Category: Homilies

I post the text and audio of my Sunday homilies here for anyone who wants to go back to something they liked or catch something they missed. I sometimes include links to resources that I mention, so that you aren’t left guessing how to follow up on anything I may have challenged you to do.

I put up every weekend homily and the homilies for special feast days like Christmas or the Assumption.

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For Glory: Homily for the 5th Sunday of Lent, A

Posted on March 26, 2023March 26, 2023 by Father Albert

5th Sunday Lent, A March 26, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/AKSYbw8Q1jQ “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?” Yes. The answer to that question and others like it is yes. “Can’t God just stop people from suffering? Isn’t He all powerful? Couldn’t he heal all cancer, stop all violence, save all children?” Yes, he could do those things just as he could have simply prevented Lazarus from dying. Not only did Jesus not prevent Lazarus’ death, he didn’t even hurry....Read More

That We Might See: Homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent

Posted on March 19, 2023March 19, 2023 by Father Albert

4th Sunday Lent, A March 19, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/pgY0F1AJOE0 “Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.” This line is an important clue to what’s going on here. Do you know what it’s telling us? What reference it’s making that helps us understand?... Whenever the New Testament says or describes something we don’t understand, it’s a good idea to ask “what part of the Old Testament is this referring to?” This is a great tip – people are always coming up with crazy theories about the book of...Read More

What We Don’t Want To Be True: Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Lent

Posted on March 12, 2023March 12, 2023 by Father Albert

3rd Sunday Lent, A March 12, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/g-i1keyBh1A The philosopher Peter Kreeft once summarized the 2 main ideas of atheism as: One, there is no God. Two, I hate him. A lack of faith is rarely purely intellectual. It is almost always connected to some kind of anger or resentment at who they thought God was supposed to be. It’s also pretty similar to what we see with this woman at the well. Jesus’ goal in this conversation is to give the water of life to this woman. But he first...Read More

Light in the Darkness: Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Lent

Posted on March 5, 2023March 5, 2023 by Father Albert

2nd Sunday Lent, A March 5, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/tPmcRz_qgxs To shine with the radiance of God, we must endure the cross. This is why Jesus tells his apostles not to share this glorious vision until after he has risen from the dead. It is why St. Paul tells Timothy and us to “bear your share of hardship for the gospel,” because what makes the gospel “good news” is this awareness of suffering and the cross. History bears this out. God promises to make Abraham into a great nation. You know your...Read More

The Snakes In Our Pockets: Homily Thursday 1st Week of Lent – Catholic High

Posted on March 2, 2023March 2, 2023 by Father Albert

Thursday Week 1 of Lent March 2, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert Catholic High, New Iberia https://youtu.be/RWP1SmvkRBs “Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish?” To put it bluntly, most of your parents would… they already have. When your parents gave you your own smartphone without any oversights… when they let you take unregulated internet devices into your room at night unsupervised… they have given you a snake instead of a fish. Maybe some of you have managed to avoid being bitten despite...Read More

Homily for the 1st Sunday of Lent: What We Eat

Posted on February 26, 2023February 26, 2023 by Father Albert

1st Sunday Lent, A February 26, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/d16N75iYsrY Why does eating a piece of fruit condemn all of humanity to death and destruction? Why does it matter so much what we eat? Well, if someone is hanging from a cliff by a rope, ask them why it would matter if you cut that rope. The poetic language of the creation story talks about fruit and trees, but it’s really conveying to us our place in the universe. Adam and Eve had no say in how gravity works, how the chemical...Read More

Homily for Ash Wednesday: Why are you Here?

Posted on February 22, 2023February 22, 2023 by Father Albert

Ash Wednesday February 22, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/NmYF9BYwq58 Why are you here? Why take the time? It’s not a Holy Day of Obligation. It’s the middle of the week, so it’s not exactly convenient for people working today and probably an interruption for those on vacation. Now, I am glad you’re here, but the question is still important because how you answer that question determines whether or not this time is wasted. Is it to just to get ashes smeared on your forehead? I hope you realize that these ashes aren’t magical....Read More

Homily for the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Imperfect Steps Toward Perfection

Posted on February 19, 2023February 19, 2023 by Father Albert

7th Sunday OT, A February 19, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/ELSRlOhK-0k I’m not what I could be… I’m not who I could be. Has any honest person not thought this to themselves? We imperfect human beings have an innate awareness that there’s something more to life that what we currently experience: some greater pleasure, some better situation. Imagining ourselves as better looking, smarter, stronger, more skilled, more well-connected… anything. There’s an innate desire for perfection. At the same time, who hasn’t also felt like that better situation is not actually possible? “I’m not...Read More

Homily for the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time: No Loopholes

Posted on February 12, 2023February 12, 2023 by Father Albert

6th Sunday OT, A February 12, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/pZA-jAkq_zQ You have heard it said, “do not miss Mass on Sundays,” but I say to you that everyone who goes to Mass on Sunday, but purposely comes late or leaves early has already skipped Mass in their hearts. And whoever comes to Mass but plays on their phone or tunes everything out has insulted God rather than worshipping him. You have heard it said, “you can go to confession to get your sins forgiven,” but I say to you that whoever goes...Read More

Homily for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Salty or Sterile

Posted on February 5, 2023February 5, 2023 by Father Albert

5th Sunday OT, A February 5, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/ABe_E_BBg5U “You are the light of the world.” Think about a room full of candles. It’s pretty easy to read with ten candles lit, but not so easy with only one. And an unlit candle or a hidden lamp is almost worse than useless, casting shadows where it should be adding light. “If salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Do you know what happens...Read More