The King's Corner

We have two new saints: Popes John XXII and John Paul II.  Actually, we have far more new saints than just two.   Just look around, and we’ll find them.  Every day the count rises.  As James Carroll said in his April 14 Boston Globe Opinion Piece “Heaven’s lobbyists,” people having “exemplary lives well lived on earth” are saints.   At Christ the King we see new and older saints all the time from those involved in ministries to those who are just trying to do the “right thing” by being compassionate and loving.   Of course, we all strive for saintly behavior but often fall short – perhaps very far short.  Nevertheless, we all were “stamped” as saints at baptism.  Although the passage of time and sometimes devilish behavior make sainthood for us appear impossible, God knows better.  After all, as noted by Father James Martin in the April 22 edition of the Washington Post (In the world today, do we still need saints?), “The church does not create saints, God does.”

preformed by Mrs. Brenda Brackett's 1st grade class. Scroll below for Photo's of the cast and Video of the play. Photo's Video

What does it mean to be born of water and Spirit?  It puzzled Nicodemus and it could well puzzle me.  One author says that to be born of water and Spirit is to be purified and transformed.  Water cleanses, and you and I need to look at some of our actions from the past and ask the Lord to purify us with water.  What transforms us into a new way of living; transforms us by Spirit that is given to all of us through God’s grace.  It’s not a one-time thing; it’s a process that can last a lifetime.  We need to be reborn by water and Spirit. Msgr. Daniel F. Hoye

Here we are in the second week of Easter listening to the first words of Jesus as he appears to His disciples saying,  "Peace be with you".  He doesn't say it just once, but twice.  Then he said, "Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you forgive are forgiven them and whose sins you retain will be retained." Isn't it amazing, that we too have received the Holy Spirit and that each of us has the power to forgive.  I think each of us has our own idea of what this means and somehow connect this to the sacrament of reconciliation.  However, what I understand now is, if we do not forgive those who we believe have offended us, the anger and resentfulness is retained within us.  This is not good . When we learn to forgive, it is then we are freed, it is then we find the peace Jesus wants us to experience. we become who we really are . We are the body of Christ.  We are receiving the body of Christ as bread that gives us life as His body.  From that we must real

Homily for the Second Sunday of Easter Readings for today's Homily

Corruption is a word that means far more than food left too long in the sun or viruses gumming up the works in computer programs.  It means more than genetically modified or altered food many people find suspect and corrupted versions of the real thing – like wheat, corn and soybeans. During this Easter season with our focus on the resurrection, corruption has special meaning.   Consider 1 Corinthians 15 where we read about the resurrection of the dead: “It [body] is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible.  It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious.  It is sown weak; it is raised powerful.  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.  If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one.”  This passage helps us better understand the resurrection and the meaning of a raised body.  It’s a spiritual one. Consider other parts of 1 Corinthians 15. “…If the dead are not raised:  Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.  Do not be led astray:  Bad company

Readings for the day. As we continue to celebrate the feast of the Resurrection, we are exposed to the great transformation that happens to Peter, post-Resurrection.  The last time we heard from him he was saying I do not know him, denying Christ three times. Peter, in the Reading from Acts, is transformed into this powerful preacher.  He preaches, in a strong way, who Christ is and calls for the repentance of mankind. As we exist in this Easter day, maybe we can behold then the transforming power and grace of God.  How is it that we need to be changed, after the Resurrection?

Pope John Paul II said "We are all called to be missionaries" ( Redemptoris Missio ) Easter Monday was a momentous day in the life of Christ the King. Twenty some missionaries (mostly high school students) departed from our parish and that of St. Elizabeth Seton to the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia. Their mission – “We Do Feet” (the logo on their t-shirts).Taking from the theme of the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday, they are there to serve in whatever way they are called to by bring the Word of God through their presence, their service and  their love of God to those in most need of help. I am sure they will want to share their experiences with all who are interested. I know I can’t wait to hear about them. While they are on their mission there will be no communication with the outside world except in an emergency. They will have no cell phone Think of your life without a cell phone, especially a teenager. There will be no newspapers, no radio or any

Homily for Tuesday in the Octave of Easter Readings for the day. Easter continues to be celebrated today and we hear from John's Gospel; another story of the empty tomb.  In John, it's Mary Magdalene who is the first witness to the Resurrection.  There seems to be something different about the body of Jesus because He speaks to her but she doesn't recognize him and thinks he's the gardener. Then Jesus pronounces her name, Mary. Maybe you and I can use our imaginations to picture ourselves in the garden and then hear Jesus call our name.  What is Jesus saying to us?  How is He encountering us?  What is He asking of us?

Today is Earth Day, and now more than ever it’s time for us to give our planet much more than lip service.  Most of us say we care enough to defend our blue planet from the slow and steady erosion of its health caused by population pressures and global industrialization at an unprecedented scale, but then we do next to nothing.  We let our elected officials twiddle their thumbs while the Earth burns.  When Earth Day was established on April 22, 1970, I was in college.  It was the beginning of the environmental movement.  In fact, on December 2, 1970 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created.  Everyone seemed to wear the Earth Day logo pins and was enthusiastic for reduction of environmental pollution: land, rivers, sea, and air.   Much was accomplished, but much was left undone. So here we are 44 years later and impassioned debate continues about our planet’s fate.  However, now the threats are more profound and earth-shaking.  Global warming: is it real nearly everyo

Today's Readings  While we would say a day has twenty four hours, in liturgical speak the twenty four hours of Easter spans for eight days.  Eight days we can celebrate the Feast of Easter.  I didn't look ahead, but maybe about half of the days focus on the empty tomb and the rest on appearances of Jesus. Today we hear that he speaks to the two Marys on the way to announce His resurrection and basically says "do not be afraid".  Maybe we can hear that spoken to us today.  Whatever life is giving us these days, Christ is saying to you, and to me, "Do not be afraid".

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Easter Homily Readings for the day

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Confirmation of Ashley Kemink at the Easter Vigil, April 19, 2014

In our Easter Vigil Gospel we twice hear, “Do not be afraid,” once from an angel and the other from Jesus.  Every time I hear this command, I’m reminded of one of the best science fiction series of all time – in my opinion.  It’s the 1985 book Dune by Frank Herbert who also wrote Dune Messiah , Children of Dune , and many others.  Herbert’s main character is Paul Atreides who at the beginning of Dune introduces the “Litany against Fear” that he said when faced with terrifying and painful situations.  It goes: "I must not fear.  Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.  I will face my fear.  I will permit it to pass over me and through me.  And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.  Only I will remain." None of us at the base of Jesus’ cross – where symbolically we sat on Good Friday – needed to face fear or recite this Litany because we knew Jesus’ death w

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Homily for Good Friday Readings for today's Homily

It’s Good Friday when we read the Passion of the Lord.  So what’s good about today and Jesus’ death on the cross?  The obvious answer is “he died for our sins.”  Chances are many of us still struggle to understand this important part of our Catholic faith.  It’s a belief championed by the Benedictine monk St. Anselm of Canterbury around the year 1,000 AD.  It has stood the test of time and our tradition. Perhaps it’s best we simply focus on Jesus’ death itself and not so much on the reason for it. Perhaps we should just appreciate the manner in which he died and what it tells us about his journey from pain and suffering to peace and his passage from earthly life to eternal life. 

A man dove into a raging, swollen river to rescue a boy who had fallen in.  It was a tough struggle.  The river was high and the current very strong.  The man was tossed about, and then he reached the boy.  He grabbed him by his outstretched hand and grasped him tightly.  He felt his strength giving way and he thought the boy might slip away.  But he hung on. Suddenly he saw an overhanging tree branch.  He reached high, his hand wedged between two branches, and he hung on.  It was a miracle of God they both didn’t drown in the cold, rushing water.  

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Holy Thursday Readings for the day.

There comes a time in the lives of most of us when we have to wash someone’s feet.   Actually, more than feet when we find ourselves having to care for a loved one or even a stranger who can no longer wash him/herself.   At today’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper Jesus reminds us of the need to bow down on bended knees to serve the ones who look to us for help because they are helpless.  We give our sweat and blood to those in need by sacrificing for them as if we put our blood on their doorposts so the LORD will pass over and no destructive blow will come to them – at least for a while, we pray.   Unlike in our first reading from Exodus (12:1-8, 11-14) when an unblemished lamb is sacrificed, we who are scarred and flawed sacrifice our time and convenience in compassionate acts of mercy and love. As noted in our second reading from 1 Corinthians (11:23-26), Jesus broke bread and said, “This is my body that is for you.  Do this in memory of me.”  He gave us and still gives us his body

click the title below to view photo's from the evening Photo's ~ Christian Seder Passover Meal ~ 2014  

Wednesday’s readings contain the grand lie – the whopper told with bold-faced deception.  This lie is the height of dishonesty with shocking effects and consequences.  The lie is contained within: “He said in reply, ‘He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.  It would be better for that man if he had never been born.’ Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, ‘Surely it is not I, Rabbi?’ He answered, ‘You have said so.” Judas lied, and his grand lie makes us think about the importance of honesty.  Helping us understand this importance is Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister who delves into this topic as part of her work on spirituality detailed in her 2006 book “The Ten Commandments: Laws of the Heart.” She deals with honesty through the 8th commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”      After highlighting res

On this Tuesday, once again, Judas the Iscariot is a prominent figure, and weapons are brandished throughout our readings.  In Isaiah we hear of a sharp-edged sword concealed in the shadow of the LORD’s arm and a polished arrow hidden in the LORD’s quiver. Isaiah is the sword and arrow.  Then there’s Judas the Iscariot with Iscariot perhaps being derived from the word “sicarius” meaning political assassin or dagger-man.  Sicae were small daggers concealed in cloaks.  So much cloak and dagger in these readings!  What should capture our attention is Judas' fateful decision to take the morsel offered by Jesus and then the grand entrance of Satan.  “Satan entered him.” We all know the rest of the story all told somewhat differently in each Gospel. How many of us have daggers beneath our cloaks waiting to be used in character assassinations occurring through gossip – idle talk and rumor about other people often made “juicy” to hurt reputations and make us feel superior in some str

Readings for today's Homily Image Source Today we begin the annual experience, or reflection, of the week that we call Holy.  We will see the defeat of the cross turned into the victory of the Resurrection.  Today, in the Gospel of John, we see Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, focused on the Christ and willing to anoint his feet with oils that is worth almost a year's wages. Perhaps as we begin out week we can ask ourselves if we are focused on Jesus and willing to pay the cost to be His disciple. Are we going to make this week Holy for ourselves?

“Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.  They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”  I  must admit that this passage from the Gospel of John (12:1-3) read this Monday at the beginning of Holy Week makes me wonder.  Why is this Mary, who anointed Jesus’ feet, the sister of Martha and Lazarus while in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew the woman is unnamed and pours costly perfumed oil on Jesus’ head – not on his feet (Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9).  In Luke she is a weeping, unnamed, and sinful woman who bathed his feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with ointment (Luke 7:36-50).  It’s all quite confusing. Perhaps what best

We begin Holy Week once again with Pope Francis in the lead, and we pray for him.  Pope Francis and our Palm Sunday entrance’s Gospel donkey on which Jesus rides, remind me of a movie star of the 1950’s – Francis the Talking Mule – a mule being a cross between a donkey and a horse.  Pope Francis is going to have to be as strong as a mule – perhaps as stubborn – to effectively deal with the problems facing our Church.  We hope for his success – for victories and triumphs along his way. Today we hold palms that are symbols of victory and triumph – certainly to the Romans of Jesus’ time.  They were symbols of eternal life to the ancient Egyptians who carried palms in funeral processions. They were the symbol of Christian martyrs and their spiritual victory over death.  Palms are more than long leaves to be fashioned into crosses, and, of course, we burn them at the beginning of Lent giving us ashes for Ash Wednesday. Another symbol is provided by that Gospel donkey, referred to as

Palm Sunday

Just over a week ago, on Wednesday, I attended the wake and Funeral of my Brother-in-law’s Mother in Saugus.  Thursday, I attended the wake for my Father-in-law in Woburn.  Friday, I served at his Funeral Mass and his Committal in Arlington.  Saturday, I served at my daughter’s Confirmation in Mashpee and on Sunday, after serving at Mass, I began the Rite of Baptism, welcoming a precious infant girl into the faith, the Body of Christ. I thought about the many similarities thread through the sacraments; I anointed the infant girl with sacred Chrism at the Baptism setting her apart as a child of God.  The anointing of my daughter and her fellow Confirmation Candidates; chosen, set apart, and sent on a mission as young adults to preach the Gospel by the lives they will lead.  And about 10 days prior to that, the Priest had anointed my Father-in-law in the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick to prepare him for his heavenly homeland.

Back in early March I wrote that prominent 86-year old Catholic theologian Hans Küng had received “cordial letters” from Pope Francis including a “personal, fraternal, handwritten letter” in which he promised to read Küng’s new book.   At that time, I wondered what Küng would offer to his loyal readership, and now the Pope whom he admires and wishes well.   Provocatively titled, “ Can We Save the Catholic Church?  We Can Save the Catholic Church! ” his book will make for very interesting bedtime reading.  Then again, Pope Francis will not sleep well if he ventures too far into this scary 345 page-turner. A Swiss Catholic priest and President of the Foundation for a Global Ethic, Hans Küng is never at a loss for words laying bare what most want hidden or are too timid to say.  The global ethic program stems from Küng’s 1991 text Global Responsibility and the principle: “No peace between nations without peace between religions.”  Now he tackles again, but with renewed vigor, what he

 A little over a week from now we will be in the Triduum when we celebrate, over three days, the life, death and Resurrection of the Lord.  In both readings today, from Numbers and from John, we have an image or a hint of the cross - the Crucifixion - and the healing remedy that it brings. In Numbers we hear about the Jews in the desert and having inflictions put upon them.  Moses is told to put a serpent on a pole and to lift it up; that when people look upon the serpent they will be healed of the diseases that they have.  In John's Gospel there is a rather convoluted discussion about who I AM.  Jesus says that when the Son of Man is lifted up, then people will realize who He is. St. Ignatius, in his Spiritual Exercises, says that the retreatant should look upon the Cross, just as the Jews did and as Jesus alludes to; we should look upon the Cross and ask three questions: What have I done for you?  What am I doing for you? And what are You asking me to do? What have I don

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent Readings for today's Homily

Confirmation Class of 2014 to view photo's from the day click Photo Album ~ Book 1 and  Book 2   

Presentation and Homily for Confirmation Class of 2014 ~ Msgr. Daniel F. Hoye at Christ the King Parish.

Today's gospel shows a real battle between pride and humility. The proud Pharisees could not believe that this lowly carpenter - Jesus - was the prophet that they were all waiting for. They could not comprehend the fact that anyone of any value would come out of Galilee. The humble guards, on the other hand, showed an openness to the possibility that Jesus truly was the prophet when they said: "never before has anyone spoken like this man." In our daily lives we are challenged by pride which can move us to love ourselves. Humility on the other hand moves us to assess our true motives in life. Pride encourages us to embrace our  thoughts and blur any truth which might contradict our beliefs. Humility encourages us to listen humbly and to come to a true assessment of ourselves without merit. Jesus did not fulfill the expectations the Pharisees had of a prophet. They expected an avenging Messiah not an all loving all accepting God. In their pride, they overlooked the

A discussion arose about a colorful individual who had died recently. A person who stirred every possible emotion in the hearts of the people he dealt with - suffice to say, there are those who would miss him and those who would not. Then the question was posed: " do you think xxx is in Heaven?" At first I was tempted to put my ten dollar bill on the "no" option as an answer to that question but then I though about  what Jesus said "for as you judge so too will you be judged"  (Mathew  7:1) - I quickly put my money away. But still I wondered: is he in heaven or is he not? Further on in Mathew's gospel Jesus talks about separating the sheep from the goats on the final day. As I see it, the challenge for all of us is not necessarily to become a perfect sheep but to avoid, at all costs, becoming a goat. The best way to avoid this detriment is described in Mathew (25-40) when Jesus says: "whatever you do for the least of these brothers and sisters o

Today’s April Fools’ Day Gospel reading from John concludes with the Jews beginning to persecute Jesus.  What’s going on here?  Why the reference here and elsewhere to the “Jews” and persecution of Jesus?  After all, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and all the rest of our New Testament cast were Jews.  Jesus was not a Christian, although most Christians worship him as if he was and still is.   His being Jewish is lost on many of us.   The Gospel of John is a Jewish work reflecting the expulsion of Jesus’ followers from the synagogue sometime towards the end of the first century.  John was a revisionist Jew who split from orthodox Jews.  John’s Gospel is profoundly Jewish and reveals the pain and trauma of his community no longer being welcomed in the synagogue.  After all, Jews believed the Messiah had yet to come, but John’s Jewish community believed Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ.  The two beliefs were incompatible, so something had to give.  Believing in Jesus as the Christ was no A