Twenty-Sixth Week of Ordinary Time

Collect taken from Twenty-Sixth Week of Ordinary Time. Collect: O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us" - God, infinitely powerful, beyond time and space, creator of the universe has chosen to be merciful toward small, impudent, sinful human beings. God's mercy on us is truly the...Read More

Sts. Cosmas and Damian

Collect taken from the memorial of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, priest. Collect: May you be magnified, O Lord, by the revered memory of your Saints Cosmas and Damian, for with providence beyond words you have conferred on them everlasting glory, and on us, your unfailing help. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "May you be magnified, O Lord, by the revered memory of your Saints Cosmas and Damian," -The Glory of God is the highest goal and so we begin our prayer asking that honoring these saints might increase our awe and love of God. "for with providence beyond words you...Read More

Twenty-Fifth Week of Ordinary Time

Collect taken from Twenty-Fifth Week of Ordinary Time. Collect: O God, who founded all the commands of your sacred Law upon love of you and of our neighbor, grant that, by keeping your precepts, we may merit to attain eternal life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, who founded all the commands of your sacred Law upon love of you and of our neighbor," -Though it my be tempting to think that Love of God and neighbor came after the Ten Commandments because of the order they appear in Scripture, the reality is that Love has always been primary. "grant that,...Read More

What Did You Expect?

Homily for 25thSun OT, Year A St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/What-Did-You-Expect.wav"][/audio]   Expectation is a double-edged sword. It can really enhance a great moment when we look forward to something with eager anticipation and our expectations are met or even exceeded. Think about the last time you looked forward to a movie that was coming out and, when you went, it blew you away and you walked away saying, that was as good or better than you expected. That gives us some joy, some satisfaction. But, expectation can also be the greatest obstacle to happiness. Imagine going to...Read More

St. Padre Pio

Collect taken from the memorial of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, priest. Collect: Almighty ever-living God, who, by a singular grace, gave the Priest Saint Pius a share in the Cross of your Son and, by means of his ministry, renewed the wonders of your mercy, grant that through his intercession we may be united constantly to the sufferings of Christ, and so brought happily to the glory of the resurrection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "Almighty ever-living God, who, by a singular grace, gave the Priest Saint Pius a share in the Cross of your Son" - We call to mind the...Read More

Twenty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

Collect taken from Twenty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time. Collect: Look upon us, O God, Creator and ruler of all things, and, that we may feel the working of your mercy, grant that we may serve you with all our heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Look upon us, O God, Creator and ruler of all things," - It is an act of faith and confidence to so simply ask for the almighty creator to look upon us in our smallness. Billions of starts and billions of years, but we feel comfortable seeking God's particular attention. "and, that we may feel...Read More

Deal Or No Deal?

Homily for 24thSun OT, Year A Fr. Albert St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Deal-Or-No-Deal.wav"][/audio]   I’m sorry, but there is no way out. No clever interpretation, no creative explanation can get you off the hook here. There’s really nothing hidden or confusing about what Jesus is saying. If you do not forgive your fellow man, you will not go to heaven. Period. It doesn’t matter how serious their crime, how often they do it, or what kind of pain they’ve caused. Forgive them or you will not be forgiven. Just last week we heard Jesus explain how we should...Read More

Our Lady of Sorrows

Collect taken from the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. Collect: O God, who willed that, when your Son was lifted high on the Cross, his Mother should stand close by and share his suffering, grant that your Church, participating with the Virgin Mary in the Passion of Christ, may merit a share in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns... "O God, who willed that, when your Son was lifted high on the Cross, his Mother should stand close by and share his suffering," - We are all familiar with Mary's presence at the foot of the Cross. This was no accident,...Read More

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Collect taken from the feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Collect: O God, who willed that your Only Begotten Son should undergo the Cross to save the human race, grant, we pray, that we, who have known his mystery on earth, may merit the grace of his redemption in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who willed that your Only Begotten Son should undergo the Cross to save the human race," - We acknowledge the mysterious means of our salvation, the Cross, and recognize that it was an act of obedience and love that led Jesus to...Read More

Gold Needs Fire

Homily for 23rd Wed, St. John Chrysostom Fr. Albert Notre Dame Seminary [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Gold-Needs-Fire.wav"][/audio]   Golden Mouthed John is a saint I love to pretend to love. In the Collect, the Church calls him “illustrious” for his “wonderful eloquence.” To be frank, I’ve always kind of wanted to be known for my eloquence too, secretly wishing that someone would compare me to this talented Antiochene from so many centuries ago. And why not? He was clearly passionate about the Truth. He was given to discipline and seriousness. He was known for being… direct when he spoke. John Chrysostom is also...Read More