The King's Corner

Getting old isn’t for sissies. The quote “Old age is not for Sissies” is often attributed to the actress and comedian Bette Davis. The expression emphasizes that aging is not a straightforward journey. It requires a willingness to confront the inevitable challenges of advancing years.  I’m not 84, but I’m old enough to be classified as “middle old” according to the classification offered by Robert Reich in his essay “How old is too old?”  For all of us “oldsters” and non-sissies I offer Reich’s opinion.  Many of us can relate to it – certainly many of us at Christ the King. (begin) Nancy Pelosi, at age 83, is running again for Congress. Mitch McConnell, at 81, has had two bouts of freezing in front of news cameras this summer. Dianne Feinstein, the California senator, 90, is having difficulty doing her job. At 80, Joe Biden is the oldest president the United States has ever had. Donald Trump, his likeliest rival in the 2024 election, is 77. Iowa senator Chuck Grassley is 89. The U.S. S

War broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God, day and night. They conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them." (Revelation 12:7-12) “War broke out in heaven.” Quite fantastical! Then again, this is from Revelation that is replete with metaphors, symbolism, and fantastical stories.  Unfortunately, too many people give

I wrote a previous blog (September 24) that dealt with fascism.  Here I include an article provided by the Center for Action and Contemplation.  It’s entitled “Choosing Love in a Time of Evil: The Modern Disguise of Evil” (May 2021).  As we get ready to end 2023 and enter 2024 that promises to be very tumultuous, our focus on “a time of evil” is essential. (begin) Reporting on the 1961 trial of Adolf Eichmann, one of the architects of the Holocaust, the Jewish philosopher Hannah Arendt (1906–1975) used the phrase “the banality of evil.” It is a shocking phrase to many because it flies in the face of our idea that evil is demonic, monstrous, and villainous, something that everybody immediately recognizes as grotesque and terrible. Arendt’s phrase actually helps explain how the Holocaust or Shoah (catastrophe) could happen. Somehow evil became commonplace. In his introduction to Arendt’s book Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil, Israeli journalist Amos Elon writes: [A

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them." Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere. (Luke 9:1-6) Wow!  Being given power and authority over all demons is quite the gift we all would like to receive.  The Twelve were fortunate.  Most of us have that power, but we don’t wield it.   What were the demons Jesus referenced?  They are what makes us evil.  Father Richard Rohr explains in his article “What do we do with evil? The spirits of the Air.” [Adapted from Richard Rohr, W

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they wish to see you." He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it." (Luke 8:19-21) This very brief passage from Luke makes it clear we are all Jesus’ brothers [and sisters] when hear the word of God and act on it.  How do we hear the word of God?  The parables preceding this passage are instructive. The Parable of the Sower: “This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God. Those on the path are the ones who have heard, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved. Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe only for a time and fall away in time of trial. As for the seed that fell among thorns, th

Worry and fear can be debilitating.  We are all debilitated to one extent or another.  Few of us can escape.  We can turn to scripture as a powerful tool in our fight against worry and fear. Here are a few verses: (1) “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  (Isaiah 41:10) (2) “…For he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:6-9) “Better act now and not later” seems to be the warning given by Isaiah.  If not, then the LORD may not be found for the LORD may not be near.  That’s a bit foreboding and a stark warning for the wicked and scoundrels who need mercy and forgiveness. Unfortunately, too many wicked scoundrels are too preoccupied with their thoughts and actions to give any care to the LORD’s thoughts.  Hence, our nation’s dilemma shared by many nations throughout the world.   Fascist thinking is far from the Lord’s thoughts. Fascists can be identified by: (1) their hate of the “other;” (2) veng

Dog spelled backwards is God.  We all know that.  It has a wonderful ring of truth.  They don’t judge or brag.  They don’t worry, and dogs greet us with seeming glee and excitement each and every time we arrive.  We should be like them.  I chose a corgi or a golden retriever.   Has God founded a Church to which we should join? Well, we believe God has – the Catholic Church, although many Catholics have left.  They have through their feet expressed disappointment and dissatisfaction in part due to poor judgment of Church leaders who judge and condemn.  They see a shortfall of mercy.  Pope Francis emphasizes mercy and has often stated: “Who am I to judge?” We believe Jesus founded our Church.  To me that always has seemed odd.  After all, Jesus was a Jew and taught in the synagogue.  Once his Jewish followers were expelled from the synagogue because they believed Jesus was the Christ – the Messiah – they and those that followed him established and organized the Christian Church separate

Beloved: Teach and urge these things. Whoever teaches something different and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the religious teaching is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes. From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions, and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds, who are deprived of the truth, supposing religion to be a means of gain.  Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it. If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that. Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains. But you, man of God,

“It’s Time for a Franciscan Renaissance,” January 18, 2023.  I post this article as part of our continued reflection on the horrific events related to September 11, 2001 (begin) “A Franciscan Renaissance would be ecological, nonviolent, economic, and inclusive” written by Center for Action and Contemplation teacher Brian McLaren joins with Catholic activist Patrick Carolan to call for a renewal of the Franciscan way in Christianity:  We have a proposal that addresses both the crises in the world at large and the crises in the Christian church: the possibility of a Franciscan Renaissance.

  Jesus said to the crowds: "To what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.' For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, 'He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is vindicated by all her children." (Luke 7:31-35) "People of this generation" were criticized by Jesus, according to Luke.  They did not dance or weep.  They were unresponsive.  In fact, they were hypocrites.  

Beloved, this saying is trustworthy: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled, decent, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with perfect dignity; for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of the Church of God? He should not be a recent convert, so that he may not become conceited and thus incur the Devil's punishment. He must also have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, the Devil's trap. Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain, holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Moreover, they should be tested first; then, if there is nothing against them, let them serve a

I’ve been reading the book “Leonardo Da Vinci” (2017) by Walter Isaacson.  It was the #1 New York Times bestseller.  He wrote books on Steve Jobs, Einstein, Benjamin Franklin and others. I was reminded of some of Da Vinci’s work holding a special place in the minds and hearts of Catholics – works such as The Last Supper, The Mona Lisa, The Virgin and Child, The Annunciation, Saint John the Baptist, The Virgin of the Rocks, and Salvator Mundi.  In 2017 the latter was purchased at auction for an astounding $450 million. Isaacson also described the relationship between Michelangelo and Da Vinci.  For example, in 1500 the two artists were in Florence, Italy with Michelangelo being 25 years and Da Vinci 48.  Their relationship was strained if not antagonistic. Leonardo didn’t care for personal religious practices.  Michelangelo was a pious Christian.

What do these four movies have in common? Ben Hur, The Godfather, The Count of Monte Christo and Skyfall starring James Bond?  Star Wars’ Revenge of the Jedi?  Obviously, revenge or retribution.  Payback. That which Jesus said we should never consider let alone do. After all, he preached forgiveness.  Right?  “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” There are many TV shows focused on revenge such as Game of Thrones. Revenge through violence is one theme that runs throughout the plots. For those of us who are honest about ourselves, we tune into this and other shows like it to witness the evil ones get their just desserts – in spades. We want to see and cheer revenge, and for the bad guys and gals to fall, and fall very hard. I’ll admit there are times when I’m one of those cheerleaders.   Many of us want those who have harmed us to be punished and to suffer the same way we have suffered at their hands.  Understandable.  Revenge is a powerful, difficult-t

Beloved: This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. But for that reason, I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:15-17) Yesterday I suggested perhaps we are to act in ways that make us beloved of Jesus.  Today we begin with us being called beloved – at least that is the way the author of 1 Timothy addressed his audience. We sinners are Christ Jesus’ beloved, and he came to save us through merciful treatment. How many people do we “save” by being merciful?  Here are Pope Francis’ top 10 quotes about mercy only two months into his papacy:

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27) According to one source I quote here: (begin) Only John mentions Jesus’ mother at the foot of the cross and the beloved disciple.  Regarding this disciple:  (1) It is this disciple who, while reclining beside Jesus at the Last Supper, asks Jesus who it is that will betray him, after being requested by Peter to do so.

This article is a follow-up to my last blog entry about the Synod and Pope Francis' vocal and disrespectful critics. My daughters have hard questions about the church. Are women deacons the answer?   April 28, 2023 by Katie Mulcahy, a Chicago-based volunteer organizer for Discerning Deacons, a grass-roots organization whose mission is to engage Catholics in the active discernment of women in the diaconate. (begin) Although I had attended Catholic school all my young life, I was never familiar with the concepts of synod, discernment and the diaconate. That was until last spring, when a friend invited me to her church for a Discerning Deacons event titled “Hope, Change and the Catholic Church.” It was a cold Sunday evening, the Oscars were on, and I did not feel like driving across the city. But this is a friend who always shows up for me, so I went.

Brothers and sisters: If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory. Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way.  But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all. (Luke 6:12-19) We read: “…even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured…”   What follows is a useful definition of unclean spirits from “Got Quest

On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up and stand before us." And he rose and stood there.  Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus . (Luke 6:6-11) "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" I’m reminded of the evil and destruction that occurred 22 years ago – September 11, 2001.  That was e

Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, " and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10) Paul in his letter to Romans provides us with Jesus in a nutshell.  After pondering this part of Romans, I conclude we all have demons which we should exorcize – expel with great haste.  For example, most of us do evil to our neighbor through social media gossip and harm.  Or we believe and spread conspiracy theories.   Alarmingly, most of us are guilty of schadenfreude (sha-den-froy-da).  I hadn’t thought about this word until I was reminded of its meaning and use through the Journal of Political Psychology. Fr

While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?"  Jesus said to them in reply, "Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions?" Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath." (Luke 6:1-5) If I was the Pharisee described in this discussion, I would have said, “He’s got me.”  Using the account of David and the bread offering, according to Luke, Jesus made his compelling argument that would have been a winning argument in any debate about work on the Sabbath.  David was bold, and so was Jesus.

What follows is an article by Michael Sean Winters (August 21, 2023) published in the National Catholic Reporter.  Although I hesitated to put it in my blog, I decided to do so because it’s a reasonable and appropriate follow-up to “World needs politicians who uphold Catholic social teaching, pope says”  (see blog end).  I realize many Catholics continue to support Trump for a variety of reasons.  If so, you might want to skip this blog although you shouldn’t if you follow and support Pope Francis as well as subscribe to Catholic social teachings. (begin) “Just when you think you are past getting shocked by Trumpism”  Watching Trumpism the past eight years as it debased everything it touched, you would think the cult of the Donald would have lost the ability to shock. The reaction to the indictment of Donald Trump and 18 others by a Georgia grand jury, however, is shocking. 

Pope Francis speaks to us.  Those of us with ears should listen.   (begin) Pope Francis blasts reactionary American Catholics who oppose church reform: Pope insists LGBTQ people are welcome in church, warns against focusing on 'sins below the waist'   by Christopher White, Vatican correspondent for National Catholic Reporter Pope Francis meets with about 90 Jesuits at their St. John de Brito College in Lisbon, Portugal, Aug. 5, 2023. This story appears in the World Youth Day 2023 feature series.  Pope Francis blasted what he described as groups of "very strong, reactionary" American Catholics, warning against becoming "backwardists" who oppose change in the Catholic Church. "The situation in the United States is not easy: There is a very strong, reactionary attitude. It is organized and shapes the way people belong, even emotionally," said the pope. "I want to remind these people that backwardism is useless, and it is necessary to understand t

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, "You are the Son of God." But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent." And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. (Luke 4:38-44)

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!"  Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region. (Luke 4-31-37) The Egyptians believed there were 36 different parts of the human body and any of them could be entered and controlled by evil spirits.  The ancient world believed that the air was thickly populated wi

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, "Is this not the son of Joseph?" He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb, 'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do he

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct." (Matthew 16:21-27) According to Matthew, Jesus said to Peter

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one – to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.'

Dr. Lavoie spoke about the Shroud of Turin at Christ the King.  He believes it is the 14-foot, one-piece shroud of Jesus and is “the sign John ingeniously concealed.”   I’m a long-time wonderer about this intriguing cloth.  I started back in 1998 when I read Time Magazine’s article: “The Shroud of Turin.  Now it’s back on display, the debate flares anew: Is this Jesus?”  I listened to some of Dr. Lavoie’s presentation.  I have read some of his book.  I appreciate his perspective and conclusions.  I suggest you read his book and draw your own conclusions.   Pope Francis has said, "…our thoughts go to the Virgin Mary, loving mother and attentive to all her children, whom Jesus entrusted to her from the cross, while he offered himself in the greatest act of love. The icon of this love   (my emphasis) is the shroud…The shroud draws (us) to the face and martyred body of Jesus and, at the same time, impels us toward the face of every suffering and unjustly persecuted person. It impels