Tag: Atheism

Hope Fleshed Out: Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Advent 2024

Posted on by Father Albert
2nd Sunday of Advent, C                                                                                December 8, 2024Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/XVSMWcTmRuA “I’m spiritual but not religious.” “I’m an open Christian.” “I am a spiritual person.” These kinds of sayings can be pretty appealing. For a little while, when I was younger, it was popular to be agnostic or atheist, to act like only dumb people believed in God or anything spiritual. Nowadays, however, most people are open to some kind of higher power or spiritual truth. The reality is that human beings need the spiritual. As soon as people start to...Read More

How You Treat Your King: Homily for the Christ the King 2023

Posted on by Father Albert
Christ the King, A                                                                                          November 26, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/vSPc8phV1jI You could maybe be excused for thinking that today’s solemn feast is about the end of the world. After all, we’ve been hearing about that subject for a few weeks in our readings and today we hear again about the final judgment. Today also marks the last Sunday of the Liturgical year. Next Sunday begins Advent, which is the start of a new cycle. So, it kind of makes sense that the feast of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe should be...Read More

Freely Called To Happiness: Homily for the 4th Sunday of Easter, A

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4th Sunday of Easter, A                                                                                               April 30, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/OZnsMHx4ppg “Do you know what I love about no longer being a Christian? I can do whatever I want!” I saw that in an online forum for ex-Christians to support each other after leaving. What I find interesting about that claim is what isn’t said directly. This appeal to freedom is built on a deeper belief that that kind of freedom is what will make you happy. You know what, that online commentor probably experienced Christianity as a religion of restrictions, shame, and...Read More

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

Posted on 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

Homily for the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Seeing The Way For What It Is

Posted on by Father Albert
30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, B                                                                  October 24, 2021Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/T3KOCEk2Qws “What do you want me to do for you?” Like you don’t know, Jesus? The man is a blind beggar, why make him ask for what we all know he wants? Because that’s how prayer works. That’s how faith works. Prayer is not conveying information to God, it is expressing desire. It is fostering desire. It stirs up faith and prepares the heart to receive. A desire honestly expressed changes us, not God. The answer is not always what we expect. There is...Read More