In Zacchaeum publicanum

On Zacchaeus the Tax Collector. Lovers of beautiful things are no different from those who thirst, beloved. For the more they fail to find what they seek, the more they are inflamed with thirst for the objects of their desire. And by night they imagine the springs they long for, like those who thirst; by day they wander from place to place, looking around with restless eyes, seeking the desires of their heart. And just as travelers in the season of heat run through a waterless land, pressed by thirst, and look around for springs—often even running up to hills where a spring is—and if they see it from afar, they rejoice and hasten their journey, pressing on toward it; then, coming to the spring, they quench their thirst with the water—so are those who love Christ. For by day they seek the Christ they long for through good works, and by night they converse with him through prayers, and in their sleep they imagine walking with him. If they see him in visions from afar, they rejoice and exult, like those who thirst when they find the springs they long for; and again, when awakened, they wish to sleep, so that they may encounter the same vision in their sleep. Such was Zacchaeus, who was just read to you from the Gospel. For see him running, burning with divine desire, climbing the tree, and looking around for Jesus, that he might see the life-giving spring. And when Zacchaeus saw the Lord, he rested his eyes, but inflamed his heart all the more with desire. And Jesus, it says, entering Jericho, was passing through.

And behold, a man by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief tax collector, and he was wealthy; and he desired to see Jesus, because he was about to pass by there. See the longing of the man, beloved. And he was unable to see because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. And going ahead to the front, he climbed up a sycamore fig tree, in order to see Jesus, because he was about to pass by from there. Zacchaeus, small in stature of body but great in wisdom of spirit, sought to see Jesus, he desired to see God among men bestowing heavenly gifts; he sought to see the creator of angels, and the lamp-lighter of heavenly and super-terrestrial light walking with human steps; he sought to see how the sun of righteousness, seated in the cloud of the body, illuminated the eyes of the heart of the faithful; he sought to see God Jesus, the beautiful form, the desirable thing, the sweet name Jesus, who signifies a thing from the name; he desired to see the purple-fleeced sheep, whose blood ransomed the world, and whose fleece covered those stripped naked from Adam until the end; he desired to see, the captive soldier his own king, the sheep the shepherd, the one who had gone astray the road, the darkened one the light; he desired to see the herald of piety, he who did not have the sweetest seasoning of the knowledge of God; he sought to see, the sick one health, the hungry one the heavenly bread, the thirsty one the life-giving spring; he desired to see the life-giver of priests, and the awakener of Lazarus. O divine love, O good desire!

O love of the golden wing, or rather of Christ, who bears up the soul that possesses him to the heavens! Already divine love, having lifted him from the earth, made him a tree-climber; no longer does he see earthly things, no longer does he permit himself to converse with men; but having looked to divine love, he awaited the heavenly; from those things he ran toward those to which he hastened, and having climbed the tree, he looked around for Christ, and in his mind he mounted the cloud. When Zacchaeus saw Christ, he fittingly said: To you I raised my eyes, who dwell in heaven. Zacchaeus saw the Lord, and was inflamed with desire even more; it touched his heart, and he became another man from what he was, from a tax collector a zealot, from an unbeliever a believer, and from a wolf a sheep bearing the seal. Who so longs for a father or mother, who ever so loved a wife or children, as Zacchaeus loved the Lord, as can be tested from the deed itself? For he gave all his possessions for Christ to the poor, and to those he had falsely accused he repaid fourfold. O good character of the disciple, O gentleness and divine power of the teacher, that from merely being seen Jesus leads to action! For the Lord had not yet spoken a catechetical word to Zacchaeus, but only appeared to the one who longed, and the power of faith was drawn up beyond the heart of the one who longed. Something similar happened also with the woman with the issue of blood; for having approached the Lord and begged him to heal her, she did not await the touch of his hand, but herself approached and touched the hem of his garment secretly.

And the power of healing was drawn like a sponge by the one who touched. And Zacchaeus, unknowing, acted, borne by divine zeal and inflamed with spiritual love, he ran to the sycamore tree. But the Lord, having beheld something mystical, said, "Come down. I know your soul, I know your holy love. Come down. Remember that Adam, when stripped, hid under a fig tree. But you, wishing to be saved, do not run up to the sycamore tree. I must dry up this sycamore and plant another, a cross. That is a good tree; run up to that with the step of your soul. For from there you are readily launched into the heavens. In this tree the serpent also entwines itself among the leaves, in this it hides, in this it has nested. Hurry, come down before it whispers to your soul, as it persuaded Eve to taste sweet pleasure. Hurry, come down. While I stand here, come down. For while I see him, he is silenced. Hurry, come down. I do not wish to leave you on the sycamore; I do not wish you to be lost. For you are my sheep; you have run to me. Hurry, come down, and anticipate going to your house. I must rest there.

For where there is faith, there I rest; where there is love, there I go. I know what you are about to do; I know that you are going to give all your possessions to the poor, and first to repay those whom you have falsely accused, fourfold. Among such persons I gladly dwell. And Zacchaeus, having hastened, came down and went to his house, and received Jesus. Filled with joy, he stood and spoke—not walking, not sitting, but standing, to show the unchangeable resolve of his soul. Standing, he spoke, while fervent in spirit, having conceived unregrettable thoughts, he strove; for he knew where he sows and where he is about to reap. And he said: "Behold, I give half of my possessions to the poor, and to those whom I have falsely accused I repay fourfold." O what a pure confession, proceeding from a pure heart! A confession unashamed, presented to the unashamed glory of God, breathing faith and blooming with righteousness! May the God of all deem us worthy of such righteousness, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom are the glory and the power unto the ages of ages. Amen.