The King's Corner

  The horrific damage to Florida is further evidence that humankind has unleashed nightmares for many people and communities - nightmares that will repeat every year in one way or another.   Helene and Milton have unleashed a fury that is all our fault.  Climate change deniers will keep denying, but those tragically affected by flooding, storm surges, and tornadoes know the reality of their and our situation. We keep munching those apples Adam and Eve couldn't refuse.  We keep messing it up. Deacon David Pierce

Brothers and sisters: If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.  I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. (Galatians 5:18-25) So close to November 5, are we guided by the Spirit or are the works of the flesh controlling us?  Will we inherit the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of Caesar?  Do we belong to Christ Jesus having crucified our flesh with its passions an

  Studies have shown that the Shroud of Turin has the image of Jesus' Resurrection. Jesus appears to "stand" before us next to the tabernacle as evidence of the Resurrection.  So-called “evidence” must be assessed with thoughtful discernment free of confirmation bias (not easy).  Is the Shroud direct evidence of the resurrection or is it serious and relevant food for thought and discussion? Is the Shroud authentic and the actual burial shroud? Are we critical thinkers as well as open-minded? Shouldn’t we be encouraged to strengthen our faith through prayer and practice, live with doubts, and not look for and insist on direct evidence, i.e., proof? I’m not a believer in the Shroud of Turin being literal, historical evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. I simply rely on my faith. I do not share many peoples’ belief using the Shroud as the way to defend and prove their faith in Jesus and his resurrection. It’s a poor way to defend and distracts from what is important, e.g., the E

We all have our favorite television programs for getting the news with commentary.  FOX News is one such outlet.  I’m strongly influence by FOX News agreeing to pay Dominion Voting Systems nearly $800 million to avert a trial in the voting machine company’s lawsuit that would have exposed how the network promoted lies about the 2020 presidential election.  According to one AP report: The stunning settlement emerged just as opening statements were supposed to begin, abruptly ending a case that had embarrassed Fox News over several months and raised the possibility that network founder Rupert Murdoch and stars such as Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity would have to testify publicly.  “The truth matters. Lies have consequences,” Dominion lawyer Justin Nelson told reporters outside a Delaware courthouse after Superior Court Judge Eric Davis announced the deal.

  As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good?  No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother"   (my emphasis). He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.  Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"  The disciples were amazed at his words. S

How many of us have bit that apple?  The snake is a slick con-reptile.  What does Pope Francis say about immigrants? Here is an example: "God walks with His people: Message of Pope Francis Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2024." (begin) “God walks with His people,” is the title chosen by Pope Francis for his Message for the upcoming World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR), which will be celebrated on Sunday, September 29, 2024. In this message, the Holy Father reminds us that all of us, God’s people, are migrants on this earth, on our way to the “true homeland,” the Kingdom of Heaven. Migrants are a contemporary icon of this people on a journey, of the Church on a journey, and at the same time, it is in them and in all our vulnerable brothers and sisters that we can encounter the Lord who walks with us.

When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. “When an unclean spirit goes out o

Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.  “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test." (Luke 11:1-4). My stone might read: "Did I pass the test?" Those who view my stone will know whether I did.  Did I love?  Did I forgive?  When it's over, it will be too late to fix what I may have broken.  We all face the final test even though we pray we won't.  Such is life, and death. Deacon David Pierce

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” (Luke 10:38-42) The M&M sisters are with Jesus.  He has them both in the palm of his hand.  Only Martha seems to melt in anger and with resentment.  Mary is not helping.  Martha asks Jesus to tell her to get to work because there is much serving to do.  Jesus sides with Mary who “has chosen the better part.”   Perhaps Jesus is telling all of us Marthas that we are anxious and worried about too many things.  Then again, today’s economic and political woes give us good reason

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise, a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and w

What follows is an article from The Catholic News Service (October 4).  It describes the last nail in a coffin hammered home by men not wanting to share ordination with women, even if it is just for the permanent diaconate.  Sorry, I don’t accept the reasoning provided by study groups.  The first paragraph of this release sets the tone for the article, and, frankly, if I was a woman seeking Holy Orders by becoming a deacon, I would be insulted.  More “necessary reflection” is needed? The “question is not mature?” The diaconate would become “a kind of consolation for some women, and the most decisive question of the participation of women in the church remains unanswered." Christ have mercy! VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- "Rushing" to open the diaconate to women in the Catholic Church would short-circuit a necessary reflection on the relationship between ordained ministry and charismatic leadership, particularly as it impacts the participation of women in the church, said the head

Job answered the LORD and said: I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be hindered. I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know. I had heard of you by word of mouth, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes.  Thus the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his earlier ones. For he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses. And he had seven sons and three daughters, of whom he called the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Kerenhappuch. In all the land no other women were as beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; and he saw his children, his grandchildren, and even his great-grandchildren. Then Job died, old and full of years. (Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17) Job

The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said: Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place.  For taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface? The earth is changed as is clay by the seal and dyed as though it were a garment; But from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered. Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, That you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? You know, because you were born before them, and the number of your years is great! Then Job answered the LORD and said: Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. T

  Here is my extra panel.  Abortion is wrong except in cases of rape and incest.  However, I refuse to use abortion as a litmus test for deciding how to vote because this important issue is used as political tool to divide us and have us vote for an amoral person.  

  36 While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  37 But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost.  38 Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 39 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.” 40 And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish;  43 he took it and ate it in front of them. 44 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 fulfilled.”  45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.  46 And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah

  Neither can I. Deacon David Pierce