Today’s Mass challenges us with the question: “Who or what exercises power over our lives?” We all know, don’t we, that it should be Christ our Lord -- He should be the One in whose dominion we should live. Here on earth even though we are citizens of the City of Man we should first be citizens of the City of God.

Christ came among us to show us that false gods of this world only bring us pain, inner conflict, and a hellish life both for ourselves and for those who must live with us. Their power is the power of manipulation and control. They may bring us temporary pleasure and false sense of well-being but they are utterly incapable of giving us lasting happiness and genuine peace. Christ is among us to show us that if we live in His Kingdom, with Him as the Lord of our lives, then we can find the happiness that is lasting and genuine, namely the unselfish mission of making other people happy. For happiness is not something that we can buy, win, or achieve, it is a gift that is given us. It comes only as a gift that is a by-product, a result, of living the way Jesus lives.

All of the powers of Christ were expended for others so that in His kingdom all might have freedom, dignity, and happiness both in this life and in the next. All that is Christ’s He gave to us to be shared. Just what kind of a God is God, and what does He expect of us? How we answer those questions will shape what we desire in life, what we want to control us, and what we know will give us genuine happiness, true love, and lasting peace. That’s the challenge of this Sunday on which we honor Christ our King.

In these days of autumn, as the earth prepares for winter and the readings talk about the end of the world and the coming of Christ, maybe it’s a good idea to remember what it is we believe.
 
There is an afterlife. Life for humans continues on after death.
 
Life after death is everlasting and it means resurrection of the body. That means once you get to everlasting life, you’ve made it and you will have your body–your very self–perfected. We are created in God’s image and each of us is special, unique, and important. Salvation is an invitation by God. All creation was made by God; salvation comes from Christ and is offered to everyone. But it is our yes to God that determines whether we are saved or damned. We must say yes to salvation if we are to be saved. No one goes to heaven or hell against their will. Eternal life is heaven for those who are united with God through Christ. Heaven is absolute unity with God, perfect contentment, eternal joy. I always like to suggest that people think of the best place they’ve ever been, the best day they’ve ever had and think of heaven as a zillion times better.
 
I’d like to ask the parents and family members to talk with one another about the basic things our faith believes about life after death. In the first reading we heard today, seven sons gave up their lives for their faith. What kept them strong was the sure and certain hope that they would live on in glory after death. To me, life after death is one of the strongest incentives to be good here on earth. Jesus was so up-front about this. Believe in me, he says, and you live forever. Don’t you want to live forever, don’t you want to live in glory, don’t you want to go to heaven?

When we read Scripture we usually find that a word or phrase or image will capture our attention. For me this week it was a ‘moment’, the moment when Jesus reached the spot under the tree and looked up. I found myself happy to just sit and ponder the beautiful face of the Lord.

The Scriptures will speak personally to us; to each one of us in a different way. They will speak words of love, of forgiveness, of correction or perhaps of warning. The word of God knows us and understands us and speaks to us with gentleness and power, wounding and healing.

The gospel reading on this 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time will surely speak to each one of us the word we need to hear. Perhaps when you read; They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said you suddenly recognized that you too are a habitual complainer; that you too have a habit of judging others, especially those you believe to be sinners. 
 
Zacchaeus’ desire was fulfilled – he got to see what kind of man Jesus was – and, as a bonus, got to see what kind of man he himself was, but he had to make an effort, he had to climb a tree.
 
What is our next step? What tree can we climb so that we can draw closer to the Lord? What is God asking of me? What must I do, or stop doing, to find salvation?