Author: Father Albert

Daily Collection: Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter is: "Grant, O merciful God, that we may experience at all times the fruit produced by the paschal observances. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection A single sentence and a simple request are all we have today. By asking to experience the "fruit" at "all times," the Church is inviting us to a deeper understanding of what that "fruit" really is. If we are seriously asking, in a liturgy,...Read More

Saved by Free Gift or by Free Will?

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Homily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter                                                     May 6, 2018 Fr. Albert                                                                                      St. Peter’s, New Iberia  Well, which is it? Are we saved because God loves us or because we obey him? It really seems like Scripture is talking out of both sides of its mouth. The first reading emphasizes doing what is right. The second reading God’s love. And the Gospel seems to flip flop! In that first reading, we see Cornelius being baptized. He was a Roman – a Pagan. But, he evidently acknowledged the God of Israel and even gave money...Read More

Daily Collection: Sixth Sunday of Easter

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for the Sixth Sunday of Easter is: "Grant, almighty God, that we may celebrate with heartfelt devotion these days of joy, which we keep in honor of the risen Lord, and that what we relieve in remembrance we may always hold to in what we do. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection We are still in the Easter season, which means we are still celebrating the risen Lord. Such a long season can become boring to us, so we...Read More

Daily Collection: Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter

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The Collect for Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter is: "Almighty and eternal God, who through the regenerating power of Baptism have been pleased to confer on us heavenly life, grant, we pray, that those you render capable of immortality by justifying them may by your guidance attain the fullness of glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection Continuing our Easter theme, this prayer begins by reminding us that Baptism allows us to enter into heavenly life.  Then,...Read More

Daily Collection: Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter

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The Collect for Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter is: "Grant us, Lord, we pray, that, being rightly conformed to the paschal mysteries, what we celebrate in joy may protect and save us with perpetual power. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection Conformity to the paschal mysteries is the means or the foundation for what we are asking of God. By conformity, we mean that our way of looking at the world should reflect the fact that we...Read More

Daily Collection: Memorial of St. Athanasius

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The Collect for the Memorial of St. Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church: "Almighty ever-living God, who raised up the Bishop Saint Athanasius as an outstanding champion of your Son's divinity, mercifully grant, that, rejoicing in his teaching and his protection, we may never cease to grow in knowledge and love of you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection St. Athanasius fought hard before during and after the council of Nicaea to ensure that the truth about Jesus...Read More

Daily Collection: Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

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The Collect for Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter is: "O God, who restore us to eternal life in the Resurrection of Christ, grant your people constancy in faith and hope, that we may never doubt the promises of which we have learned from you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection Before the first sin, we had eternal life, but the first sin brought death. By bringing our human nature through death and back to life, Christ has...Read More

Daily Collection: Memorial of St. Pius V

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The Collect for the Memorial of St. Pius V, Pope: "O God, who in your providence raised up Pope Saint Pius the Fifth in your Church that the faith might be safeguarded and more fitting worship be offered to you, grant, through his intercession, that we may participate in your mysteries with lively faith and fruitful charity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection St. Pius lived during the Protestant rebellion. He became Pope shortly after the council of Trent...Read More

Do you belong?

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter                                April 22, 2018 Fr. Albert                                                              St. Peter’s, New Iberia  Do you belong? Do you belong to St. Peter’s parish? To the Church as a whole? Sure, many of you are registered parishioners and many of you contribute to the collection, but do you really belong? And it’s not like Fr. Blanda and I just want to brag about the numbers. Truly, this is a question that should matter to you more than anyone else. Because, well, Jesus is quite blunt about what it means for you...Read More

Daily Collection: Fifth Sunday of Easter

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for the Fifth Sunday of Easter is: "Almighty ever-living God, constantly accomplish the Paschal Mystery within us, that those you were pleased to make new in Holy Baptism may, under your protective care, bear much fruit and come to the joys of life eternal. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection Notice that this is not a description but a request; We are asking God to continue to accomplish the Paschal Mystery within us. Although Christ died and...Read More