Tag: Conversion

The Rules of Love: Homily for the 6th Sunday OT 2026

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6th Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                            February 15, 2026Fr. Alexander Albert                                                          St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/9p8fk5Jcj84 Ladies, if you had walked into the house yesterday to find three roses and a box of chocolates inside a grocery bag on the counter and him off playing a game or something, how would you have reacted? It’s certainly better than if he ignored the day completely. Now compare that to if you walked in the house to find him holding those same three roses, smiling and greeting you with enthusiasm, if he had that same box of chocolates, but presented them...Read More

In Accord With The Kingdom: Homily for 2nd Sunday Advent 2025

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2nd Sunday of Advent, A                                                                December 7, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                           St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/gL_YwlId6KI I feel as though being a priest, a spiritual father entitles me to the occasional dad joke, so here’s a bible dad joke: What kind of car does Jesus have? A Honda, but he doesn’t drive it: “I came not of my own accord, but he sent me” (Jn 8:42, RSV). Really though, what is this “accord” scripture speaks of? St. Paul today in our second reading prays that “with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our...Read More

The Hour of His Coming: Homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent 2025

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1st Sunday of Advent, A                                                                 November 30, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                           St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/kKP5CynznWw One Sunday when I was a boy, we were running late for reasons I don’t remember. My dad insisted on going to Mass every Sunday; that’s one of the only times I remember us not making it. Pulling up to the Church and seeing Mass about to end, my father decided we’d pray in the adoration chapel. He told us to spend some time in prayer to make up for missing Mass. So we did. I went in, knelt down, and told God sorry....Read More

Saints & Pharisees: Homily for the 30 Sunday OT 2025

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30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, C                                                                   October 26, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/BG2y-1f79ls “O God, I thank you that I’m not like those pharisees who think they’re better than everyone else. They pray and fast and give to the Church, but they’re so judgmental. I’m much more like those tax collectors and other people Jesus loved – I never fast or give tithes, I love money, I’m addicted to drinking, and I like to lust… but, man I’m so glad I’m not judgmental!” Y’all see the problem there? People are so quick to agree with Jesus...Read More

Fighting Fire with Fire: A Chastity Homily – 20th Sunday OT 2025

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20th Sunday of Ordinary Time, C                                                                   August 17, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/zXt_IGG5bNU “Fight fire with fire.” One tactic for fighting a wildfire is to deprive it of fuel by burning the areas in front of it. Fire can’t burn what’s already been burned. That tactic is enlightening when we consider Jesus’s pyromaniac proclamation, “I have come to set the earth on fire and how I wish it were already blazing!” Is the reason it's not blazing perhaps because the world has already been burned? Of course, the fire Jesus speaks of is a metaphor for...Read More

To Follow the Holy Spirit: Homily for Pentecost 2025

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Pentecost Sunday, C              Adult Confirmation Mass                          June 8, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                          St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/-W_p5fkkP_M Jesus says the word “peace” 23 times in the gospels. A few times are as part of a lesson. A few times are when he uses it like a simple farewell, “go in peace.” A few are when he tells the apostles to wish peace to the houses they visit while going on mission. The only time he gives peace directly to the Apostles, however, is the last supper and here. At the last supper, he says “Peace I leave with you;...Read More

Why Be Catholic? Homily for Divine Mercy Sunday 2025

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Divine Mercy Sunday                                                                                     April 27, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/Mm1TdLw5ZSY “Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women, were added to them.” So our first reading depicts the beginning of the Catholic Church, people joining the Apostles in great numbers. Why do it? Why join the Catholic Church? Considering that around 15% of the entire U.S. population is ex-Catholic or that, in the U.S., about 8 people leave the Church for every 1 person that joins it, it’s an interesting question. Though that number sounds bad,...Read More

From the Heart: Homily for the 8th Sunday OT 2025

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8th Sunday of Ordinary Time, C                                                                     March 2, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/HEQZJ0XLQIM While at lunch in the seminary dining room one day, the conversation got onto the topic of how people acted when they were fans of something: famous people, stories, music and so on. When one book in particular came up, I casually interjected, “oh man, I hate fans of that book” only to look up and lock eyes with someone who was indeed a fan of that very book, a horrified expression on his face. It’s still a clear...Read More

The Heart Worth Following: Prolife Mass for Vermilion Catholic 2025

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Thursday OT 1                                                                                                January 16, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://www.youtube.com/live/_AnHtt6OB-0?si=y6yDosj4ujGGs6D1&t=772 Ever heard the advice “follow your heart?” Probably. Maybe it wasn’t phrased that way. Maybe “be true to yourself” or “do what makes you happy.” Whatever the case, is it good advice, do you think? Let’s compare it to what scripture says today: “Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart.” That doesn’t quite match up. What about a different part of scripture? “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” Not quite....Read More

Steps to Joy: Homily for the 30th Sunday OT 2024

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30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, B                                                                   October 27, 2024Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/mgqV77TSPKI [Steps outlined at the bottom] “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” Does that sound convincing? If we cannot convince ourselves, how can we convince those who do not know God? Preaching on this topic is always a little fraught with danger. For one thing, it rarely helps to try to guilt-trip people into being joyful. “Shame on your for not feeling joy! Start being joyful right now!” I say rarely, not never, because...Read More