The King's Corner

Homily for November 1, 2015 Solemnity of All Saints Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

This weekend we revert to Standard Time.  Not one of my favorite things to do.  While we gain an extra hour of sleep, it also means that it will be getting dark before supper.  The days keep getting shorter.  While I don't get depressed per se, I know that the ever increasing darkness impacts me in a negative way.  A few years ago I recall seeing some contraption that shed light on a person.  It was sold on the theory that it served as extra daylight and could lift your mood.  Maybe I should go on Amazon to see if they still sell them.  Just kidding.  This too shall pass and in a few months it will be daylight savings time again. Monsignor Hoye

Soon we will celebrate the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls.  These two days remind us that we are connected with those who have died.  I recall talking with a Protestant Minister a few years ago.  He said that they do not believe that our prayers on earth have any effect on the dead.  As Catholics, we believe that we can pray for the dead and if they are in the process of purification to be welcomed into heaven, our prayers can assist them.  I like our approach better!  On All Saints we honor those who have fought the good fight and won the race.  On All Souls we assist those still in the race Monsignor Hoye

Today is the Feast of Simon and Jude.  Not much is known about these two apostles but St. Jude has become known as the Saint of Impossible Causes.  I like to put that in a more positive way by saying Jude reminds us that it always possible to hope, even in the face of death itself.  Hope, it is said , is not believing that everything will turn out as we would want but knowing that however things turn out, God is with us. Monsignor Hoye

I know I’ve shared this story before, but anytime I hear this reading from Paul to the Romans, I have a flashback.  43 years ago as a newly ordained priest, I was visiting a man in what was then I guess a precursor of hospice, it was a hospital just for cancer patients who were dying.  Ian Davis was his name – it’s in my head. I went into his hospital room, and he was in his robe and sitting down.  I said to him, “Well Ian, how are you doing?”  He said to me, “Well you know Father,” (not even a Monsignor then!) “it’s Romans 8:18.”  I said, “Oh, yes,” not having a clue what Romans 8:18 was.  When I got home, I opened up my bible, and here is the reading that we had today.  “I consider the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared to the glory to be revealed in us.” That man gave me a lesson that I have never forgot—that the sufferings of the present are nothing compared to the glory to be revealed in us.  It’s a lesson all of us can have. Monsignor Daniel Hoye

Homily for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ October 25, 2015 Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

Tomorrow – Sunday – is World Priest Day.  It’s a day to thank our priests for all that they do, and to thank God for placing them in our lives.  It also serves as a reminder that we need to pray for our priests, and for more priests! Here at Christ the King, we have been extremely blessed with a terrific Pastor, Msgr. Daniel Hoye.  He is a great leader of our Parish and is a true example of what priesthood is—selfless service to the Lord.  He truly cares for his parishioners and all who worship at the table; offering wisdom, prayerful advice, and guidance to all - especially through his homilies!  In his 9 and a half years as Pastor here, Msgr. Hoye has helped our parish grow in so many ways and has made it clear that we are a very welcoming parish.  His example is an inspiration to all - myself included.  We thank Msgr. Hoye for his dedication and service to our parish! We are also blessed with the assistance of Fr. Tom Wyndham, a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Boston, wh

Yesterday was the Feast Day of St. John Paul II.  JPII is a favorite of mine, as I am an alum of Saint John Paul II High School (it was still Pope John Paul II High School when I graduated!).  One of my favorite JPII sayings is “Be not afraid!”  Perhaps I like it so much because there are so many ways it can be applied to life. There is so much that stresses us out and causes us worry in life—we all have something that causes this. Perhaps that stress is problems at home, work, or at school.  Maybe it’s a particular struggle we are facing—relationships, financial, illness, injury, or a certain sin that is causing angst.  I know right now it’s Midterm Exam season at school, and many students (like yours truly) are stressed about that. Whatever it is, we have to remind ourselves not to be afraid, and that the worries of today will someday be wiped away.  In Romans 8:18, we hear, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be reve

On Sunday, I joined fellow RAs from the other freshman buildings to go apple picking.  We try to make it a point once a semester to bond and do something fun together.  It was a very cool, crisp fall afternoon in Maine; we even had a few snowflakes…winter's coming, folks! There are TONS of apple orchards in the Southern Maine area, and I mean tons!  It is amazing how many apple trees there are that bear so much fruit.  On the drive back, I remembered the words of Matthew about everybody bearing fruit.  “Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:17-20) If we look at that and understand it, we can see that our actions shape who we are.  We have to continue to bear good fruit—good actions—to be that good tree.  I am reminded of the twelve F

You may have seen the bumper sticker that says, “The one who dies with the most toys wins!”  That’s the exact opposite of the message that we hear in the Gospel today.  Jesus is saying if you are so obsessed with possessions, with things, then you have missed the point. Maybe you and I this day can look at ourselves and ask, do I focus too much on things and not on people? Monsignor Daniel Hoye

Homily for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ October 18, 2015 Readings for today's Homily   To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

Homily for the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ October 11, 2015 Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

Sunday marked the opening of the second phase of the Synod on the Family which ends on October 26. Bishops and Cardinals from around the world will be meeting to determine several aspects of the family, including homosexuality, Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics, and other hot button issues including contraception, abortion, and euthanasia. An incident at the Falmouth Hospital where I am chaplain illustrates how this affects so many people who want to be part of the Church but can’t. Already on the first day of the synod there seemed to be battle-lines developing which may pit on side against the other. That is sad. Pope Francis opened the meeting with some encouraging, positive, inclusive words. He said “the Synod is not a parliament where in order to reach a consensus we start to negotiate, making deals and compromises. The lone method in the synod is to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit with apostolic courage, with evangelical humility and confident, trusting p

In the weeks before his visit to the United States, Pope Francis requested the presence of all seminarians at the canonization mass of Saint Junípero Serra in Washington, D.C. This was the first canonization to be celebrated on American soil, and I was privileged to be one of the ninety–four seminarians from Saint John’s Seminary in Brighton to be in attendance. I was elated when the seminary first informed us of this upcoming trip by email, for I believed that having the opportunity to see the Vicar of Christ would become a great source of inspiration for me as I continue to discern towards the priesthood. We traveled to the nation’s capital by bus, leaving the afternoon before and arriving in Baltimore late that evening. During our ride down, we would pray both morning and evening prayer from the divine office as well as the rosary. It was especially interesting to see the different reactions we would receive at our various stops along the way, during which a mob of men in clerical

The term Good Samaritan is almost universally known, and we hear that story in the Gospel today.  The priest and the Levite who know the law in their head, bypass the man who has been robbed. It’s the Samaritan—the enemy of the two really—who understands the law with his heart and with his hands, falls through with compassion. As we go through this day, may we look for opportunities—maybe not as traumatic as this—but opportunities where we can read compassion with our heart and with our hands. Monsignor Daniel Hoye

Homily for the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ October 4, 2015 Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

"Don't think about why you question, simply don't stop questioning.  Don't worry about what you can't answer, and don't try to explain what you can't know.  Curiosity is its own reason. Aren't you in awe when you contemplate the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure behind reality?  And this is the miracle of the human mind - to use its constructions, concepts, and formulas as tools to explain what man sees, feels, and touches.  Try to comprehend a little more each day.  Have holy curiosity." This is a quote from Albert Einstein.  Who says scientists don't understand?   They explain what we see, feel, and touch.   That which cannot be seen, felt, or touched is an entirely different matter.   Let's just stand in awe at the wonder of it all, and say our prayers. Deacon David Pierce

Listen to the Prophet Nehemiah from today’s first reading. “The whole people gathered as one in the open spaces within Madison Square Garden, Central Park, and Ground Zero and they called upon Francis the Pope to speak for the poor, against evil, for justice, and for love.  He brought forth the Good News that our God has given us – Good News prescribed for the whole world.” “On the 25th day of the ninth month, therefore, Francis the Pope brought his blessings, warnings, and hope-filled words before the assemblies which consisted of men, women, and those children old enough to understand – people of all faiths – and they all listened attentively while taking pictures and selfies.”