1. Before Great Lent.

Zacchaeus and on the transfer of the relics of St. John Chrysostom.

The circle of the church liturgical rite again led us to the gates of Great Lent. And on the eve of it, again, as every year, we meet with Zacchaeus, "righteous, just" in name (for this means his name), but sinful in deeds, the head of the tax collectors, who for a very long time did not fear God and was not ashamed of people.

But it was this one, the sinner of many sinners, who was worthy to go down in church history, because he gave an image of the first steps of fallen man towards the Lord. And the example of his life revealed a revelation about mercy, about Christ's attention to the conversion of sinful man, to the very first steps towards correction.

And today, as these days coincide, we especially prayerfully commemorate the One Who daily reminds us of Himself, whose organ of soul, heart, and lips has been vouchsafed, by God's command, to sing the unique, unique words that give life to the world, the words of the Divine Liturgy. We commemorate the great teacher of the Universal Church, St. John Chrysostom, for today is the day of remembrance of the return of his holy relics from imprisonment in Constantinople to the patriarchal throne, from whence satanic malice threw him off by human deceit and slander, wishing to break this God-chosen vessel.

But the greatness of the spirit of the saint, wholly devoted to God from his infancy, conquered the storms of life, and the words: "Glory to God for all" crowned his laborious, much-sorrowful and fruitful life.

"O John! Thy life was indeed filled with sorrow, but thy death is honorable, thy grave is glorious, thy reward is many," — thus contemporaries evaluated the life of the saint immediately after his departure. And how shall we evaluate this truly great life in God 1585 years after its completion, if to this day we go to the springs of living water, led by his teaching, by his word?

And if the example of Zacchaeus the publican is the beginning of the sinner's conversion to God, then the great Chrysostom, with all his life, his death, and his life after death, left a perfect example of how to live with God and how it is possible and necessary to attain the likeness of God by life, to attain holiness, in order to live eternally both on earth and in heaven.

But let us begin our conversation with the first steps, with an appeal to God. Let us begin to talk about Zacchaeus the publican, for, like him, many people still wander along the crossroads of life in the darkness of life's fog, looking here and there, led by illusory goals, far from God.

The passion for gain and wealth, voluptuousness, the desire for any fame, even if it is not good, but the glory that distinguishes from the general mass, from the crowd — this is the lot of many. Do we not recognize ourselves in this hustle and bustle, in this human vanity?

Here is also Zacchaeus the publican, famous for his unrighteous wealth and humiliated by the universal contempt of both the rich and the poor. The crowd thirsts for bread and circuses, and it is around Christ, but its curiosity only glances at Him and, passing by, fades away, absorbed by worldly cares and addictions. And the curiosity of Zacchaeus is stung by rumors about the Righteous and Wonderworker, Who does not disdain either lepers or sinners. And Zacchaeus wants to see the incredible, the unheard-of – A man who knows how to love.

Zacchaeus takes the first step. He gets out of the crowd. He runs ahead of her and, forgetting himself, forgetting who he is by position, by age, does the unseen, he climbs a tree, rises above the ground. A small, important, already elderly man, not taking into account how he looks in the eyes of others, Zacchaeus climbs up. And at the same moment, wanting to see Man – Christ, he meets Christ – God. ... Come down quickly, for today I must be in your house," Zacchaeus hears the words of the Savior addressed to him, words that reward his initial efforts (Luke 19:5).

My dears, a miracle happened in the life of Zacchaeus! The miracle of the soul's meeting with God! And in our time this is the most obvious, the most real miracle that takes place every day, which many of us ourselves experienced at the moment of our conversion to God.