Seven Sacraments of the Orthodox Church (poster)

Ancient Christological Heresies (poster)

Zacchaeus Sunday

A sermon written for Zacchaeus Sunday 2013 

Gospel: Luke 19:1-10

Glory to Jesus Christ!

In today’s Gospel we are given a portrait of a man and mankind. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector, a publican of the worst order, a fellow Jewish countryman to Jesus and the Apostles who made a dishonest living off of the poor, exploiting his fellow Jews, and working for the Roman occupation.

Through his choice of livelihood Zacchaeus had made himself an outcast, a rich outcast. He weighed monetary gain over community. Working for the Roman Empire he would have always been ritually unclean and thus be barred from the temple and worship.

What did Zacchaeus show Christ that caught His attention? He climbed a sycamore tree…

In the robes that they wore at the time especially the nice, expensive ones that Zacchaeus was probably wearing how silly would it have looked! To have a grown man, in a fine robe scrambling up a tree!

The Church Fathers like to play with the word sycamore it sounds a lot like sophomore which means “wise-fool” Zacchaeus was this wise-fool. Through his terrible life choices he had chosen the path of worldly gain instead of friendship and community.

But he was still searching. There was his wisdom. He was wise enough to know that he was missing something and he didn’t care what he looked like finding out. Christ was what he had been looking for.

From the Gospel accounts Christ did not give Zacchaeus penance, nor a list of things to do to make his life right. It was the encounter with Christ that changed his heart.

It is the encounter with Christ that changes our hearts. When we respond to the call of Christ to abide with us; when we partake of His Body and Blood at Communion, and He abides in us, and we abide in Him. And we are open and searching for that which is missing.

We are changed. We will do those things we need to do bring ourselves into communion and community with our brothers and sisters. This is why Christ came to Zacchaeus and why He comes to us.

If we will only come down from our sycamore tree, and step away from those foolish things which separate us from the love of God, Christ will truly abide with us.

For he came seek and save that which is lost. Amen.

The Great Lent (poster)

Vestments of an Orthodox Priest

The Canaanite Woman's Faith

A sermon written for Homiletics Practicum I on the story of the Canaanite woman.

Today's Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Today’s Gospel speaks to us about faith, perseverance and humility. Although Christ performs a miracle, that “action” is off-stage. Here a gentile woman takes center stage as she begs a favor from Christ. He then rebukes her in some of the most insulting language we ever hear from Christ. The Canaanite woman had no reason to expect a favor from Christ. He was a Jew, she was a Gentile. He was a man, she was a woman. There was hardly a reason for them to be speaking, much less calling for favor

But, why did He speak to her this way? He called her a dog!

It was not an empty insult. This strong rejection forced her to reveal the extent of her faith, and she does. She presses the issue, she begs, knowing her place in relation to the master. She demands nothing, but hopes.

           

And, although Christ ultimately effects the healing, it is the woman’s faith and humility which made it possible. It is apropos that Canaan means “Prepared by humility”

How often in our lives do we ask God for something concrete? When we are desperate,  when the medicine doesn’t work, when the jobs aren’t there, when the bills are too much.

           

Do we continue to press on in prayer? Or are one Sunday’s liturgy and a candle enough? So often we say a fleeting prayer then continue on worrying and fretting over our troubles, doubting God’s providence instead of hoping in His goodness. Counting on our connections in place of recounting our blessings, placing all our hope in sons of men in whom there is no salvation.

Elsewhere Matthew we are told to “Ask and it shall be given unto you, seek and ye shall find” And again in Luke after Christ recites the “Lord’s Prayer”, He immediately gives his disciples a lesson on perseverance in prayer. Ask and keep asking! Seek and keep seeking!

           

Will God always grant us our requests? To be perfectly frank… No… but our requests do not always reflect our true needs. If we truly persevere in faith and prayer our needs will be met.

                       

God himself sustains the faithful, and with faith only the size of a mustard seed children can be healed, needs can be met, and mountains can be moved. Amen.