referring to the deep inner meaning of a given passage.  We may not distinguish between the two, and thus be convinced that since we know the words and events of a given passage so thoroughly that there may not be much more to learn about it.   

I am convinced that this is a temptation. 

There is a saying, something like "familiarity breeds contempt." Obviously, no one will feel "contempt" for any passage of the Gospel regardless of how well it is known!  But, familiarity could breed indifference or neglect, leading to a certain lack of vigilance in approaching a given passage. Such an attitude can also make the passage somewhat stale or stagnant in our minds, even unintentionally.

I would first say that "subjectively" we hardly ever approach a given text - any text - from the exact same perspective. (We could, of course, say the same thing about looking at a work of art or listening to a piece of music). And I believe that this is even more significant of a factor when approaching the Gospels. That is because we are always changing and because we bring such a complex set of life-circumstances to any given text of the Gospel that we carefully read. 

As human persons we are ever-changing beings, and not simply static or unchanging. If life is going well for us, we read a text in a certain light; yet if life is not going so well, we will read that same text quite differently.  Those two factors could change the level of urgency with which we approach any given text of the Gospels.

This recognition of never approaching the same text from an identical perspective is made clear by our aging process. Surely, how we read a given passage at twenty years of age, will not be the same as the decades of our lives unfold.  I am quite certain that hearing the story of Zacchaeus while now over sixty years of age is quite different from I first became a priest when I was around thirty years old. In fact, it must surely change from year-to-year!

This process of maturity through the aging process will hopefully lead to an ever-expanding and ever-deepening appreciation for any given passage, and a sure realization that the Gospels are inexhaustible in their meaning.

It is good to study the Gospels from an "objective" point of view, though that can only go so far.  What I mean is that it is very important to understand the historical, social and religious background of the Gospels, what we today call "context."  Certainly, this makes the text so much more alive for us and it yields a good deal of helpful interpretation.

That Zacchaeus was a publican/tax-collector, and that he was most probably despised for that reason, is a very significant part of his story. It brings that much more "drama" to his eventual conversion; even a genuine poignancy.

The conflict between how Jesus was reading and interpreting the Law and how that differed from the reading/interpretation of the Pharisees, as an example, is also a very significant factor. This underlying difference also plays a role in the account of Zacchaeus and how the "crowd" saw him and how Jesus saw him.

Yet, for all of its importance, if we reduce the Gospels to this historical, social and religious context; or rely so heavily on that, then this very "objectivity" can obscure the deeper meaning of a given passage.

We must somehow always realize that the Gospels are speaking to each and every one of us directly.  If we do not, or cannot, see or feel that, then we cannot boast of knowing the Gospels well - or at all.  We cannot know a given passage unless or until we realize that it is saying something to us today. Or better, is challenging us today in our attitudes, in our self-centeredness; in our complacency or even defensive self-justification for our sins; of how we refuse to change.

Thus, the story of the conversion of Zacchaeus speaks to us today about our level of desire for God, for conversion; as well as reveal to us how compassionate and merciful Christ is and how the grace of God that He offers us is so potentially life-transforming. Thus, it is a living text that cannot be reduced to its meaning in the past.  

I would simply add that our veneration of the Gospels as the Word of God should always fill our minds and hearts with not only a deep respect for the Gospels; but with a deep and abiding love for the Lord - the eternal Word of God - who is revealed to us in any given text and a desire to know Him as deeply as possible. 

Approaching the Gospels with a prayerful mind and heart is also of great importance. We could use the Prayer before the Gospel from the Liturgy before reading, or offer inwardly a short form of that prayer.

We are encountering Christ - or being encountered by Christ - when we sit down and open up the Gospels, in the hope of being nourished with the "words of eternal Life" (JN. 6:68)