Intimacy provokes change

The author of the Book of Wisdom and the psalmist in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary agree on the nature of the Divine as abounding in steadfast love (for all creation). The Prayer of Paul for and to the Thessalonians speaks of being worthy of the call of God. Luke tells the story of jesus encounter with the tax collector Zacchaeus. He was despised by his community for collecting taxes and getting rich working for the Roman occupiers. Jesus calls this apparently unworthy person and invites him to the intimacy of a visit to his house. Fr Larry Gillick SJ reminds us that intimacy with Jesus brings change. The tax collector repents and makes restitution for his sins. The feast of All Saints, the eve of which is observed as Halloween, is the day where we reflect on the lives of the Saints who dropped their masks and disguises as they became intimate with the Divine through Jesus.