Tag: faith

Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Advent: Poison and Fire

Posted on by Father Albert
2nd Sunday of Advent, A                                                                                December 4, 2022Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/a8ZR_5PdF2w “You brood of vipers!” So much for Christmas cheer. John the Baptist says this to the Pharisees and Sadducees, but it’s not like he’s caught them doing something terrible. These are the ones who came to him! They traveled out of the city all the way to the Jordan river to hear him preach. They came to be baptized! People often say pastors should just be grateful that people show up… that they shouldn’t get caught up...Read More

Clothed in Light: Homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent

Posted on by Father Albert
1st Sunday of Advent, A                                                                                 November 27, 2022Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/HNfv0y0DZtg When I was a college student at UL, one of things I enjoyed in an almost unconscious way was the big oak trees, especially along E. St. Mary and McKinley. They lend a sort of majesty to the campus. Just this past week, I was on campus and noticed that the trees had already had lights winding up their trunks. Illuminating the whole area, these lights called attention to the shape and size of the trees, drawing...Read More

Homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King: Justice and Mercy

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Christ the King, C                                                                                           November 20, 2022Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/0oCRms2gkmw “We have been condemned justly.” Have we? Since the beginning of the Church, there have been those who keep coming back to the same error, the same mistake: the idea that our condemnation isn’t really just, that damnation just can’t be real. There are a lot of subtle and clever arguments to support the idea that everyone goes to heaven – we call it universalism – but it seems to me there is always something beneath the surface…...Read More

Homily for the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time: Build Because It Crumbles

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33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, C                                                                   November 13, 2022Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/OTgFf7YJ5jI Not long after I was assigned to this parish, I went on a short vacation that kept me away during a weekend, so I made arrangements for another priest to cover for me. While away, my phone rang at about 3pm on the Saturday. I looked to see that it was the priest who was scheduled to hear confessions and celebrate the 4pm Mass. My heart sank. I just knew he was calling to say he forgot...Read More

Homily for the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time: Divine Death

Posted on by Father Albert
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, C                                                                   November 6, 2022Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/SLdTWkFzuq4 As many of you know, my Grandfather Jules passed away earlier this year. I’m grateful for all the prayers you’ve offered for him and my family. One thing I could always count on when visiting my grandfather was that he would get on some rant or other about the Catholic faith and what Catholics need to learn or do… a trait you may find familiar… Anyway, one of the stories he told me (more than once) involved...Read More

Homily for the 31st Sunday of Ordinary Time: Real Repentance

Posted on by Father Albert
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, C                                                                    October 30, 2022Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/xssUEkvlg5U Repentance, Reparation, and Charity. Last week, we heard the parable of the arrogant pharisee and the repentant tax collector. We focused then on the journey from being the arrogant pharisee in the parable to becoming like St. Paul, confident in his own salvation. A journey that starts with recognizing our pride and conceit, goes through repentance, and culminates in humble service. But what is repentance, really? The tax collector in the parable prays for mercy and admits...Read More

Homily for the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time: The Most Dangerous Thing

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30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, C                                                                   October 23, 2022Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/eO2TW99OllY “At least I’m not like…” If your thought, your sentence begins with those words, you’ve probably already messed up. As straightforward as this parable is, it’s one of the easiest for people to misapply. Millennia of Christian influence on culture has made it so that we too quickly identify ourselves with the tax collector. Just because we hear the word ‘pharisee’ so often, we assume we know what it means. And all too often we instinctively follow...Read More

Pastor Column: Mediator Dei VII

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[N.B. This is not the Sunday Homily, it is an article for the bulletin of Oct 16, 2022]        Last week we began to look at the practical guidelines provided by Pope Pius XII for fostering a greater appreciation of the liturgy. In addition to things like adoration and the rosary, the pope reminds us of the value of frequent confession. He also urges “that as many as possible, not only of the clergy but of the laity... take part in monthly days of recollection and in retreats of longer duration made with a view to growing in virtue.” A...Read More

Homily for the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time: The Word of God

Posted on by Father Albert
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, C                                                                   October 16, 2022Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/wfNXcYoe0ok “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Maybe that’s too abstract. Let’s try this, if Jesus were to appear right here, standing before you the same way I am, what would he find? Would you, for example, be able to tell him about what you’ve just heard in the readings? After all, those readings were from God’s word and as St. Paul tells Timothy in our second reading, “all Scripture is inspired...Read More

Pastor Column: Mediator Dei VI

Posted on by Father Albert
[N.B. This is not the Sunday Homily. It is an article from the bulletin of October 9, 2022]      All liturgy - that includes Mass, the Sacraments, the Liturgy of the Hours, adoration - points us to the mysteries of Jesus Christ and helps us take part in those mysteries which redeem and sanctify us. To do this, the liturgy has seasons which point us to different aspects of these mysteries. At this point in the letter (around paragraph 154) Pope Pius XII starts to highlight these seasons briefly.      Advent is the start of the Liturgical year and, according...Read More