The King's Corner

The Gospel on July 16, (Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time) was about a sower sowing seed, some on a pathway, some on rocky soil, some among thorns and some on rich soil. (Mt 13:1-23) There are actually three parts to the story, the first is the parable, the second Jesus explains why he uses parables, and the third Jesus explains the parable to his disciples. Originally, Jesus probably only said the first part of the parable – the one without the explanations. The second and third part was added on at a later time when there were persecutions of Christians and many of the new converts were falling away. It was meant to give them encouragement and to reinforce perseverance. It must have been frustrating wondering if the word of God would ever take hold. At the end of the first section of the parable there is an important phrase, “Whoever has ears ought to hear.” In other words, are we really listening to what is being said? Are we getting the meaning? Have you ever been told yo

July 23, 2017 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass

Homily 4:00 PM Saturday:   Mid-July is a good time to talk about seeds.  The fruits of those seeds are flowers and vegetables that bless Cape Cod with beauty and food.  Many of us are gardeners and some are farmers so we know the hard work that’s necessary to get seeds to create plants of all sorts. A seed gives us a wonderful example of God’s creation.   A mighty oak grows from a small acorn.  A beautiful daisy arises from a formless seed.  From nothing comes something truly marvelous.  Every plant and tree in a forest comes from a seed and then they create more seeds.   The meaning of the Gospel parable about seeds as applied to all of us is explained in the text itself.  For example, “The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.&qu

“What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna”    This is part of today’s Gospel reading from Matthew (10:24-33).  First “speak in the light” means always tell the truth.  We must never be afraid of letting the light shine on us – that which symbolically occurs when we are truthful.  Unfortunately our nation is witnessing much “speaking in darkness” with lies and whispering.   Secondly, we must all “proclaim on the housetops,” that is, we must speak the truth and loudly to all who need to hear it.  Those who whisper falsehoods speak from basements and are destroyers of souls – theirs and those who follow them.

It’s July, and black flies abound in the streams and mountains of New Hampshire where my family and I like to hike and camp.  But woe to us when we run out of bug spray, and the crazed flies cloud our faces where they swarm with blood-seeking purpose.  Hey, flies gotta eat, and we all understand, but find some other victim, please!  Not a convincing request for flies parking on spray-less skin and perfumed cheeks.   Some have said that north-woods’ escapades during fly season can drive one insane.  I believe it.   Ever see “Naked and Afraid?”   Peace be with them!  Hardly.

Summer and backyard parties would seem to present great times for wine and roses.    I’m a fan although I lean towards the sweeter varieties such as Moscato and Riesling.  Roses have a prominent place in my backyard.   I always go for the Peace Rose.   Love the color, and the name.  But my childhood memories always bring me back to a movie I saw in the 1960s – “The Days of Wine and Roses” (1962) starring Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick.   It was about alcohol addiction with Jack introducing his girlfriend Lee to social drinking that eventually destroyed them both. To this day decades later I still have trouble watching those great actors portray a couple spiraling out of control, especially Lee as she becomes an alcoholic.  The movie ends badly.  My early years were affected by my father's addiction - with wine and roses meaning not opportunity for love, but sadness and disappointment. 

In the book “The Once and Future Faith (2001), Karen Armstrong said, “Today we have lost the ability to think mythologically, as people by and large did in the premodern world.  In the 18th and 19th centuries, scientific rationalism made such huge strides and achieved such astounding results in the West that reason and logic became the only valid means of arriving at truth.   The more intuitive approach of myth was discredited.  As a result, in popular parlance, a ‘myth’ simply means something that is not true.  This means that we interpret our scriptures in a wholly literal way, instead of seeking the metaphysical and allegorical interpretations that mystics, kabbalists, and theologians relished before the advent of modernity.  Not surprisingly, the mythos of the Bible has become incredible to many people.  So has God.” She concluded, “If the faith is to have a future, we must be creative and selective with our scriptures and doctrines, as religious people have always been.”   Pus

Dress for success is a well-known expression.   Chess for success is even better because chess deals with our interior and not the clothes that present some desirable image that may not reflect who we really are.  “Chess for Success” is the title of a 2005 book that continues, “Using an Old Game to Build New Strengths in Children and Teens.”   Considering the mix of temptations, threats, and pressures facing our children, we know they need new and renewed strength.  The author states: “One of the greatest skills to teach anyone is the ability to distinguish between quality and garbage.  Saturated as we are with media, videos, and political spins, our ability to evaluate takes on mind-saving importance.  In chess, the act is just as rigorously needed, as all moves and countermoves have to be held to the highest standard.  Ideas and situations have to be assessed fairly accurately, and the slightest misjudgment might lead to an overestimation of one’s chances… Knowledge, comprehens

Mistakes happen.  That’s life.   But, too often we make people pay for their mistakes by enacting some sort of punishment.   Does the punishment really fit the crime?   We’re all too human, and we trip up.  We make mistakes.   Some can be serious with others being trivial.  Regardless of the severity one thing is for sure, and it’s highlighted in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It’s time we all practice what we pray and listen to Matthew who has Jesus tell us: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged.  For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.  Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye…” (7:1-3).  

July 9, 2017 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings for today's Homily To watch Mass in its entirety click The Mass