Tag: joy

The Greatest Fan of Obedience: Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter 2024

Posted on by Father Albert
6th Sunday of Easter, B                                                                                               May 5, 2024Fr. Alexander Albert                                                              St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/rh1VdxHvkg8 I’m not much of a sports fan. I rarely watch any games. I don’t follow sports news. Maybe the 4th quarter of a Saints game, but only if they’re in the playoffs. If I’ve got nothing going on and some friends invite me to watch the Superbowl, I’ll go and enjoy myself. Baseball, however? I’ve never been a fan. It’s probably that I’m too easily distracted and too impatient, but I just can’t watch it. Yet, for some reason...Read More

The Flight of Joy: Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Advent 2023

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3rd Sunday of Advent, B                                                                                 December 17, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/hGXZtli3eJ8 Fly! Go on, start flying! It’s not like you don’t know how, there are about a million people in the air right now. So why aren’t you flying? Probably because it’s not as simple as just deciding “I’m flying now.” We can only fly in specific circumstances. It is the result of several forces beyond our control, it took us thousands of years to figure out how to do it. Flying is the fruit of a complex process. Despite being possible,...Read More

All Will Be Revealed: Homily for the 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Posted on by Father Albert
12th Sunday of Ordinary Time, A                                                                               June 25, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                              St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/QNoeHhjIgmo “Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed.” Does that frighten you a little bit? It does me. There are things in my life I would rather remain concealed. I’m sure that’s true for every human being. It’s also true that there are things which should not be publicized. Jesus is not suggesting we shout out our every fault and sin in public. There is such a thing as prudent silence, discretion, and confidentiality. Indeed, the sacrament of Confession is...Read More

Homily for the 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Blessedness and Joy

Posted on by Father Albert
4th Sunday OT, A                                                                                            January 29, 2023Fr. Alexander Albert                                                              St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/05AboWUvaQk They are true, you know. These beatitudes, these promises of blessedness are not rhetorical… Jesus isn’t just trying to make a point. What he says is true. There is real blessedness, real joy to be found in each one of these examples. And no, it’s not just a future happiness that he’s talking about. The reasons he gives are in the future tense – will inherit, will be comforted – but the description of blessedness is right now – blessed are they....Read More

Homily for Christmas: The Sudden Arrival of Hope

Posted on by Father Albert
Christmas                                                                                                        December 25, 2022Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/Gs6_kJf5w6k Allow me to tell you a story… a parable of sorts. Sometime in the past, there once was a man with his daughter. A loving father, a devoted daughter. Living in Australia in its early days, they were both eager to discover what life was like in the old world. After a careless choice by the daughter on the journey, they were separated. Each knowing that the other would not turn back, they resolved to continue the journey, hoping to be reunited along the way. So...Read More

Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Advent: Crowned with Joy

Posted on by Father Albert
3rd Sunday of Advent, A                                                                                 December 11, 2022Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/3ngXssLUSws “Crowned with everlasting joy.” That’s what Isaiah the prophet promises us. Truly, that is the theme of this day – the joy of the Lord. Yet, that joy is not only something that comes in heaven. It begins here. That’s why the Church does this in Advent and Lent – two penitential seasons. Just over halfway through each one, we break from the purple to use the rose vestments and brighten up the décor and music. Today...Read More

Homily for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Faith That Saves

Posted on by Father Albert
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, C                                                                   October 9, 2022Fr. Alexander Albert                                                               St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/asAMCTLUiWI “Your faith has saved you.” Has it? Has your faith saved you? Maybe that’s a strange question for Catholics to hear, reminiscent of the protestant who inquires “have you been saved?” And yet, it is a worthy question. The fact that Jesus says it to some and not to others leaves us wondering what is the fate of those who have not been told this. Just last week we considered what faith is and isn’t, acknowledging that...Read More

Homily for Easter: The Authority to Love, Triduum Pt. 3

Posted on by Father Albert
Easter Vigil                                         Part 3 of Triduum 2022                                  April 16, 2022Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette [See part 1 here] [See part 2 here] https://youtu.be/laRr7ujxiyk Thursday night, we began the most sacred time of the year – the Paschal Triduum – and began also an extended reflection on the meaning of freedom and authority revealed in the life and death of Jesus Christ. Through the washing of the disciples feet and the institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood, we saw that authority is truly a service to the people over whom it is wielded....Read More

Homily for Corpus Christi: To Be Holy

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Corpus Christ, B                                                                                                         June 6, 2021Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/fBzupiSJ_MA On October 10, 2020 in Assisi, the Church beatified a young Italian named Carlo. He was born in 1991, meaning he would be younger than me if he were still alive. He is the first millennial to be beatified, which is the last step before being canonized as a saint. When we say that word – saint – we tend to picture 16th century nuns or old miracle-working priests or paintings with halos. We imagine them praying or fasting or...Read More

Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter: Complete Person, Complete Joy

Posted on by Father Albert
6th Sunday of Easter, B                                                                                              May 9, 2021Fr. Albert                                                                                St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette https://youtu.be/QDA_Q1Qbjb8 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete.” Perfect! Isn’t that exactly what we want… what we’ve been talking about this whole Easter season? Who doesn’t want complete joy? Well then, what is it Jesus says that makes this possible? “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” That kind of sounds...Read More