Sunday, 18 February 2024

Sunday of Zacchaeus

77 days before Pascha · Tone 4 · Liturgy · No Fast

Saints commemorated

Saint Agapetus of Sinai

Saint Agapetus was a venerable monastic ascetic who dwelt in the sacred desert of Sinai. He dedicated himself to unceasing prayer and spiritual struggle, seeking union with God through contemplation and disciplined askesis. The monks of the desert recognised in him a spiritual elder of great wisdom and holiness. Through his intercessions and prayers, Saint Agapetus became known as a protector of those who called upon him. He endured the rigours of desert monasticism with steadfastness and remained a beacon of Orthodox virtue. The Church venerates him as a model of monastic dedication and spiritual perfection.

Saint Colman of Lindisfarne, bishop and confessor

676

Saint Colman was born in the west of Ireland about the year 605 and from his youth devoted himself to the monastic life. He was educated at the great monastery of Iona, founded by Saint Columba, and there absorbed the Celtic tradition of prayer, learning and missionary zeal. About the year 661 he was sent from Iona to Northumbria and was consecrated the third bishop of Lindisfarne in succession to Saint Aidan and Saint Finan. In 664 the Synod of Whitby was held at the abbey of Saint Hilda to settle the differences between the Celtic and Roman observances of Easter and other matters of monastic discipline. Saint Colman defended with gentleness and conviction the customs received from Saint Columba and the elders of Iona, but King Oswiu of Northumbria gave his judgment in favour of the Roman practice. Unwilling to abandon the tradition of his fathers, Colman resigned the see of Lindisfarne and withdrew with all the Irish brethren and some thirty English monks. Returning by way of Iona to Ireland, he founded a monastery on the island of Inishbofin off the coast of Connaught and, when disputes arose between the Irish and English communities, established a separate house on the mainland for the English monks, known as Mayo of the Saxons, which became a centre of learning. Saint Colman reposed in peace on 18 February in the year 676 and is honoured among the saints of Ireland and the British Isles.

Saint Flavian the confessor, patriarch of Constantinople

448

Saint Flavian was patriarch of Constantinople from 446 to 449 and a champion of Orthodoxy against the Monophysite heresy of Eutyches. Before his elevation he had served as a presbyter and the keeper of the sacred vessels of the Great Church, and he was esteemed for his learning, his pastoral diligence and his austere manner of life. In the year 448 Saint Flavian convened a local council at Constantinople to examine the teaching of the archimandrite Eutyches, who confused the two natures of Christ, holding that after the union the Lord had only one nature, the divine. Saint Flavian and the bishops with him condemned Eutyches and deposed him, but the heretic, supported by the eunuch Chrysaphius and by Dioscorus of Alexandria, appealed to the emperor Theodosius II. In 449 the so-called "Robber Council" was assembled at Ephesus under the presidency of Dioscorus. There Saint Flavian was prevented from speaking, was openly assaulted in the church and trampled by armed monks. Mortally injured, he was sent into exile and died three days later from his wounds. Two years afterwards, at the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon in 451, his memory was vindicated and his teaching upheld. The Church honours him as a hieromartyr and confessor.

Saint Leo the Great, Pope of Rome

Pope Leo was one of the great bastions of Orthodoxy during the time of the monophysite heresy and its offshoots. ‘According to some, this Saint was born in Rome, but according to others in Tyrrenia (Tuscany), and was consecrated to the archiepiscopal throne of Rome in 440. In 448, when St Flavian, Archbishop of Constantinople [also commemorated today], summoned Eutyches, an archimandrite in Constantinople, to give account for his teaching that there was only one nature in Christ after the Incarnation, Eutyches appealed to St Leo in Rome. After St Leo had carefully examined Eutyches’ teachings, he wrote an epistle to St Flavian, setting forth the Orthodox teaching of the person of Christ, and His two natures, and also counseling Flavian that, should Eutyches sincerely repent of his error, he should be received back with all good will. At the Council held in Ephesus in 449, which was presided over by Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria (and which Saint Leo, in a letter to the holy Empress Pulcheria in 451, was the first to call “The Robber Council”), Dioscorus, having military might behind him, did not allow Saint Leo’s epistle to Flavian to be read, although repeatedly asked to do so; even before the Robber Council was held, Dioscorus had uncanonically received the unrepentant Eutyches back into communion. Because Saint Leo had many cares in Rome owing to the wars of Attila the Hun and other barbarians, in 451 he sent four delegates to the Fourth Ecumenical Council, where 630 Fathers gathered in Chalcedon during the reign of Marcian, to condemn the teachings of Eutyches and those who supported him. Saint Leo’s epistle to Flavian was read at the Fourth Council, and was confirmed by the Holy Fathers as the Orthodox teaching on the incarnate Person of our Lord; it is also called the “Tome of Leo.” The Saint wrote many works in Latin; he reposed in 461.’(Great Horologion).

St Leo is remembered for saving Rome from conquest by Attila the Hun. When Attila drew near to Rome, preparing to pillage the city, St Leo went out to him in his episcopal vestments and enjoined him to turn back. For reasons unknown to worldly historians, the pitiless Attila with all his troops abandoned their attack and returned the way they had come.

Daily readings

4th Matins Gospel

Luke — Luke 24.1-12

¹Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

¹But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came unto the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. ³And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. ³And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: ⁴And it came to pass, while they were perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel: ⁵and as they were affrighted and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? ⁵And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, ⁶He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, ⁷saying that the Son of man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. ⁷Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. ⁸And they remembered his words, ⁸And they remembered his words, ⁹And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. ⁹and returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. ¹⁰It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. ¹⁰Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James: and the other women with them told these things unto the apostles. ¹¹And these words appeared in their sight as idle talk; and they disbelieved them. ¹¹And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. ¹²But Peter arose, and ran unto the tomb; and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen cloths by themselves; and he departed to his home, wondering at that which was come to pass. ¹²Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Timothy — 1 Timothy 4.9-15

⁹Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation. ⁹This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. ¹⁰For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe. ¹⁰For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. ¹¹These things command and teach.

¹¹These things command and teach. ¹²Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity. ¹²Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. ¹³Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching. ¹³Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. ¹⁴Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. ¹⁴Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. ¹⁵Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto all. ¹⁵Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 19.1-10

¹And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

¹And he entered and was passing through Jericho. ²And, behold, there was a man named Zacchæus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. ²And behold, a man called by name Zacchæus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich. ³And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. ³And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature. ⁴And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. ⁴And he ran on before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. ⁵And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house. ⁵And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. ⁶And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. ⁶And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. ⁷And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner. ⁷And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. ⁸And Zacchæus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. ⁸And Zacchæus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold. ⁹And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. ⁹And Jesus said unto him, To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. ¹⁰For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost.