The King's Corner

Jesus said to his disciples: "Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him." Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, "Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?"  Jesus answered and said to him, "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. "I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name -- he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." (John 14:21-26) All of us Church goers and dwellers should listen closely to this passage. Do we keep his words?  Do we love Jesus? These are critical questions because if we don’t, answer “y

Jesus said to his disciples: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches.  Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples." (John 15:1-8) There are few better ways to describe what we are to be as followers of Jesu

On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.” The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from th

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:1-6) Too many of us have troubled hearts.  We worry and fret over just about everything.  We especially worry about death and our fate – heaven or hell.  Frankly, Jesus has nothing to do with hell [except harrowing].  There are no places prepared for us there, although many of us do our own preparatory work through evil behavior and no repentance,   About that harrowing I’ve rea

Beloved: Clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for: God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble. So, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.  Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. To him be dominion forever.  Amen.

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.  Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.” (John 12:44-50) I sometimes wonder how to reconcile our belief in a just, merciful, and loving God with Jesus’s statement: “Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day.”  Being condemned

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”  Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:22-30) The pull of the mob is strong especially when it comes to scapegoating.  Sheep can be a mob that follows blindly and condemns what is inconsistent with their beliefs.

  This comic strip is prophetic.  Read the Boston Globe April 18 opinion piece by Joan Vennochi: "State hits the jackpot on sports gambling revenue, but what's the social cost?" The cost of treating problem gambling is staggering in part because so many people gamble away their future and burden their families with large debt. Watch a sports event on television and see the many commercials about how easy it is to bet and win.  There's a sucker born every minute.  Gambling companies know how to seduce viewers especially the young with their smart phones with which they place many bets, many being nonsensical.   Gambling is addictive and our states' governments like that.  For example, according to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, "the state has collected approximately $127.77 million in total taxes and assessments from in-person and online sports betting operations since it legalized this highly addictive activity a little over a year ago."   Seriousl

5:30 Mass Homily Our Gospel is about sheep and shepherds. It reminds me of a Mother Goose nursery rhyme. “Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn! The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn. Where is the boy that looks after the sheep?  He’s under the haystack, fast asleep.” There’s one little boy blue who is not fast asleep; who has been blowing his horn; and who is looking after the sheep in the meadow and the 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 that horn even harder when he said, “When people’s hearts are hardened, they can no longer hear what God has to say.” Now that’s a powerful Easter season message we all need to hear! Here’s another rhyme about sheep and shepherds. Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep and can't tell where to find them; Leave them alone, and they'll come home, bringing their tails behind them. When we feel like lost sheep, we nee

As one who is curiously fond of ravens and crows, I offer this recent reflection provided by Michael O’Brien (from America Media) who is a Joseph A. O’Hare, S.J., Fellow at America (begin) “ Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” Popular culture is obsessed with ghosts. There are malicious ghosts. There are friendly ghosts. There are wise ghosts. There are even funny ghosts. Whatever it is about them, it’s hard for our collective imagination to not wonder about the possibility of the existence of those who linger after death, roaming the world with purpose or without, not quite ready for the afterlife. Official church teaching on ghosts is ambiguous, but this passage from the Gospel of Luke is not.

  I'm still amazed at how many Catholics and other Christians reject evolution as real. What follows is instructive. (begin) From National Catholic Reporter, October 2014: Pope Francis on Monday waded into the controversial debate over the origins of human life, saying the big bang theory did not contradict the role of a divine creator, but even required it. The pope was addressing the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which gathered at the Vatican to discuss "Evolving Concepts of Nature." "When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so," Francis said. "He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment."

  Being on faith autopilot is risky.  Being asleep at the faith switch is perilous.  We all must put our faith into action - into good deeds.  Otherwise, it can wilt on the vine we call the Body of Christ.   Eschewing our Catholic responsibilities can put us on the slippery road to hell on which we sleepwalk in zombie-like fashion. Rather, let's switch off the autopilot and take the wheel. Deacon David Pierce

  I miss my Welsh corgis!  Brit, Owyn, and Mary Lou were my family's three beloved friends.  Those four-legged friends gave us over 30 collective years of companionship and love.  The are in heaven.  As one priest recently told me: "If there are no dogs in heaven, I don't want to go."  Me too. Deacon David Pierce

As an alternative to Bishop Barron's perspective provided in yesterday's blog, I offer the following from the Center for Action and Contemplation. (begin) Wake up from your sleep, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you — Ephesians 5:14, Jerusalem Bible   Father Richard Rohr reflects on the presence of light at the resurrection:  At the resurrection, Jesus was revealed as the eternal and deathless Christ in embodied form. Basically, one circumscribed body of Jesus morphed into ubiquitous Light. Light is perhaps the best metaphor for Christ or God. Anything exposed by the light will be illuminated and anything illuminated turns into light (Ephesians 5:13–14). 

I’m concerned and disturbed.  Why? Because the man for whom I have great respect just misled me, and all his many followers, in my opinion.  He went out on a shaky limb to provide “evidence” of the resurrection, and he provided that “evidence” as the centerpiece and thrust of his Easter Sunday sermon.  He concluded that the Shroud of Turin was that “evidence.”  I do not believe the Turin cloth has Jesus’s image made at the moment of his resurrection.  Yet Bishop Barron does. My reasoning is provided below in a previous blog entry about the Shroud.  What follows is what I wrote. (begin) 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?” 

The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have." And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfill

When it was evening, the disciples of Jesus went down to the sea, embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum. It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading. (John 6:16-21) It's about one-upmanship.  Moses split the sea.  Jesus walked on it.  John continues to emphasize that Jesus is the new Moses and is divine.  Did Moses really split the sea?  Did Jesus really walk on water?  To answer “no” to each question is perilous for any Christian expressing what they really think – their doubt. The backlash from believers in these miraculous events can be major. Astonishingly, after Jesus identified himself and

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.  Philip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little."  One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people recline." Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who

When I read the following March 28 CNN article, my first reaction was a headshake and then disgust.  Perhaps you might feel the same way.  I provide this article not as a political statement but as my reaction to blatant and shameful misuse of the Bible for personal and political gain. I offer what follows while recognizing the irony of the title of our own CTK Bible - the New American Bible.   (begin) Former President Donald Trump is officially selling a patriotic copy of the Christian Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, “God Bless the USA.” “Happy Holy Week!” Trump announced on social media Tuesday, during the most solemn period of the Christian calendar, the last week of the Lenten season marking the suffering and death of Jesus. “As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless The USA Bible.” The concept of a Bible covered in the American flag, as well as a former president’s endorsement of a text Christians consider to be sacred, has

Pope Francis is never one to pull his punches.   (begin) [from Associated Press] Pope Francis urged his priests Thursday to avoid “clerical hypocrisy” and treat their flocks with mercy as he delivered a lengthy set of marching orders to Rome-based priests at the start of a busy few days leading to Easter. A strong-looking Francis presided over a Holy Thursday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica during which the oils for church services are blessed. Later in the afternoon, he travels to Rome’s main women’s prison for the annual Holy Week ritual in which he washes the feet of inmates in a symbol of humility and service. The 87-year-old Francis, who has been hobbled by a long bout of respiratory problems this winter, appeared in good form for the morning Mass. He read aloud a long homily, after skipping his text at the last minute during Palm Sunday Mass last weekend.

Jesus said to Nicodemus: "'You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus answered and said to him, 'How can this happen?"  Jesus answered and said to him, "You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." (John 3:7-15) We know about earthly things, but heaven?  Not so much except thro

Brothers and sisters: It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.’” First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:4-10) I strongly recommend you view Bishop Robert Barron’s Sunday Sermon “Drinking the Blood of Christ” (March 9).  I learned a lot about blood sacrifices described in the Old Testament (old covenant) as compared to the new covenant referenced by Jeremiah and then Jesu

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus ca

  No, we don't need parachutes.  We need to stay in the trenches to fight hypocrisy and lies.  Our country is a wonderful place, and our greatness is reflected in how we help our neighbors at home and abroad.   Too many of us are played as suckers.  Too many of us do not know how to deal with hard times.  Our nation's big problems can only worsen if we give up and parachute away through fear and aligning ourselves with those who would damage our country. Those of us who get out while the getting is good are cowardly.  Jesus would have us stay in the fight and use him as our sword and shield against tyranny and oppression.  He is our wise man on the mountain (and plain).  We must listen to him and put his words into action; otherwise, we will remain distraught and whine.  Jesus lost patience with whinners. Deacon David Pierce

  Not where we want to be - at the end of the line.  Furthermore, we cannot compete with dogs and cats for purity of soul.  No contest. Deacon David Pierce

The separation of Church and State is important and required by the Constitution; however, that separation is hard to find in the real world of competitive and divisive politics involving the interpretation of Holy Scripture to justify just about anything. I’ve read: (begin) The first amendment to the US Constitution states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The two parts, known as the "establishment clause" and the "free exercise clause" respectively, form the textual basis for the Supreme Court's interpretations of the "separation of church and state" doctrine.  Three central concepts were derived from the 1st Amendment which became America's doctrine for church-state separation: no coercion in religious matters, no expectation to support a religion against one's will, and religious liberty encompasses all religions. In sum, citizens are free to embrace or

I realize many parishioners support Donald Trump to return to the presidency.  That’s your/their choice. To help us Catholics make our choice I include the following from the blog of the Concord Pastor (photo). Many of you may agree with this perspective and many of you will not.  Regardless, it’s important food for thought, debate, and discussion. Do his views have merit? (begin) Discerning Demagoguery /dem.a.gog/ – a person, especially a political leader, who wins support by exciting people’s emotions rather than by holding and expressing good or morally right ideas. Dear readers, I have never gotten overtly political in this forum, but recent events weigh on my conscience and compel me to share some serious concerns I have about the upcoming presidential election and its potential implications. Specifically, I would like to address the candidacy of Donald Trump.

Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.”  When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.”  Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and

This day after Easter I hope we Catholics will be thoughtful and guided by our formed Catholic consciences as we continue our discussions and debate about what makes us Catholic and informed voters who follow Jesus.  Helping us is the USCCB publication: “ Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship .” Pope Francis has said: "We need to participate for the common good. Sometimes we hear: a good Catholic is not interested in politics. This is not true: good Catholics immerse themselves in politics by offering the best of themselves so that the leader can govern." The USCCB publication begins: The Catholic bishops of the United States are pleased to offer once again to the Catholic faithful Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, our teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics. This statement represents our guidance for Catholics in the exercise of their rights and duties as participants in our democracy. We urge our pastors, lay and religious faithful,