Fr. Connole delivers a homily that focuses on change over a period of a lifetime. Constant change that is change for the better as proclaimed in today's First Reading and Gospel. As Fr. Connole observes, people can change for the better, because people are loved by God. In the First Reading, the Book of Wisdom, God is present with the people, and He is present always with love. Fr. Connole explains that God's love leads the faithful to freedom that allows change for the better. The Book of Wisdom proclaims God's love, "You overlook people's sins that they may repent"
and "You love all things that are".
The Gospel details the encounter between Zacchaeus and Jesus, that results in Zacchaeus hosting Jesus at his home. Zacchaeus, a tax collector and sinner, is despised by the people, yet Jesus has a different perception of Zacchaeus. The perception that God loves everything He created. Therefore, Zacchaeus, a tax collector and sinner, is capable of change to repent, for the better, and that is exactly what Zacchaeus does when Jesus stayed at the house of Zacchaeus.
In conclusion, the revelation in the Mass readings today, proclaimed by Fr. Connole is that God loves the sinner and the saint in each and every person. God loves us as we are, sinners, and God also loves what we can become, saints.
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