Author: Father Albert

Worth More than the Stars: Some thoughts on “The Martian”

Posted on by Father Albert
Heyo! It's the Ephesian again. I'm back from a little trip through cyberspace and decided to drop in and share some thoughts about outer space. I went to see "The Martian" and a few things stood out that I'd like to write about if anyone is willing to read it, or even if no one reads it. I guess it's kind of like Mark's video logs - no one is watching them, but they just might someday ;-). Anywho, much of the movie is about dealing with the technical problems regarding staying alive on Mars. As for the scientific accuracy...Read More

Whatever We Want?

Posted on by Father Albert
29th Sunday OT, Year B (Farewell) Deacon Albert St. John the Evangelist Cathedral   https://sites.google.com/site/fatheralbertmedia/mp3/29_OT_B_6.mp3   “You can do whatever you set your mind to.” Really? Is that true? This claim is made by parents, teachers, advertisements, and politicians throughout our country. Children are filled with this idea from the time they are very little and hear it repeated constantly until some brutal encounter with reality shatters this fragile illusion. Then they must choose between willful naiveté, cold cynicism, or a new-found realism. How few choose the last of these! I once wanted to be a fighter pilot and eagerly researched what it...Read More

Daily Collection: St. Ignatius of Antioch

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Collect taken from the memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr Collect: Almighty ever-living God, who adorn the sacred body of your Church with the confessions of holy Martyrs, grant, we pray, that, just as the glorious passion of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, which we celebrate today, brought him eternal splendor, so it may be for us unending protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Almighty ever-living God, who adorn the sacred body of your Church with the confessions of holy Martyrs" -- As the Bride of a crucified Lord, the Church can find no greater gems for her adornment...Read More

Daily Collection: Teresa of Avila

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Daily Collection taken from the Memorial of Teresa of Avila, Virgin and Doctor of the Church Collect: O God, who through your Spirit raised up Saint Teresa of Jesus to show the Church the way to seek perfection, grant that we may always be nourished by the food of her heavenly teaching and fired with longing for true holiness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... " O God, who through your Spirit raised up Saint Teresa of Jesus to show the Church the way to seek perfection" -- Playing on the title of Teresa's book "The Way of Perfection," we recognize that all...Read More

Daily Collection: St. Denis

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Daily Collection from the optional memorial of St. Denis, Bishop and Martyr Collect: O God, who sent Saint Denis and his companions to preach your glory to the nations and strengthened them for their mission with the virtue of constancy in suffering, grant, we pray, that we may imitate them in disdaining prosperity in this world and in being undaunted by any trial. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son "O God, who sent Saint Denis and his companions to preach your glory to the nations and strengthened them for their mission with the virtue of constancy in suffering" -- In proclaiming the...Read More

Daily Collection: Our Lady of the Rosary

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Daily Collection from the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary Collect: Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ you Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns... "Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts" -- In Jewish and Christian usage, the "heart" is not just the vessel that pumps blood. It is also not just where...Read More

Daily Collection: Blessed Marie Rose Durocher

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Daily Collection from the optional memorial of Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, Virgin Collect: Lord, who enkindled in the heart of Blessed Marie Rose Durocher the flame of ardent charity and a great desire to cooperate in the mission of the Church as a teacher, grant us that same active love, so that, in responding to the needs of the world today, we may lead our brothers and sisters to the blessedness of eternal life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Lord, who enkindled in the heart of Blessed Marie Rose Durocher the flame of ardent charity and a great desire to cooperate...Read More

Daily Collection: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Daily Collection taken from the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Collect: Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you" -- Although we speak of merit, we always recognize that the ability to merit something is itself God's gift to us. The...Read More

Daily Collection: Guardian Angels

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Daily Collection from memorial of the Guardian Angels Collect: O God, who in your unfathomable providence are pleased to send your holy Angels to guard us, hear our supplication as we cry to you, that we may always be defended by their protection and rejoice eternally in their company. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who in your unfathomable providence are pleased to send your holy Angels to guard us" -- God's providence is unfathomable for many reasons: it affects all time and space, it works according to a plan we don't fully know, and lastly that it also directs...Read More

Daily Collection: St. Therese of Lisieux

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Daily Collection taken from the memorial of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin Collect: O God, who open your Kingdom to those who are humble and to little ones, lead us to follow trustingly in the little way of Saint Thérèse, so that through her intercession we may see your eternal glory revealed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who open your Kingdom to those who are humble and to little ones" -- We praise God because of his humble accessibility. Over half the world lives below the poverty line and has no real share in the political and...Read More