Tag: Conversion

What Is Chosen: Homily for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Posted on by Father Albert
28th Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                                   October 15, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/dFZ1EfAg8as Beating the messengers again! Just last week Jesus told us about people who killed the messengers rather than pay their rent. I offered the hypothetical explanation that the tenants of the vineyard had no fruit to give, so they responded to their shame and fear by killing whoever threatened to expose it. Indeed, we often respond to God in the same way – lashing out whenever he dares to touch on our sins, wounds, and weaknesses. Afraid of how demanding God...Read More

Being the Bad Guy for Love: Homily for the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

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23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                                   September 10, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/LDdfIRPwomE There are many things I love about being a priest: Mass, confessions, baptisms, weddings, flying in a helicopter to bless the crops from above… the fun stuff that only a priest gets to do, things that help people, often in ways I get to see first-hand. It’s why there’s joy even in the sadder stuff like anointings of the sick and funerals. As with anything worth doing, these can get old and sometimes stress makes it harder to see the joy,...Read More

Jealous for Salvation: Homily for the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time

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20th Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                                   August 20, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                              St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/A7z5KmsFjZs To be Catholic is to live in tension… to be in the world but not of the world. The more we live our faith, the more we should love the people around us. At the same time, the more we live this out, the more we are opposed to the falsehoods and sins of those same people. While growing in our love of others, we simultaneously grow in ways that put us in conflict with them. That tension can be difficult...Read More

Divine Surface Tension: Homily for the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time

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19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                                   August 13, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/vpcNaFPY4Qo Conviction. It’s a powerful word, coming from “con” & “vincere” – “to conquer with.” Last week’s reflection on the Transfiguration emphasized that our faith is not just one opinion among many, but a conviction of the truth about what God has revealed. Even as we respect the freedom of others, we cannot confuse that respect for others with indifference. We are convicted that Christ is the king, our hearts and minds conquered with that truth. We ought to act like it...Read More

Stairway to Heaven: Homily for the 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time

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17th Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                                               July 30, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/7ZRimljf0G0 “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Do we, though? Do we really know that all things work for good? This health problem, that tragedy, this loneliness… they benefit me? Yes. That’s why St. Paul has been teaching us about hope in our journey through Romans chapter 8. Despite all the trials we endure, we have hope because we know – or should know – that all...Read More

What That Power Can Do: Homily for Pentecost Sunday

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Pentecost Sunday                                                                                            May 28, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/3Hrt3-06meQ Have you thought about it? About what you would do with more power? For those of you who weren’t at the 4pm Mass last week, I asked everyone to consider what they would do with more power. I explained that Jesus had all power in heaven and on earth and used it on a single command: “go make disciples, baptizing them…” I explained that power is not found in fear and coercion, but in the ability to give others the freedom to choose what is...Read More

You’ve Got the Power: Homily for the Ascension 2023

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Ascension of our Lord                                                                                                May 21, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/s3uqxmmtueA [N.B. The Sunday Mass was Confirmation, preached by Fr. Blanda so this homily was only given at the Saturday 4 PM Mass] What would you do with more power? Make your own life easier? Get even with some people? Fix some local problems? What would you do with all the power? Solve world hunger? Cure diseases? Save the environment? Change laws? If I had the power to make one law that couldn’t be reversed, I’d probably make it illegal for anyone to own...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

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

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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

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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