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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All Saints for All of You

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for All Saints Fr. Albert St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/All-Saints-for-All-of-You.wav"][/audio]   All of the saints, want all of you, to be saints too. I said as much in the collect – the opening prayer – for this mass, which says that these holy intercessors are praying for our reconciliation to God. And what else is a saint if not someone who has been fully and perfectly reconciled to God. All of the saints, want all of you, to be saints too. The 144,000 are witness to this. Some of our brethren make much of this number, but...Read More

What Kind of Thing is Love?

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for 30th Sun OT, Year A  Fr. Albert St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/What-Kind-of-Thing-is-Love.wav"][/audio]   Have you ever seen Drew Brees throw a football? Or watched an artist produce a painting? Have you ever listened to an orchestra live? How often have you been amazed by some great talent or inspiring feat performed by another human being? Drew Brees just decides where he’ll put the ball, and it goes there. The best orchestras can adjust tempo and pitch in an instant following the conductor. Great artists seem to just conjure up beautiful pictures and perfect forms with casual...Read More

Valuing What Matters

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for 29th Sun OT, Year A Fr. Albert St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Valuing-What-Matters.wav"][/audio]   Where do you think that coin has been? The one that these people show to Jesus when asks them for a coin; Where has it been? When was it made? Where did it enter circulation? Who was paid with it? What sort of things did it buy before coming to rest in the human hand of the divine creator? Where is that coin now? These aren’t idle questions either. Jesus’ famous line “render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar” is not a...Read More

Praying Like a Ponderosa Pine

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for Mass @ CHS Fr. Albert Catholic High, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Praying-Like-a-Ponderosa-Pine.wav"][/audio]   Fire. Fire is something of a double symbol for us. Good because of heat, light, comfort, and food. But ask the people in California and they’ll tell you, fire is also immensely dangerous and destructive. This is true for human beings, as well as for most plants and animals. I say “most” because there are some plants that can actually benefit from fire. Yeah, I just said there are trees that benefit from fire. One such tree is the Ponderosa Pine. It’s huge, and it smells like butterscotch, but...Read More

Divine Footsteps

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for 27th Sun OT, Year A  Fr. Albert St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Divine-Footsteps.wav"][/audio]   How many people have converted to the Catholic Faith with your help? How many children have you raised in the Catholic Faith? How many families in the parish have you helped? Or missionaries have you supported? How many fasts, novenas, and rosaries have you offered for the salvation of souls? How many of the poor, homeless, sick and suffering thank God for what you have done to help relieve their distress? In other words, what fruit have you produced? Faith is a gift....Read More

Fake It Till You Make It

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for 26th Sun OT, Year A Fr. Albert St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Fake-It-Till-You-Make-It.wav"][/audio]   “Fake it till you make it.” People like to say that to a person who has a tough situation. It’s an interesting phrase, really, because there seems to be a few different meanings to it. Some people mean that you should just pretend to be successful and hope it somehow comes true. Others seem to mean that you should just make your best effort until you gradually improve and get where you need to be. Well, the second son in this short little...Read More

What Did You Expect?

Posted on by Father Albert
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

Deal Or No Deal?

Posted on by Father Albert
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

Gold Needs Fire

Posted on by Father Albert
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

Judging Out Of Love

Posted on by Father Albert
Homily for 23rdSun OT, Year A Fr. Albert   St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Judging-Out-Of-Love.wav"][/audio]   This past week marked the one-year anniversary of Mother Teresa being canonized, when she was declared to be St. Teresa of Caclutta. One of her celebrated quotes about the faith comes to mind now. She once said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” It’s clear, to the point, and challenging. It is also true. So, what do we make of Ezekiel? Ezekiel is told that, if he does not correct or speak against a “wicked” person, then he will...Read More