Author: Father Albert

The Space Between Us

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Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A                                                   February 23, 2020Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette The devil is real, you know. As are the fallen angels who serve him. When I talk about demons, though, most people start thinking about ghosts. They fear shadows and strange sounds. That stuff does happen, but it’s actually pretty rare. It’s also not that big a deal. Scare tactics and not much more. Other think of possession. That is real. Superstition, Ouija boards, fortune telling, witchcraft. These things are much bigger problems – don’t dabble in them. But possession is still pretty rare....Read More

Jesus the Law

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Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A                                                        February 16, 2017Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette “Father, why are you so focused on the rules? Why can’t you just love people like Jesus did?” Because the rules are part of how Jesus loves us. Try telling your wife “I’m married to you, but I won’t be faithful.” “Father, why not make things easier?” Is that what Jesus did? See here that Jesus makes them harder. Murder? Now you can’t even be angry. Adultery? Now you can’t even think about another woman. Who can live like that? Where is the compassionate,...Read More

You Salty?

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Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                                 February 9, 2020Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette “Are you salty?” That’s a question you may have heard from a young person, a tv show, or seen on in the internet. When someone is “salty,” it means they are angry or bitter. But when Jesus called his disciples “the salt of the earth,” he didn’t mean they should go around angrily fussing at people. Sadly, that’s exactly what many people think of when the imagine Christians “preaching the Gospel.” They think of angry hypocrites using their religion to...Read More

The Way of Love

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Presentation of the Lord, A                                                                            February 2, 2020Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette Sacrifice. Real love requires sacrifice. But why? Why does love have to hurt? Because of what love is and because Adam and Eve sinned. What is love? I dream of the day every Catholic can answer that question instantly and then be able to explain it. What is love? I’ll tell you as I’ve told you before and will tell you again. Love is to will the good of another. “To will” is an old timey way of saying...Read More

Biblemas

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Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                                January 26, 2020Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette Zebulun and Naphtali. What’s a Zebulun? Who is Naphtali? Just some more funny biblical words… surely I don’t need to pay too much attention to them, right? Well, I won’t say it’s a matter of life and death, but notice that those names are said three times in the readings today. Once in the first reading and twice in the Gospel. Just like your mother, when the Bible repeats something, it means it is important. Before I tell you what...Read More

The Ordinary Point of Life

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Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                             January 19, 2020Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette “I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” That’s it. That’s the whole point of John’s life, to see Jesus and testify to his true identity. So, when he declares this, he’s also saying that his life is fulfilled, that he has arrived and that he is ready for the end. Indeed, just next week we’ll see him get arrested which soon leads to his death. The week after that, we’ll see yet another man who’s...Read More

Getting To Heaven

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Baptism of the Lord, A                                                                                   January 12, 2020Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette What does it take to get to heaven? Depending on who you ask about it, you’ll get a wide variety of answers. So many people today assume that basically everyone, including themselves, will get to heaven. Some are afraid that almost no one makes it, including themselves. Many Christians say that all it takes is accepting Jesus into your heart. Others will say it’s just a matter of being baptized and maybe going to confession close to the end. Some people...Read More

The Story of Kings

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Epiphany 2020                                                                                                January 5, 2020Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette Isn’t this gospel adventurous? Three kings from foreign lands who come to recognize the true king of Israel, all while undermining the false king Herod. A royal story that’s inspired many songs and poems. It’s fascinating to me that, in a society founded on equality and democracy, we are so attracted to the idea of kingship, of royalty. How many parents call their daughter “princess?” How many of our favorite movies and books are about kings and queens – stories like Frozen and Lion...Read More

Begin With Mary

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Holy Mary, Mother of God 2020                                                                   January 1, 2020Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette Beginning. That’s a powerful word for us, beginning. It strikes us with a sense of potential, of expectation. In reference to a difficult situation, it places weight upon us. In reference to a time of accomplishment or celebration, it fills us with hope. “It’s only the beginning.” The power, the potency of this word is fitting for the feast we celebrate today. Mary, the Mother of God begins each new year just as she began our salvation. Eve, in the...Read More

The First School of Love

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Holy Family, Year A                                                                                      December 29, 2019Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette I’ve had some pretty weird dreams. I’m not so sure I’d uproot my whole family from just a dream. What makes St. Joseph so certain that this dream is from God rather than a bad meal? Because he has learned to recognize the voice of God, to care for his family according to God’s design. Through a lifetime of prayer and discernment, Joseph has developed a sensitivity to when God asks something of him, so he recognizes the angels message...Read More