Feast of Saint Albert the Great

Good morning. There is without a doubt considerable confusion and trepidation regarding the sacrament of marriage these days. Seemingly sound thinking and moral individuals find themselves questioning the values surrounding this sacrament which our Creator intended from the beginning of time to between one man and one woman, open to life, and indissoluble. We live in a time where there is much need for the love of God. In today’s Gospel we read of God’s desire to give His love. He knows of our wants and our needs and He very much wants to invite us into His life and have us walk with Him. Just as Jesus invites Zaccheus to dine with Him, He as well invites us to come to the table. We live in dark times, but we are reminded today with the commemoration of the life of Saint Albert the Great that we have lived in dark times before. He brought light to an age of darkness. Saint Albert assures us that we can find our way through the current darkness through going to the table and through fervent devotion to our Blessed Mother. “Let this ineffable, chaste thought accompany you to the Banquet of God and you will find in the Blood of the Son the nourishment of the Mother.” We should turn to our Blesssed Mother for guidance and turn to the example of the Holy Family for help in sustaining the sacrament of marriage. Christian marriage is the light needed in this time of darkness; we need to allow it to be a sign of God’s love. The love and life found within the Christian family needs to serve as a presence of God’s love and provide awareness to others that Jesus continues to be here with us inviting us to the table of life. As Blessed John Paul II indicated at the Fourth World Meeting of Families in Manila we need to demonstrate by our daily lives what a meaningful experience the sacrament of marriage can be despite the various obstacles and difficulties presented by the world.  As Pope Paul VI reminds us in Apostolicam Actuositatem “It has always been the duty of Christian married partners but today it is the greatest part of their apostolate to manifest and prove by their own way of life the indissolubility and sacredness of the marriage bond.”  There is no question that much evil exists in the world and we need to pray fervently for God’s grace for ourselves and all married couples. We need to pray for ourselves and our church and civic leaders to have the fortitude to stand for the truth, just as we read in today’s Gospel Jesus was confident in taking a stand and did not allow Himself to be led by the conventions of His day. He knew the truth and He spoke it freely. He is the Truth and He invites all of us to proclaim this truth and as married couples to live in the light of this truth. May we through the intercession of Saint Albert and through the loving care of our Blessed Mother be free today from the desires and falsehoods that belong to the darkness. We ask this as we ask for all things in Jesus’ name. Make a great day!

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and works of Saint Albert the Great.