Tag: resurrection

2025 Triduum Part III: Healing our Bodies

Posted on by Father Albert
N.B. This is Part III of a 3-parts series on the Triduum. Part I is here. Part II is here. Easter Vigil                                                                                                     April 19, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                              St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/7YjlSCMhqyg “Their story seemed like nonsense.” Yet, we’re here because of that nonsense, here at the culmination of the Paschal Mystery. Since Thursday, we’ve dwelt in this mystery, reflecting on how it heals us. At the Last Supper, we considered how Jesus heals our community through forgiveness and new priorities. At the Crucifixion, we considered how Jesus heals our souls by entering into...Read More

A Story Worth Repeating: Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Lent 2025

Posted on by Father Albert
2nd Sunday of Lent, C                                                                                     March 16, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/hXBuswJd0aw Perhaps you’ve heard this story from me before. If so, I hope you don’t mind hearing it again. One summer as boy, I got to trek through the mountains in northern New Mexico in a crew of mostly 14 and 15 year-old boys. For 10 days we wound through the mountains. The final leg of the trip brought us to back base camp by way of the mountain called the Tooth of Time. So, on that final night, we...Read More

Afraid to Ask: Homily for the 25th Sunday OT 2024

Posted on by Father Albert
25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, B                                                                   September 22, 2024Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/H5NDa1RrqN8 Have you ever said the words: “I don’t want to know.” I have and I’d guess most of you have. Why wouldn’t we want to know? That’s what our minds are made for: to know! Why would we deliberately remain in ignorance? Sometimes, actually, there is a good reason. Gossip, for example. When a friend starts talking about someone else’s business – especially when it’s something that hurts that person’s reputation – that’s a great time to say “I don’t...Read More

Why Celebrate? – Homily for the Assumption of Mary 2024

Posted on by Father Albert
Assumption of Mary                                                                                       August 15, 2024Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/jwnk-iFshWs Why? Why celebrate the Assumption of Mary? For many reasons, but one above all: everything we celebrate about Mary gives even greater glory to Jesus Christ her son. Every Marian dogma, devotion, and practice is ultimately about Jesus Christ. Before explaining why, let’s answer what it is. The Assumption of Mary commemorates the day that Mary was brought into heaven, body & soul. Everyone else, when they die, leaves their body behind and only their soul goes to heaven. When Jesus rose from...Read More

Love So Absurd: Homily for the 4th Sunday of Easter 2024

Posted on by Father Albert
4th Sunday of Easter, B                                                                                   April 21, 2024Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette I love animals. I grew up with dogs, I often play with pets when I visit people’s homes, and I enjoy adorable animal videos as much as anyone. For all that, however, I’d never actually risk my life for some sheep. They’re cute and all, but they’re still just animals. Which is why we should be struck by what Jesus says. A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep? Tell that to the wife whose children no longer have a father...Read More

Love That Never Fails: Homily for Easter Sunday

Posted on by Father Albert
Easter Sunday                                                                                                 March 31, 2024Fr. Alexander Albert                                                              St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/8oluT1-c5gE Rejected, betrayed, slandered, murdered, and buried, what good is love to Jesus? That question doesn’t even occur to Mary Magdalen early on Sunday morning. She goes to the tomb, ready to anoint him, to fulfill the duties placed on her by law and personal affection. She does not have a plan for the stone across the tomb, yet she goes anyway. She is not willing to let foresight or prudence delay her love even a moment. Whatever she expected, she persevered and when she arrived...Read More

Easter Vigil – Part III of the Triduum: An Enduring Love

Posted on by Father Albert
Easter Vigil, B                                                                                                March 30, 2024Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/GafqqCduUs0 This is part III of a series for the Paschal Triduum. Part I of the series here. Part II of the series here. Love endures. At the Last Supper, Jesus revealed to us the new commandment of love and so we’ve taken love as the theme of this Paschal Triduum. That new love called us to serve in a way that makes another person our “own.” Because such love cannot set aside the truth, that love turned deadly yesterday when it brought Jesus to...Read More

A Clean Heart: Homily for the 5th Sunday of Lent 2024

Posted on by Father Albert
5th Sunday of Lent, B                                                                                      March 17, 2024Fr. Alexander Albert                                                              St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/Rq7nymESj0w When I was a kid, my boy scout troop would take rock climbing trips. Now, we all knew that falling from a great height can kill you, which is why we were careful to use ropes, harnesses, and anchors to keep us safe. We were taught how to use it and we knew that the gear was perfectly safe. But when you’re 70 feet off the ground, barely clinging to a tiny handhold and your feet start to sleep… you suddenly know the power...Read More

How Ought We To Pray? Homily for the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time

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16th Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                                               July 23, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/XzE9cl6zTII “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought.” That’s comforting, but it does raise an important question: How “ought” we to pray? Last week we heard about the groaning of all creation and how we are awaiting “adoption, the redemption of our bodies.” We used this to reflect on how that groaning and hope allow us to “consider the sufferings of this present time as nothing.” Today’s section...Read More

Betrayal Overcome: Homily for Easter

Posted on by Father Albert
Easter                                                                                                                          April 8, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette Part I of the Triduum Series here Part II of the Triduum Series here https://youtu.be/_EzkdgwV4d8 Betrayal is the second worst thing there is. This has been our theme for the Paschal Triduum that now comes to a close today, the holiest day of the year. Holy Thursday led us in preparing for the inevitability of betrayal by Jesus’ own example of washing the feet of Judas. It showed us that, despite the risk of betrayal, we must offer our trust, love, and vulnerability anyway. It also...Read More