Author: Father Albert

Daily Collection: Sts Cosmas and Damian

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Today's Daily Collection comes from Sts. Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs 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" -- To praise the works of the Lord is to praise the Lord. Especially in the case of Martyrs like these two, to remember the great things that a person did for the Love of God...Read More

Does it look like nothing in your eyes?

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Friday of 25th Week OT Deacon Albert St. John the Evangelist Cathedral “Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes?” There are some who look back on the “glory days” of the Church and the Church of today pales in comparison, it looks much worse off. Perhaps they lament the change in membership, in liturgy, in style or in some other way. But our Lord tells us today “take courage” because the whole world, and especially the Church are...Read More

Daily Collection: Padre Pio

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Today's Daily Collection is from Padre Pio. 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" -- While we thank God for the miraculous gift of Padre Pio's...Read More

Daily Collection: St. Matthew

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Today's Daily Collection is from St. Matthew, Apostle Collect: O God, who with untold mercy were pleased to choose as an Apostle Saint Matthew, the tax collector, grant that, sustained by his example and intercession, we may merit to hold firm in following you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, who with untold mercy were pleased to choose as an Apostle Saint Matthew, the tax collector" -- God's mercy precedes our conversion. In fact, it is the undeserving gift of grace, coming from God's mercy, that enables us to repent at all. By this Mercy, God's grace can fill our hearts and minds,...Read More

A Merciful Sacrifice

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Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle Deacon Albert St. John the Evangelist Cathedral   https://sites.google.com/site/fatheralbertmedia/mp3/St_Matthew_15.mp3 Mercy, not sacrifice… what does that mean? If Christ says that, how can we Catholics make such a big deal out of the “sacrifice” of the Mass? No meat on Fridays, fasting on Ash Wednesday, penances after confession, saints who whipped themselves – it kind of seems like sacrifice is all over the place. Is this really a good thing if we have Jesus saying, clear as day, “I desire Mercy, not sacrifice?” He’s quoting Hosea, who is speaking for God. God quoting himself, Old Testament...Read More

Daily Collection: St. Januarius

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Today's Daily Collection comes from the optional memorial of St. Januarius, Bishop & Martyr. Collect: O God, who grant us to venerate the memory of the Martyr Saint Januarius, give us, we pray, the joy of his company in blessed happiness for all eternity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, who grant us to venerate the memory of the Martyr Saint Januarius" -- Recognizing that all holiness is a gift from God, we invoke him as the real source of Januarius' fame. We also recognize that the ability to venerate a saint, the ability to recognize holiness in someone else and to give...Read More

Daily Collection: St. Robert Bellarmine

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Robert Bellarmine was a Jesuit, a Theologian, and a Canon Lawyer during a tough time in the Church. Collect: O God, who adorned the Bishop Saint Robert Bellarmine with wonderful learning and virtue to vindicate the faith of your Church, grant, through his intercession, that in the integrity of that same faith your people may always find joy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, who adorned the Bishop Saint Robert Bellarmine with wonderful learning and virtue to vindicate the faith of your Church," --We understand that all good things come from God, even our own accomplishments. So, instead of thanking Robert...Read More

Introducing the Daily Collection

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Greetings friends! For a little while now, I've wanted to offer something for reflection that would be a little more frequent and more digestible than the occasional weekend homily. As I was looking over the prayers of the Mass, yesterday, I was struck by the beauty and depth of the Collect for Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian. That's when it hit me - how many people pay much attention to the "opening prayer" for Mass? After the new translation, the prayers are more beautiful and more precise, but I know that the sentences can sometimes be confusing. How many people hear...Read More

Conquest

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Exaltation of the Cross Deacon Albert St. John the Evangelist Cathedral https://sites.google.com/site/fatheralbertmedia/mp3/Exalt_Cross_9-14-15.mp3 Our Lord is a God who loves a paradox. Death came from a tree, so he brought us life through a tree. Death came through serpents, so he brought life through a serpent mounted on a pole. In ancient Rome, Crucifixion was used to mock slaves who were too ambitious - it was a parody of being "raised up" as a King. Christ used the crucifixion to bring our freedom and reveal himself as the True King. The Emperor Constantine had a vision which told him that he...Read More

A Cross-Check on Your Faith

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24th Sunday OT, Year B Deacon Albert St. John the Evangelist Cathedral https://sites.google.com/site/fatheralbertmedia/mp3/24_OT_B_9.mp3   Have you heard of or seen the new, popular video titled “I’m a Christian, but I’m not…”? A few people explain how they are Christian but they tell us “I’m not like them… I’m like the world.” No mention of Christ, no mention of the Cross… “Get behind me Satan!” “You are not thinking as God does, but as human beings do.” So… how does God think? The Cross, the Cross, the Cross. It is the Cross for the sake of our salvation, for the resurrection, but the...Read More