Embodying Spirit and Truth: Homily for the Dedication Anniversary 2025

Anniversary of the Church's Dedication                                                        January 31, 2025Fr. Alexander Albert                                                              St. Mary Magdalen, Abbeville https://youtu.be/16rkHc4GtE0 “Worship in Spirit and Truth.” What does that look like exactly? Clearly, Jesus doesn’t think it requires being in a certain location. In a single line, he completely bypasses a theological debate going back centuries between the Samaritans and Jews about which place is the right place to worship. Even while Jesus says the Jews are right, he moves past the debate to make this point about spirit and truth. Which kind of raises a question: if the location doesn’t matter,...Read More

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

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