主題：君子善假於物
為甚麼匝凱想見耶穌呢？
那麼，匝凱又是個怎麼樣的人，是甚麼動機促使他想見耶穌呢？是出於好奇嗎？匝凱是個稅吏，為羅馬人服務，被同胞唾棄。可以想像他很努力，用自己的方法解決問題。他很努力積蓄財富，用金錢補償他失去了的尊重。所以他一定不會浪費時間，做些不會賺錢的事。所以匝凱想見耶穌，絕不是出於好奇！耶穌能驅魔，匝凱或他的親人附了魔嗎？倘若有，匝凱應該跑到耶穌跟前求祂（路8:28，9:38），而不是爬到樹上，離遠觀望祂；耶穌能治病，但匝凱為了見耶穌而爬上一棵野桑樹上（19:4），可見他不是個生病的人，更不像是個為親人求醫的人；耶穌能增餅，但匝凱很富有，不需要耶穌為他增餅；耶穌能平息風浪，但匝凱目前沒有即時的生命危險；那麽，耶穌還有甚麼可以吸引匝凱呢？
應該是耶穌基督所宣講的福音，和祂對罪人的接納，引起匝凱的注意。
就這樣，一個「善性循環」發生了！你敬我一尺，我敬你一丈！匝凱於是進一步，善用他手上的財富，「把一半的財物施捨給窮人；如果欺騙過誰，就以四倍賠償。」（19:8）倘若是為了沽名釣譽，犯不著捐出一半財物，捐出比一般的多一些便足夠了；同樣，他犯不著作出四倍賠償，梅瑟法律規定的，是雙倍賠償而已（出22:6-8）。因此，匝凱所做的事，是真心的，所以他獲得耶穌基督的救恩（路19:9）！要注意，每個人成聖的道路不同，匝凱並沒有像瑪竇一樣，放棄一切，跟隨耶穌基督宣講福音，建設天國。福音沒有記載匝凱後來怎樣了。要知道匝凱這樣做，不一定會帶給他即時的好處！不要忘記耶穌基督不久將會被群眾捨棄，被釘十字架上。五旬節後，門徒們在耶路撒冷繼續遭受迫害，天國的出現，遙遙無期！
為所有信徒，匝凱立了一個很好的榜樣。第一，他認識自己的罪過。很多人諱疾忌醫，即使已領洗入教的天主教徒，很多都忽視了辦告解，與自己，與教會，與天主修和的重要性。覺得自己沒有罪過，是信仰的一個危險，因為不再需要天主了！第二，匝凱渴望得到天主的解放。作為天主教徒，在日常的生活中，有沒有留意到自己很不自由呢？經常要討好別人，自己的情緒經常被別人的行為操控著嗎？不能戒酒戒煙戒賭戒手機嗎？大家有沒有渴望得到天主的解放呢？最後，匝凱善用手上的事物，爭取親近天主！我們有善用時間，祈禱，讀經，領聖事，按耶穌基督的教訓幫助窮人，耐心地忍受侮辱和教導愚蒙嗎？更進一步，我們有沒有好像瑪竇宗徒一樣，以自己的蒙恩得救的經驗，燃點別人對耶穌基督的希望呢？我們有沒有好像耶穌基督一樣，接納罪人呢，抑或與罪人割席呢？
各位主內的兄弟姊妹，讓匝凱的榜樣啟發我們，檢討自己的罪過，渴求天主的救贖，並運用身邊的事物，親近天主。
按福音的記載，很多當代的猶太人，為了不同的原因，想見耶穌基督：有些是為了充飢，解決貧窮所帶來的問題（若6:26）；有些是為了求醫，解決健康的問題（路5:15）；有些人可能出於好奇，慕名而來，想聽耶穌的教訓，滿足心智上的需求（瑪5:1）；有些人認為耶穌可能是默西亞，想跟隨祂推翻羅馬帝國的殖民地統治，解決政治上的問題（谷8:29），各適其式，莫衷一是。
耶穌基督宣講天國，在天國裡，實行天父旨意的人，都成為了兄弟姊妹，成為了一家人（8:21）。天主的旨意是甚麼呢？作為一個稅吏，匝凱是既得利益者，他一定不會支持推翻羅馬帝國的統治。所以在匝凱的心目中，少了一個對福音的誤解。他不會相信耶穌基督是一個煽惑群眾，起義革命的領袖！他會相信，耶穌基督要建立一個彼此相愛，人人都受到尊重的世界，不會因為職業、貧窮或富有而遭受歧視的社會。
耶穌基督對罪人的接納，令當時的宗教權威不滿。傳統的宗教信仰，不但要求信徒遵守梅瑟的法律，更進一步要求與罪人「割席」。猶太人用來祈禱的【聖詠集】第一句是這樣寫的：「凡不隨從惡人的計謀，不插足於罪人的道路，不參與譏諷者的席位，而專心愛好上主法律的，和畫夜默思上主誡命的，像這樣的人纔是有福的！」（詠1:1-2）所以，耶穌基督與稅吏、娼妓和罪人一起吃飯，簡直是醜聞，是對猶太教宣戰！另一方面，作為一個稅吏，被同胞「割席」唾棄，沒有翻身的希望；他每天生活在這種來自宗教制度號召出來的排斥和歧視，甚至可以說，是一種制度的暴力之下，在匝凱眼中，耶穌基督接納稅吏和罪人，是以實際的行動，証明祂宣講的福音是真理。在耶穌基督身上，匝凱看見了希望，匝凱希望能獲得從制度暴力下的解放。所以匝凱渴望看看耶穌是甚麼人（19:3）。匝凱的希望來自哪？應該是稅吏瑪竇蒙召的故事，燃點了匝凱對耶穌基督的希望。
天主保祐！
圖片鳴謝：https://kknews.cc/news/xmg8ek9.html
2016年講道
Thirty First Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: A Virtuous Man Is Good At Utilizing Things
Why did Zacchaeus want to see Jesus?
Then, what kind of a person was Zacchaeus? What motives prompted him to see Jesus? Was it out of curiosity? Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector, serving the Romans. He was hated by his fellow Jews. We could imagine that he worked really hard to solve his problems. He accumulated wealth to compensate for the respect he had lost. Thus, he would not waste time doing things not profitable. Thus, Zacchaeus would not see Jesus out of curiosity! Jesus had exorcised demons. Was Zacchaeus or his family members possessed? If he had been, Zacchaeus should have knelt before Jesus to beg him (Luke 8:28, 9:38). He shouldn't have climbed up a tree to watch Jesus from afar. Jesus healed diseases. But Zacchaeus was able to climb a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus (19:4). He wasn't sick, nor did he seek healing for his family members. Jesus multiplied loaves of bread but Zacchaeus was wealthy. He didn't need Jesus to multiply bread. Jesus calmed the storm but Zacchaeus' life was not in immediate dangers. Thus, what else was there in Jesus that attracted Zacchaeus?
It must be the gospel Jesus Christ proclaimed and His acceptance of sinners that caught Zacchaeus' attention.
In the eyes of the Jews, Zacchaeus was a sinner. But if we apply Confucian evaluation, Zacchaeus was a virtuous man! How? Xunzi explains in his "On Learning" that a virtuous man was no different from ordinary men. A virtuous man is just better able to utilize things to achieve his target. That is to say, everybody is able to become virtuous when he makes good use of things around him. Didn't Zacchaeus make good use of things around him? Look, "he was short in stature" (19:3), "so he climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus" (19:4). Consequently, not only did Zacchaeus see Jesus, but something which he dared not even to dream of also happened. Jesus took the initiative to stay at his house! From the perspective of doing business, Zacchaeus suddenly discovered that he was dealing with a very generous party! Of course, Zacchaeus was sincere. His desire to be liberated touched the mercy of God! How would God be a miser towards someone who sincerely desires to be saved?
Thus, a benevolent cycle started! You scratch my back, I scratch yours more! Thus Zacchaeus took a step further. He made good use of his wealth, "Half of my possessions I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." (19:8) Had Zacchaeus intended to buy fame, he would not have given half of his possessions to the poor. A little bit over the normal would have been sufficient. Similarly, according to Moses' law, making twofold restitution only was required to repay cheating. Zacchaeus would not have to repay four times (Exodus 22:6-8). Thus Zacchaeus' sincerity had earned him Jesus' salvation (Luke 19:9)! Pay heed that everybody's road to sanctification is different. Unlike Matthew who had abandoned all to follow Jesus Christ to preach the gospel and build the Kingdom of Heaven, Zacchaeus' future was not mentioned in the gospel. Suffice to know that Zacchaeus' actions did not bring him immediate advantages! Don't forget that Jesus Christ would soon be rejected by the crowd to be crucified. After the Pentecost, the disciples would continue to be persecuted in Jerusalem. The Kingdom of Heaven was nowhere in sight!
For all Christians, Zacchaeus has set up a very good exemplar. Firstly, he knew his sins. Many of us are afraid to see the truth. After baptism, many Catholics ignore confession as well as the importance of reconciliation with oneself, with the Church and with God. Not recognizing one's sin is detrimental to one's faith because one doesn't need God anymore! Secondly, Zacchaeus desired God's liberation. As Catholics, do we feel a lack of freedom in our daily life? Do we always please others, and our emotions controlled by the actions of the others? Can we quit addictions of smoking, drinking, gambling and mobile phones? Do we desire God's liberation? Lastly, Zacchaeus made good use of things to come close to God! Do we make good use of our time to pray, to study the bible, to receive sacraments? Do we follow Jesus Christ's teachings to help the needy, to bear wrongs patiently and to counsel the doubtful? More than that, do we share, like St. Matthew the Apostle, our experience of salvation with others so as to enkindle their hope in Jesus Christ? Do we accept sinners like Jesus Christ or cut them off?
Brethren, let the example of Zacchaeus inspire us to review our faults, to desire God's salvation and to make good use of things around us to come close to God.
According to the gospels, many contemporary Jews wanted to see Jesus Christ for different reasons: Some wanted to fill their hunger, solving the problem of poverty (John 6:26); some sought healing, solving the problem of health care (Luke 5:15); some probably heard of Jesus and out of curiosity wanted to listen to Jesus' teachings to satisfy their intellectual needs (Matthew 5:1); some thought that Jesus was the Messiah, they wanted to follow Him to overthrow the Roman colonial rule, thus solving their political problem (Mark 8:29). The reasons were various.
Jesus Christ came to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven in which "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it." (8:21) What is the word of God? As a tax-collector, a stakeholder of the society, he would not want to overthrow the Roman rule. Zacchaeus would misunderstand the gospel less. He would never believe that Jesus Christ would be a revolutionary leader, inciting people to rebel! He tended to believe that Jesus Christ would build up a world in which people love each other and respect each other, a society in which people shall not be discriminated because of their professions or economic status.
Contemporary religious authorities raised their brows because of Jesus Christ's acceptance of sinners. Traditional faith not only demanded believers to observe Moses' commandments, but also expected them to cut off from sinners. The first verses of Jewish prayer book say, "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers. Rather, the law of the Lord is his joy; and on his law he meditates day and night." (Psalms 1:1-2) Thus, Jesus Christ's sharing table with tax-collectors, prostitutes and sinners was a scandal. He was declaring war against Judaism! On the other hand, as a tax-collector, Zacchaeus was cut off by his fellow Jews. There was no hope in reconciliation. Every day, he was living in rejection and discrimination coming from a religious institution. It could be regarded as an institutional violence. In the eyes of Zacchaeus, Jesus' acceptance of sinners was putting into action the gospel, the truth which He proclaimed. In Jesus Christ, Zacchaeus saw hope. He wanted to be liberated from this institutional violence. Thus Zacchaeus "was seeking to see who Jesus was" (19:3). Where did Zacchaeus' hope come from? It should come from the call of Matthew, a fellow tax collector which enkindled his hope in Jesus Christ.
God bless!
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