12 Ἰανουαρίου 1978
Εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος.
Τὴν προηγούμενη ἑβδομάδα εἰσήλθαμε στὴν περίοδο τῶν ἑβδομάδων στὴν πορεία μας πρὸς τὴν ἡμέρα τῆς Ἀνάστασης, ποὺ μᾶς λένε νὰ ἐξετάσουμε τὸν ἑαυτό μας· τότε θὰ ἔλθει καιρὸς νὰ μὴν σκεφτόμαστε τίποτα ἄλλο παρὰ τοὺς τρόπους μὲ τοὺς ὁποίους ὁ Θεὸς μᾶς προετοιμάζει γιὰ τὴν σωτηρία μας· καὶ ὅταν φθάσουμε στὴν Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάδα, τότε δὲν θὰ πρέπει νὰ ἔχουμε καμιά σκέψη, τίποτα παρὰ τὸν Κύριο τοῦ ὁποίου τὸ πάθος θὰ ἀτενίζουμε πρὶν νὰ εἰσέλθουμε μαζὶ στὴν δόξα καὶ στὴν χαρὰ τῆς Ἀνάστασης Του.
Τὴν προηγούμενη ἑβδομάδα διαβάσαμε τὸ Εὐαγγέλιο τοῦ τυφλοῦ τῆς Ἰεριχώ· ἄμεσα εἶναι μιὰ πρόκληση γιὰ ἐμᾶς· ὅλοι ἱσχυριζόμαστε ὅτι βλέπουμε· ὅλοι ἱσχυριζόμαστε ὅτι δὲν εἴμαστε τυφλοὶ, καὶ ὅμως, δὲν εἶναι ὁ τρόπος ποὺ βλέπουμε μιὰ ἄλλη μορφὴ τύφλωσης; Δὲν εἴμαστε τυφλωμένοι ἀπὸ ὅ,τι βλέπουμε πρὸς τὸ ἀόρατο, δὲν εἴμαστε τυφλοὶ ἀπὸ προκατάληψη ἀπέναντι στὴν ἀλήθεια, δὲν εἴμαστε τυφλοὶ ἀπὸ τὸ πάθος ἀπέναντι στὴν ἀλήθεια; Καὶ ἔτσι, ὁ καθένας μας ὀφείλει νὰ ρωτήσει τὸν ἑαυτό του ἄν αὐτὸ ποὺ βλέπει εἶναι ἡ πραγματικότητα τῶν πραγμάτων, καὶ ἄν ὄχι, νὰ στραφεῖ στὸν Θεὸ νὰ τοῦ δώσει ἐπίγνωση. Καὶ ἕνα ἀπὸ τὰ πράγματα ποὺ μᾶς τυφλώνει περισσότερο ἀπελπιστικὰ εἶναι ἡ ματαιότητα ποὺ μᾶς κάνει νὰ δεχόμαστε γιὰ ἀληθινὰ ὅλα τὰ ψέματα ποὺ ἴσως ἀκοῦμε ἤ παρατηροῦμε ποὺ ἐνισχύουν τὴν αὐτοεκτίμηση μας, ποὺ μᾶς κάνουν νὰ ἀπορρίπτουμε κάθε τι ποὺ εἶναι γιὰ ἐμᾶς κριτική ἤ καταδίκη.
Τὸ σημερινὸ Εὐαγγέλιο εἶναι σχετικὸ μὲ τὴν ματαιοδοξία καὶ γιὰ τὸν τρόπο ποὺ μπορεῖ νὰ ξεπεραστεῖ, εἶναι πραγματικὰ σχετικὸ μὲ τὸ τίμημα καὶ τὶς προυποθέσεις της. Ὁ Ζακχαῖος ἦταν ἕνας πλούσιος ἄνδρας, ἕνας ἄνδρας γνωστὸς στὴν πόλη του, ἕνας ἄνδρας ποὺ ὁ καθένας μποροῦσε νὰ ἀναγνωρίσει· ἦταν ἕνας ἄνθρωπος ἄδικος, καὶ ὅμως κάτι ἀναδεύτηκε μέσα του ὅταν ἄκουσε γιὰ τὸν Χριστὸ καὶ θέλησε νὰ Τὸν δεῖ. Ἴσως ἦταν σὲ κάποιο βαθμὸ μιὰν ἐπιθυμία νὰ δεῖ τὸν Νέο Προφήτη τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ἀλλὰ αὐτὸ δὲν θὰ ἦταν δυνατὸ νὰ τὸν προτρέψει νὰ κάνει αὐτὸ ποὺ ἔκανε· μέσα στὸ πλῆθος, ἐπειδὴ τὸ ἀνάστημα ἦταν μικρό, σκαρφάλωσε σ’ ἕνα δέντρο· βέβαια γέλασαν μαζί του, τὸν κορόιδεψαν καὶ ὅμως ἤθελε τόσο πολὺ νὰ δεῖ τὸν Χριστό, τόσο τοῦ ἦταν σημαντικὸ νὰ Τὸν δεῖ ὥστε ἦταν ἕτοιμος νὰ τὸν κοροιδέψουν, νὰ γελάσουν παρὰ νὰ τὸν ἀφήσουν νὰ περάσει. Καὶ μέσα ἀπὸ ὅλο αὐτὸ τὸ πλῆθος ὁ Χριστὸς εἶδε μόνο ἕναν ἄνδρα: Τὸν Ζακχαῖο, τὸν κάλεσε κάτω καὶ πῆγε νὰ μείνει μαζί του.
Ματαιότητα εἶναι ἐκείνη ἡ κατάσταση τῆς ψυχῆς μας, ἐκείνη ἡ μίζερη κατάσταση, ὅπου φοβόμαστε τὴν ἀνθρώπινη κρίση, ὅπου ἀντλοῦμε τὸ αἴσθημα τῆς ἀξίας μας ἀπὸ τὴν κρίση ἐκείνων ποὺ μᾶς περιβάλλουν. Καὶ πράγματι αὐτὸ εἶναι ματαιότητα, ἐπειδὴ τὰ πράγματα γιὰ τὰ ὁποῖα μᾶς ἐπαινοῦν εἶναι μάταια, ἄδεια, ἀνάξια τοῦ μεγαλείου τοῦ ἀνθρώπου· καὶ ἐπίσης, δὲν ἀποζητοῦμε νὰ μᾶς ἐπαινοῦν ἐκείνοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι ποὺ εἶναι ἱκανοὶ γιὰ μιὰ ὑγιή καὶ συνάμα αὐστηρὴ κριτική· στρεφόμαστε στοὺς ἀνθρωπους ποὺ εἶναι ἕτοιμοι νὰ μᾶς προσφέρουν τοὺς ἐπαίνους ποὺ θέλουμε. Αὐτὸ τοὺς καθιστᾶ διπλὰ μάταιους, ἠ οὐσία τους εἶναι ἕνα τίποτα, καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀπὸ τοὺς ὁποίους τοὺς δεχόμαστε εἶναι ἐπίσης κενοί στὰ δικὰ μας μάτια μέχρι νὰ μιλήσουν καλὰ γιὰ ἐμᾶς. Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης τῆς Κλίμακος λέει ὅτι ἡ ματαιότητα εἶναι ἡ συμπεριφορὰ κάποιου ποὺ φοβᾶται τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ εἶναι ἀλλαζόνας ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ποὺ θεωρεῖ ὅτι λίγο μετράει ἡ κρίση τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι ἔχει τὴν ἀποδοχὴ ποὺ τοῦ παρέχουν ἐκείνοι ποὺ βρίσκονται γύρω του.
Δὲν εἶναι αὐτὸ μιὰ ἀληθινὴ περιγραφὴ τοῦ τρόπου ποὺ στεκόμαστε στὴ ζωή, τοῦ τρόπου που προετοιμαζόμαστε νὰ ξεχάσουμε τὴν κρίση τοῦ Θεοῦ, ποὺ νοιώθουμε ὅτι στηριζόμαστε στὴν κρίση τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ ποιὸς ἄλλος τρόπος ὑπάρχει; Ὁ Ζακχαῖος μᾶς δείχνει ἕναν: νὰ μὴν νοιαζόμαστε γιὰ τὴν κρίση τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐπειδὴ ἡ κρίση τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἡ παρουσία τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἤ ἴσως ἡ κρίση κάποιου ποὺ δὲν θὰ μᾶς ἐπαινέσει ἀλλὰ ποὺ εἶναι ἕνα πρόσωπο μὲ ἀκεραιότητα καὶ ἀλήθεια μετράει περισσότερο. Ὁ Ζακχαῖος δὲν γνώριζε ποιὸς ἦταν ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ ὅτι ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔγινε Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἀλλὰ ἤξερε ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς ἦταν ἕνας ἀκέραιος ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἤθελε νὰ Τὸν δεῖ, νὰ Τὸν συναντήσει πρόσωπο μὲ πρόσωπο.
Ἀλλὰ ὑπάρχουν ἐπίσης δύο ἄλλοι τρόποι γιὰ νὰ ξεφύγουμε ἀπὸ τὸν ἀνθρώπινο φόβο, ἀπὸ αὐτὴν τὴν ἐξάρτηση μας ἀπὸ τὴν κρίση τῶν ἀνθρώπων μὲ τίμημα τὴν δικὴ μας ἀκεραιότητα. Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης τῆς Κλίμακος μᾶς λέει ὅτι ὁ τρόπος ν’ ἀπαλλαγοῦμε ἀπὸ τὴν ματαιότητα εἶναι ἡ ταπείνωση· ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰσαάκ ὁ Σύρος παραδόξως λέει ὅτι ἕνας τρόπος εἶναι ἡ ὑπερηφάνεια, καὶ οἱ δύο εἶναι σωστοί, μόνο ποὺ ὁ ἕνας θὰ μᾶς δώσει ζωὴ καὶ ὁ ἄλλος θάνατο. Ἄν ἐπιλέξουμε τὸν δρόμο τῆς ὑπερηφάνειας θὰ ὑποστηρίζουμε ἀλαζονικὰ τὸν ἑαυτό μας, ὄχι μόνο ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ ἐπίσης ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἡ κρίση μας θὰ εἶναι τὸ μόνο πράγμα ποὺ θὰ μετράει, καὶ τότε θὰ συναντήσουμε τὸν θάνατο στὸ τέλος τοῦ δρόμου. Ὁ δρόμος τῆς ταπείνωσης εἶναι νὰ γονατίζουμε ἐνώπιον τῆς κρίσης τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἄν εἴμαστε ἀνίκανοι νὰ ἐμβαθύνουμε, νὰ πετᾶμε ψηλὰ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸ νὰ βρισκόμαστε ἐνώπιον Του ὅπως ἡ κατάξερη γῆ κάτω ἀπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸ, ἐγκαταλελειμμένοι, ἀβοήθητοι, διψασμένοι, πεινασμένοι, μὲ λαχτάρα, ἀπελπισμένοι, ἀνίκανοι νὰ κατορθώσουμε ὅ,τι εὐχόμαστε, αὐτὸ εἶναι ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς ταπείνωσης.
Ἀλλὰ ἀκόμα καὶ αὐτὸ μπορεῖ νὰ εἶναι πολὺ γιὰ ἐμᾶς, ἀκόμα καὶ αὐτὸ μπορεῖ νὰ εἶναι πολὺ δύσκολο γιὰ ἐμᾶς ἐπειδὴ δὲν εἴμαστε συνηθισμένοι ν’ ἀφήνουμε, νὰ ἐγκαταλείπουμε τὸν ἑαυτό μας σὲ μιὰ πράξη τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τότε μποροῦμε ν’ ἀρχίσουμε νὰ ξεπερνᾶμε τὴν ματαιότητα μὲ τὴν εὐγνωμοσύνη. Ὅποτε ἀνακαλύπτουμε ὅτι ὑπάρχει μέσα μας μιὰ στιγμὴ ματαιότητας, ἄς ἀναρωτηθοῦμε: γιατί; Πολὺ συχνὰ, ἐπειδὴ ἔχουμε, πολὺ συχνὰ ἀκούσια, πεῖ τὸ σωστὸ, ἤ ἀκούσια ἔχουμε κάνει τὸ σωστὸ· μποροῦμε νὰ στραφοῦμε στὸν Θεὸ, καὶ νὰ Τὸν εὐχαριστήσουμε ποὺ μᾶς ἔδωσε τὴν εὐκαιρία, ποὺ μᾶς ἔδωσε μάτια νὰ βλέπουμε τὴν ἀνάγκη, αὐτιὰ ν’ ἀκοῦμε τὸ κλάμα, ἕνα νοῦ νὰ καταλαβαίνουμε, μιὰ καρδιὰ ποὺ ν’ ἀνταποκρίνεται, καλὴ θέληση νὰ μᾶς κινητοποιεῖ καὶ τὸν τρόπο νὰ κάνουμε τὸ σωστό. Δὲν εἶναι αὐτὸς ὁ λόγος ἀρκετὸς γιὰ νὰ εἴμαστε εὐγνώμονες, δὲν γνωρίζουμε ὅλοι μας, ἀπὸ ἐμπειρία, ὅτι δὲν εἶναι ἡ ἀνάγκη ποὺ πάντα ἀναπόφευκτα θὰ μᾶς καλεῖ νὰ ἀνταποκριθοῦμε σωστά;
Πόσο συχνὰ ὑπάρχει ἀνάγκη καὶ ἡ καρδιὰ μας εἶναι κατάξερη, παγωμένη, καὶ ἀδιάφορη; Πόσο συχνὰ κάποιος κραυγάζει γιὰ βοήθεια καὶ δὲν καταλαβαίνουμε τίποτα, πόσο συχνὰ ἡ καρδιά μας ἔχει ταραχτεῖ καὶ τὸ μυαλό μας ἄρχισε νὰ καταλαβαίνει, ἀλλὰ δὲν εἴμαστε συνηθισμένοι νὰ βιάζουμε τὸν ἑαυτό μας, καὶ ἡ θέληση μας ἀμφιταλαντεύεται, ἀμφιταλαντεύεται γιὰ πάρα πολύ, μέχρι ποὺ εἶναι πολὺ ἀργά. Καὶ θὰ μπορούσαμε νὰ συνεχίσουμε περιγράφοντας τὴν καταστασή μας μὲ περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες.
Ἄς μάθουμε πρῶτα- πρῶτα νὰ εἴμαστε εὐγνώμονες ποὺ ὁ Θεὸς μᾶς δίνει τὴν δυνατότητα νὰ κάνουμε τὸ σωστὸ ἀντὶ νὰ παίρνουμε ἱκανοποίηση ἀπὸ τοὺς ἑαυτοὺς μας καὶ νὰ εἴμαστε ὑπερήφανοι γιὰ τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι γιὰ μιὰ φορὰ ἔχουμε κάνει ὅ,τι θὰ πρέπει νὰ εἶναι γιὰ ἐμᾶς πάντα φυσικὸ. Καὶ τότε σταδιακὰ ἴσως ξεπεράσουμε ἀκόμα καὶ ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἐπίπεδο καὶ παραμείνουμε εὐγνώμονες, ἔκπληκτοι μπροστὰ στὴν καλωσύνη τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Ἴσως μάθουμε τότε νὰ εἴμαστε ταπεινοὶ μ΄ ἕνα τρόπο ποὺ κανένας δὲν γνωρίζει, ὄχι δηλώνοντας ὅτι εἴμαστε ἀνάξιοι, ἀλλὰ λατρεύοντας τὸ μεγαλεῖο τοῦ Θεοῦ, μὲ εὐλάβεια πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους ἀνθρώπους, μὲ τὴν ἑτοιμότητα νὰ ξεχάσουμε ἐντελῶς τοὺς ἑαυτούς μας χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ, χάριν κάθε ἀνθρώπου ποὺ μᾶς συναντᾶ καὶ μᾶς δίνει τὴν εὐκαιρία νὰ εἴμαστε συμπονετικοί, νὰ ἔχουμε ἀγάπη καὶ κατανόηση. Καὶ ἡ τυφλότητα ἴσως φύγει ἀπὸ τὰ μάτια μας, ἡ ματαιότητα θὰ μᾶς ἀφήσει ἐλεύθερους τουλάχιστον γιὰ ἕνα λεπτὸ καὶ θὰ εἴμαστε ἱκανοὶ νὰ ἀντικρύσουμε τὸ πρόσωπο μας καὶ τὸ πρόσωπο τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους, ὅπως ἔκανε ὁ Τελώνης, ὅταν εἰσῆλθε στὸν Ναό, καὶ δὲν τόλμησε νὰ ἔλθει ἐπειδὴ ἦταν τόπος ἅγιος ὅπου κατοικεῖ ὁ Θεός, ὁ τόπος ὅπου πίστευε ὅτι μποροῦν νὰ ἔρθουν μόνο οἱ ἄξιοι. Καὶ θὰ γίνουμε ἀποδεκτοὶ ἀπὸ τὸν Θεὸ ἐξαιτίας τῆς ἀναγνώρισης ἀπὸ μέρους μας τῆς ἁγιότητας Του, καὶ τοῦ σεβασμοῦ μὲ τὸν ὁποίο θὰ φερθοῦμε σ’ Ἐκεῖνον καὶ στὸν πλησίον μας.
Ἀμήν.
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Πρωτότυπο Κείμενο
SUNDAY OF ZACCHEUS
12 January 1978
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
Last week we have entered into the several weeks on our way to the day of the Resurrection, when we are told to examine ourselves; then a time will come to think of nothing but the ways of God preparing us for salvation; and when we reach Holy Week, then we should have no thought, nothing but the Lord Whose passion we will be contemplating before we enter together with Him into the glory and the joy of His Resurrection.
Last week we read the Gospel of the Blind man of Jericho; it challenges us directly; we all contend that we see; we all contend that we are not blind, and yet, is not the way in which we see another form of blindness? Are we not blinded by the visible to the invisible, are we not blinded by prejudice against truth, are we not blinded by passion against reality? And so, each of us has got to ask himself whether what he sees is the reality of things, and if not, turn to God asking Him to give him an insight. And one of the things, that blinds us most hopelessly is vanity that makes us accept for true all the lies we may hear or observe which boost our self-respect, which make us reject everything which is criticism or condemnation of us.
Today\’s Gospel is about vanity and about the way in which it can be overcome, indeed about the condition and the cost of it. Zacchaeus was a rich man, Р° man known in his town, a man whom everyone would recognise; he was a man of unrighteous ways, and yet something stirred within him when he heard of Christ and he wanted to see Him. It probably was to a certain extent a desire to see the New Prophet of Israel, but this would not have been enough to prompt him to do what he did; in the crowd, because he was too small of stature, he climbed into a tree; sure, he was surrounded with laughter, with mockery and yet, he so wanted to see Christ, it mattered so much to him to see Him that he was prepared to be mocked, laughed at rather than let Him pass by. And in all this crowd through which Christ was passing Christ saw only one man: Zacchaeus, and He called him down and He went to stay with him.
Vanity is that condition of our soul, that miserable condition of our soul, in which we are afraid of human judgment, in which we derive our sense of worth from the judgment of those who surround us. And indeed it is vanity, because the things for which we are praised are vain, empty, unworthy of the greatness of man; and also, we do not turn for praise to those people capable of a sound and at time severe judgment; we turn to the people who are ready to offer us the praises which we want. This makes these praises doubly vain, its substance is naught, and the people from whom we receive it are also empty, in our own eyes, until they speak of us good. St John Climacus says that vanity is the attitude of one who is afraid of men and is arrogant before the face of God, who thinks God\’s judgment matters little, provided that he has the approval of those who surround him.
Is that not a true description of the way in which we stand in life, of the way in which we are prepared to forget the judgment of God provided we feel supported by the judgment of men? And what is the way then? Zacchaeus shows us one way: care nothing about the judgment of men because the judgment of God, the presence of God, or perhaps the judgment of the one who will not praise us but is a person of integrity and of truth matters more. Zacchaeus did not know Whom Christ was and that He was the Son of God become the Son of man, but he knew that Christ was a man of integrity and he wanted to see Him, to meet Him face to face.
But then there are also two other ways of shaking off the fear of man, this dependence upon human\’s judgment at the cost of our own wholeness. St John Climacus says to us that the way to get rid of vanity is humility; St Isaac of Syria strangely says the way is also pride, and both are true, only that the one will give us life and the other will give us death. If we choose the way of pride we will assert ourselves arrogantly, not only in the face of men, but also in the face of God; our own judgment shall be the only thing that count, and then we will find death at the end of the road. The way of humility is that of bowing before the judgment of God. If we are incapable of soaring Godwards, lie before Him like the parched earth is before the face of the sky, abandoned, helpless, thirsty, hungry, longing, desperate not to be able to achieve what we wish to achieve, this is the beginning of humility.
But even that may be too much for us, even that may be too difficult for us because we are not used to let go, to abandon ourselves, offer ourselves to an act of God. Then we can begin to overcome vanity by gratitude. Whenever we discover that there is in us a moment of vanity, let us ask ourselves: why? Very often, it is because we have, inadvertently quite often, said the right thing, or inadvertently done the right thing; we can then turn to God and thank Him that He gave us the opportunity, that He gave us eyes to see the need, ears to hear the cry, a mind to understand, a heart to respond, good will to bring us into motion and the mean to do the right thing. Is not that reason enough for us to be grateful, do we not know, all of us, from experience that it is not the need that will call out of us always, inevitably the right response? How often there is a need and our heart is parched, and cold, and indifferent? How often someone cries for help and we understand nothing, how often our heart has been stirred and our mind began to understand, but we are not used to compel ourselves, and our will wavers, and wavers too long, until it is too late. And we could go on describing our condition in many more details. Let us learn first of all to be grateful that God gives us the possibility to do right instead of preening ourselves and be proud of the fact that for once we have done what should be natural to us always, and then gradually we may outgrow even that level and still remaining grateful, still remaining amazed at God\’s goodness. We may then learn to be humble in a way in which no one knows, not declaring that we are unworthy, but in adoration of God\’s greatness, in veneration of other people, in the readiness to forget ourselves completely for the sake of God, for the sake of any person who meets us and challenges us to be compassionate, to be loving, to be understanding. And the blindness might fall off our eyes, vanity will leave us free at least for a moment and we will be able to face ourselves and to face God and others as the Publican did when he entered the Temple, and did not dare to come unto into it because it was the place of holiness where God abides, the place where he thought only the worthy ones can come. And we will be accepted by God because of this recognition of His holiness and the reverence, with which we will treat Him and our neighbour. Amen.
