Author: Father Albert

Third Sunday of Advent

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the Third Sunday in Advent, Gaudete Sunday. Collect: O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord's Nativity, enable us, we pray, to attain the joys of so great a salvation and to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord's Nativity" - This prayer takes for granted that, as Christians, we are actually anticipating a celebration of the Lord's birth rather than looking forward to parties and gifts (or already acting...Read More

Seven Paths to Joy

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for 3rd Sun Adv, Year B Fr. Albert St. Peter’s, New Iberia, LA [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Seven-Paths-to-Joy.wav"][/audio]   Article for O Antiphons: http://familyfeastandferia.com/2010/12/o-antiphons/ O Antiphon prayer guide: http://familyfeastandferia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/O_antiphons_prayer_companion_rev2015.pdf ♫Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you O Israel♫. That joyful refrain is from one of the best known Christmas hymns in the Christian tradition. And it is a great time to sing it since today is Gaudete Sunday and that word means “rejoice.” And that’s why I am wearing this bright color, because rose vestments represent great joy. Twice a year we do this, during Advent and Lent. In both cases it is...Read More

St. John of the Cross

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the memorial of St. John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church. Collect: O God, who gave the Priest Saint John an outstanding dedication to perfect self-denial and love of the Cross, grant that, by imitating him closely at all times, we may come to contemplate eternally your glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who gave the Priest Saint John an outstanding dedication to perfect self-denial and love of the Cross" - Saint John's dedication to the cross was indeed outstanding and surely could not have been possible for a mere man. This...Read More

St. Lucy

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the memorial of St. Lucy, virgin and martyr. Collect: May the glorious intercession of the Virgin and Martyr Saint Lucy give us a new heart, we pray, O Lord, so that we may celebrate her heavenly birthday in this present age and so behold things eternal. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "May the glorious intercession of the Virgin and Martyr Saint Lucy give us a new heart, we pray, O Lord," - We echo the many places in Scripture that ask for a new heart or promise one to those who seek God. The implication is of course that our...Read More

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Collect: O God, Father of mercies, who placed your people under the singular protection of your Son's most holy Mother, grant that all who invoke the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, may seek with ever more lively faith the progress of peoples in the ways of justice and of peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, Father of mercies, who placed your people under the singular protection of your Son's most holy Mother,," - It is God's design that we are helped by the intercession and protection of Mary. Far from taking away...Read More

Comfort, Comfort on the Double

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for 2nd Sun Adv, Year B Fr. Albert St. Peter’s, New Iberia, LA [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Comfort-Comfort-on-the-Doubl.wav"][/audio]   “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.” Prophets don’t generally like to be rejected and hated. They don’t enjoy being the sign of contradiction and conviction. But, faithfulness demands they hand on what God says, not what they feel like saying. Yet, there are the joyful moments when God commands them to encourage and comfort. Isaiah is often filled with bold challenges and strong warnings, but here the prophecy is closer to what we’ve come to expect in...Read More

Second Sunday of Advent

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the Second Sunday of Advent Collect: Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heaven wisdom grain us admittance to his company. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son" - In seeking to live the Christian life, a person is called to "set out in haste" to meet Christ in their daily living. Remembering that our home is ultimately in heaven, we pray not only...Read More

St. Juan Diego

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. Collect: O God, who by means of Saint Juan Diego showed the love of the most holy Virgin Mary for your people, grant, through his intercession, that, by following the counsels our Mother gave at Guadalupe, we may be ever constant in fulfilling your will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who by means of Saint Juan Diego showed the love of the most holy Virgin Mary for your people," - In line with His great love of the humble and lowly, God took this unimportant man and used...Read More

Pure As The Wind-Driven Snow

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for The Immaculate Conception  Fr. Albert St. Peter’s, New Iberia, LA [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Pure-As-The-Wind-Driven-Snow.wav"][/audio]   Why? Why do we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary? I can think of three great reasons to do so. First, because the glory of Mary always points to the glory of Christ. It is fitting that the woman who is meant to bear God Himself in her womb should be without any sin or defilement. When something is valuable to us, we often adorn it or place it in something that is also quite valuable. Like diamond for an engagement ring,...Read More

St. Nicholas

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Nicholas, bishop. Collect: We humbly implore your mercy, Lord: protect us in all dangers through the prayers of the Bishop Saint Nicholas, that the way of salvation may lie open before us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "We humbly implore your mercy, Lord: protect us in all dangers through the prayers of the Bishop Saint Nicholas," - God already wants to protect us. We can and do ask him directly for that protection. But, we learn from God that he prefers to include us in his works. So, we pray that that protection be given...Read More