The King's Corner

During the Easter Season, we read from the Acts of the Apostles, which gives us a history of the early Church.  Today we heard of one of the critical decisions that was made by Peter, that the followers of Christ would not simply be a Jewish sect, but a universal Church.  They would go out to the Gentiles and be part of it. Sometimes in many ways, we make our God too small.  We have a certain image of God that fits the way we see things.  What we hear today is that the Spirit comes to everyone.  You may have heard the old story of a group of new arrivals in Heaven, and Peter was showing them around.  They came across this big wall, and one of the new members said, “What’s that?”  He said, “Well it’s a sound proof room, and we keep all the Catholics there because they think that they are the only ones who are here.” Monsignor Daniel Hoye

Video message from Bishop Edgar da Cunha 2015 Catholic Charities Appeal - Cape & Islands Deanery - church version from Media Image Productions, Inc. on Vimeo .

One of my favorite sets of Sunday readings comes in a couple of weeks during the Sixth Sunday of Easter . The Gospel of John is especially poignant. Over the years I have spent many hours meditating on various parts of that reading, always finding new insights, new material to ponder. Of particular interest is the phrase “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” I have had many varied insights to what that means for me and I have given a homily on those thoughts. But this time Jesus’ emphasis on love is what affected me the most. “Love one another as I have loved you.” Jesus says this more than once in that reading. “No one has any greater love than this than to lay down one’s life for ones friends.” “As the father loves me so I also love you.” In the second reading from that Sunday in the letter of John, he says, “God is love.” He further says “In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.” How much more

Pope Francis has declared an Extraordinary Jubilee Year starting on Dec 8 2015, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and ending on Nov 20, 2016, the Feast of Christ the King, our namesake. The theme is mercy. Since Francis has become pope, he has very much focused on a compassionate, forgiving, merciful Church. He has change the emphasis from condemning to forgiving. Although he has not changed doctrine or rules, he has changed the approach of the Church to a more pastoral role, one where the care of the soul is more important than rigidly following rules. After all, we are all sinners and make mistakes. As Jesus says to the accusers of the adulterous woman in John 8:7 “Let the one who is without sin be the first to cast a stone.” But he also says to that same woman, “go and sin no more.” I think of another phrase that Jesus uses in Mark 14:38 , “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” We are all sinners and make mi

It’s true that the Feast of Easter is about the Resurrection of the Lord, but there is another dimension to the celebration.  It’s the promise that you and I have received that we too will arise and have everlasting life.  That’s the declaration that Jesus makes in the Gospel of John today, “The will of the Father is that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” What a gift, what a promise. Monsignor Daniel Hoye

The other day a friend of mine and I were talking about what we were going to have for dinner.  He said, “You know, I’m craving fried chicken!”  Fried chicken?! We all have cravings for different foods at different times.  The people in the Gospel story today were craving for more food – the bread that Jesus had given them before when He fed the five thousand.  They followed Him, looking for Him, and Jesus says, “You’re just craving for more food.  What you ought to be craving for is the Word of God.” Maybe as we hear this Gospel today, we can be aware of the spiritual cravings that we have that God can fulfill.  Maybe we’re craving for the grace to forgive someone, or craving for the grace to help us overcome that habit that’s been with us for so long. We have to acknowledge our hunger and allow the Lord to feed us. Monsignor Daniel Hoye

A woman had just returned to her home from Church when she was startled by an intruder.  She caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables.  She yelled, “Stop! Acts 2:38!" The passage she shouted reads: “Repent and be baptized…in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” When hearing the woman’s shout, the burglar stopped in his tracks.  She then calmly called the police and explained what she had done.  As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar, "Why did you just stand there? All the lady did was yell scripture to you."

Readings for 3rd Sunday of Easter : Acts 3.13-15,17-19; Ps 4.2,4,7-9; 1 Jn 2.1-5a; Lk 24.35-48. What a powerful, awesome experience that must have been in the gospel today, that of Christ appearing before the disciples. They were surprised and terrified. They had recently seen their dear and beloved leader crucified and killed on a cross. They were afraid because they thought the same thing might happen to them so they were hiding in the upper room. They had heard the story about the two disciples who said they had seen Jesus on the road to Emmaus. But they weren't sure if they really believed that story. They didn't know what to think. They were confused and distraught. Then Jesus appears before them and says “Peace be with you”. They thought they were seeing a ghost! But Jesus says “Peace be with you,” which means “May God give you every good thing.” Jesus brings peace and calm and joy and excitement to them. Then he asked them “Do you have anything to eat?” A ghost do

Homily April 19, 2015 The Third of Easter Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

It’s often said that the reading that we heard today from John, especially John 3:16, is the Gospel within the Gospel.  It summarizes the good news that we hear.  It reads, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” Commentators often say that it tells us at least two things.  The initiative in our relationship with God comes from God; not us, we don’t cause it to happen.  God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.  Secondly, the relationship is based on love.  We sometimes have negative images of God – that God is looking to catch us in our mistakes or in our sins.  God is relating to us based on His love – not His desire to punish. So we hear the good news today, that God loves us and wants to save us. Monsignor Daniel Hoye

Today's Gospel is one of my favorites for several reasons but when Jesus says "do not be unbelieving, but believe" it's Thomas' answer that touches on a prominent mile-marker in my own faith Way, way, back in Sister Dora Lise's 2nd grade class at Saint Catherine's in Somerville, she taught us to pray "My Lord and my God." when the priest raises the host during the Eucharistic prayer.  Then when he raises the chalice to repeat "my Lord and my God" but add, "My Jesus, Mercy".  I have done so ever since.  Coincidentally, two years ago I was at a weekday morning Mass at St Anthony's and heard someone behind me repeat the same prayers, he could have been a classmate! Over the years I have found more and more of these short prayers, called Aspirations.  They are simple prayers which are easy to learn and memorize and you can use these prayers in good times or at times you feel that nothing is going right.  Before you lose all

Homily April 12, 2015 The Second Sunday of Easter Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

Our Gospel reading from Mark (16:9-15) has Jesus saying to the “eleven at the table:” “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”  Very appropriate, and timely!   Pope Francis is set to publish an encyclical letter about the environment this summer. According to the March 28 issue of the National Catholic Reporter: “The Catholic church supports the efforts of scientists to study the causes and effects of climate change and insists governments and businesses must get serious about specific commitments for protecting the environment. But Pope Francis, like his predecessors, does not pretend to have a technical solution to the problem. However, he does feel a responsibility to remind Christians of their religious obligation to safeguard creation, beginning with human beings who are created in the image and likeness of God.

All might remember this Mother Goose nursery rhyme.  “Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn!  The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn.  Where’s the boy that looks after the sheep?  He’s under the haycock, fast asleep.” There’s one little boy blue who has been blowing his horn and looking after the sheep.  No sheep in the meadow and no cows in the corn.   It’s Pope Francis who recently said, “Christians either love God and their neighbor or they are hypocrites; there is no middle ground.”  He blew even harder when he said, “When people’s hearts are hardened, they can no longer hear what God has to say, like those who accused Jesus of using the power of the devil which is a typical accusation made by ‘legalists’ or those who believe life follows the law they make.  The same thing has happened in the Church.”

Good grief!  Again with the condemnation of Jews!   Our reading from Acts (3:11-26) says: “When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, ‘ You children of Israel , why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death , but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you. Now I know, brothers and sisters, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did ; but God has thus brought to fulfillment wha

We move from the empty tomb experiences to the appearances of the Resurrected Christ. Today we have the famous story about the Road to Emmaus, and it's something that we do here every day. We hear the scriptures as the disciples did, and we break the bread. Are we attentive to the presence of Christ in our midst? Monsignor Daniel Hoye

Today’s Gospel reading is about Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).   Has Jesus himself drawn near and walked with us today?  If so, have we recognized him?  The two disciples on the way to Emmaus from Jerusalem didn’t.  Their eyes were prevented from recognizing him, until after he was with them at table, took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Find him hidden among the doves (refocus your eyes). Pope Francis highlighted Emmaus in his July 22-29, 2013 visit to Brazil.  He said the following about our needing a “Church of Emmaus” as reported by Thomas Reese of the National Catholic Reporter:  “Using the Gospel story of Emmaus, Francis talked to the bishops about people who have left the church because they ‘now think that the church  - their Jerusalem - can no longer offer them anything meaningful and important.’ He does not blame the culture, he does not harangue against relativism, c

“On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people, ‘Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”   This is how the first reading from Acts begins (2:36-41).   As I noted yesterday, the Jews as a people – the “whole house” of Israel – are blamed for Jesus’ crucifixion, and that has led to anti-Semitism throughout the centuries.     Consider the seldom referred to 1965 Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions ( Nostra Aetate ) proclaimed by Pope Paul VI who said: “True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ; still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today.  Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures.  All should see to it

I offer this reminder to all who participated during Holy Week, especially through the Passion readings.  The Jews did not kill Jesus!  In our first reading from Acts (2:14, 22-33) Peter spoke with a “raised voice and proclaimed” that all Jews should listen to his words.  He claimed, “You who are children of Israel” killed the “God-commended” Jesus, the Nazorean, by using “lawless men to crucify him.”  So much harm has been to the Jews throughout the world and the ages by Christians mistakenly believing (or wanting to believe) the Jews killed Christ.   So many people haven’t even appreciated the fact that Jesus was a Jew, not a “Christian.”  Historically, our Church hasn’t done much to change that “killer” perception, although Vatican II was a milestone for attempting to set the record straight.   Nevertheless, perceptions die hard, and our Passion readings we recite every Holy Week perpetuate the horrible appellation: “Christ-killers,” even though that language is not used.

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Three in one.  That is what we are about to do this week: celebrate one event in three days.... the death and resurrection of the Lord.  Some speak of one symphony with three movements.  On Thursday we mark the institution of priesthood and eucharist. On Friday, that is paradoxically called Good, we focus on the passion and death of the Lord.  And on Saturday it is the great Vigil of Easter.  Here at Christ the King on Saturday we rejoice in the baptism of one adult, the reception into the church of another adult and the confirmation of a third adult.  It is a long but rich liturgy.  I recall when I was a child, the Holy Saturday liturgy was done in the morning with hardly anyone in the Church. I can remember big washtubs filled with water that was blessed and folks took home small bottles of Easter water.  Thankfully we now have full churches marking this great feast. Hope you find the time to participate in some or all of the liturgies of Holy Week. Monsignor Hoye