The King's Corner

Lent is about mercy, among many other things.  Mercy transforms.   Acts of mercy – acts of love – can change those who are desperate, fearful, and lost.  Love will buy their soul and give it to God through our individual acts of mercy – loving behavior captured by “I forgive you,” or “I’m here to help you out of your despair.” Now that’s an example of our showing mercy to others.  Consider this story.  There was a wise and loving grandmother who lived by herself and was getting up in years.  One Christmas she decided that instead of buying presents for each of her grandkids, she would write them a check, send a card, and include the words, “Buy your own present.”   As she drove away from the Post Office, she felt good about getting those cards in the mail until she got home and found the pile of checks she had forgotten to include.  Each grandkid opened a card that said, “Buy your own present,” but there were no checks.

No burning bushes today or opportunities to look God in God’s face – like Moses in today’s reading from Exodus?   God called out from the burning bush: “Moses! Moses!”  Then, “Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” I don’t know about you, but I’d look.   What’s the worst that could happen?   I’d turn into a pillar of salt?  Hardly.  In fact, Jesus always says, “Be not afraid,” so I’m looking, and what would I see?  If the only way to “see” God is in fire, then maybe I’ll look into the fireplace on a cold and snowy evening hoping to see God and hear, “David! David!”  That would be nice, but somewhat terrifying since the devil is associated with fire.  So who would be really calling me?  Then again, the Holy Spirit has been likened to tongues of fire, so why worry?  I still have trouble with the image.  Fire: sometimes it burns and sometimes it doesn’t.  Whatever!

Homily for February 28, 2016 Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

Lk 16:19-31 We hear a very moving story in the Gospel of Luke today. We have this rich man who dressed in lavish garments and fine linen and who ate extravagantly every day. On the other hand, we have poor Lazarus who was covered in sores, had nothing to eat except an occasional scrap of food fallen from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. When they died, Lazarus went to heaven and the rich man went to hell. Now the rich man hadn’t done anything really wrong. He hadn’t beaten Lazarus up. He hadn’t kicked him or prevented him from lying at his doorstep. In fact, the rich man had probably done everything that was expected of him as he probably was a devout Pharisee. He broke no commandments. In fact, according to the listeners at the time, riches were a sign of God’s blessing This might cause us to stop and reflect on those times when we thank God for our blessings. Where did they come from and how have we used them. I also think of the times I may have

Gen 15:5-12.17-18; Ps 27; Phil 3:20-4:1; Lk 9:28-36 Today we hear about the Transfiguration, the Transformation, the Revealing that Jesus is the Son of God. That must have been an awesome and life changing experience for Peter, James and John. And yet, at the end of the Gospel it says, “they fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.” I wonder if they thought they were seeing things. If someone told you, “you are seeing things” they would be implying “I think you are out of touch with reality” and wouldn’t believe what you are saying. Maybe the apostles felt the same way. They had just seen Jesus transfigured and in conversation with Moses and Elijah. Or had they? After all, they had just woken up from a deep sleep.And sometimes you don’t quite know where you are or if something is a dream or reality. So they kept quiet about for a time So Why Does God Remain Hidden To Us And Did Not Stay Fully Revealed To His Apostles? Why does he keep us in the dark

10:30 AM Homily One day an old man was slowly walking along a country lane with his dog and his mule. Suddenly a speeding pick-up truck careened around the corner, knocking the man, his mule, and his dog into a ditch. They were all badly injured. The old man decided to sue the driver of the truck for the cost of the damages. While the old man was on the stand, the lawyer for the defense cross-examined him by asking a simple question: "I want you to answer 'yes' or 'no' to the following question:  Did you or did you not say at the time of the accident that you were 'perfectly fine'"?   And the man replied, "Well, me and my dog and my mule were walking along the road … " And the counsel for defense said, "Stop, stop, I asked you, tell me 'yes' or 'no.'  Did you say you were 'perfectly fine' at the time of the accident? " "Well, me and my dog and my mule were walking along the road and … "

Homily for February 21, 2016 Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

As we begin the first week of Lent, the Church puts in front of us this reading from Leviticus and Matthew.  Leviticus contains many of the 613 Commandments in the Old Testament.  Most of them in this particular reading are in the negative, “Don’t do this; don’t do that,” until the very end when we hear, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  That’s the Commandment that Jesus lifts up when he was asked, “What is the most important commandment?”  He would say, “Love God and love your neighbor.” That’s the underlying theme in the Gospel, that when we see the hungry, the naked, the thirsty, so on and so forth.  Jesus says, “Whatever you did for the least ones, you did it for me.”  Maybe that would be part of our prayer today – how can we be more sensitive to the needs of others?  How can we see the Christ present in the other?  How do we love neighbor as ourselves? Monsignor Daniel Hoye

Homily for February 14, 2016 Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

February 10, 2016 Readings for today's Homily

It seems like it was just Christmas but today is Ash Wednesday.  Hard to believe.  Today lots of folks will receive ashes on their foreheads in the ancient sign of renewal, repentance, conversion and change. What will you do this Lent?  How will you participate in the three fold traditional response of prayer, penance and acts of charity?  Make a plan.  Make it reasonable but make it real. A few more minutes of prayer each day?  Maybe Mass during the week if possible?  What can we "give up"?  Not just food or drink but giving up gossip or giving up grudges.   Much more difficult than chocolate or other sweets.   How can we reach out to our brothers and sisters and make thier lives just a little bit better. The ashes on our foreheads will wash away.  May the love of the Lord in our hearts carry us through to the joys of Easter Sunday Monsignor Hoye

We are in the beginning months of the Year of Mercy.  It is an invitation we have been given to reflect on the mercy God offers to us over and over again.  God never says "This is your last chance...no more forgiveness after this time." I have been a priest for almost forty four years and I never cease to be amazed by the gift I have been given to assure penitents that indeed their sins are forgiven.   At times I have heard folks say, "Is what I have done too much for God to forgive"  Never, I assure them. This Year of Mercy doesn't give us MORE forgiveness.  It simply reminds us of the great love the great God has for all of us. If you have not celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) in awhile, maybe you should put it on your "to do list" for Lent.  Mercy awaits you.  We have confessions every Saturday from 3:00 to 3:30 PM  and extra times during holy week:  Monday 11 to 11:30 AM, 7:00 to 7:30 PM and Saturday  11 to 11

Homily for February 7, 2016 Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

I am home for the weekend to help out with Saturday’s Confirmation Retreat at Christ the King.  I enjoy coming back every year; it’s always a rewarding and spiritually uplifting experience to help out.  This year, we have students from Holy Trinity Parish in West Harwich joining us—making for an extra big group! I remember my own Confirmation Retreat, some six years ago (yikes!).  It was a day filled with the Spirit.  You hear how the Spirit has worked in the lives of the team members, and you learn how to grow.  It truly is a great day that allows the candidates to prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in April with the theme, Anchored in the Holy Spirit .  All of the students have the opportunity to celebrate Reconciliation, too.  The day concludes with the Celebration of Mass, where we will gather around the table with the rest of our parish family. Please pray for the Confirmation Candidates, team, and all involved in Saturday’s Confirmation Retreat.  May it be a s

Last month I celebrated my 70th birthday.  As my grandmother would say, I am now in my 71st year.  Wow!! For decades our diocese has allowed any priest who has reached 70 to retire.  It is not mandatory to submit a letter of retirement until you reach 75 but my letter went in last month.  I have not heard back from the bishop but I expect him to accept my request as well as my offer to stay on until the Spring assignments. I won't be retiring from priesthood per se but from administration.  So no more concerns about money or leaks or personnel issues.  No more meetings.   It can snow all it wants and it will be of no concern of mine! I intend to help out part time in another parish and to spend part of the winter months in warmer climates!  There will be more time to read and relax and, I hope, more time to pray. Folks are asking me what kind of "farewells" we will have.  If it was up to me, I would just "go quietly into the night" but I sense some

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Blaise, the patron saint of illnesses of the throat.  Many folks associate St. Blaise with the annual blessing of the throats.  The blessing uses candles that are generally blessed on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, (also known as “Candlemas”) just the day before. Upon doing some research on St. Blaise, I learned that he was believed to begin as a healer, then became known as a “physician of souls,” in both a physical and spiritual sense.  I immediately thought of the many priests I have met over the years and how they are “physician of souls” too – in a spiritual sense. The candles are placed around the person’s throat, and the following blessing is prayed aloud: Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness.  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps today, we can pray for all those who suffer fro