“Love is Long-Suffering”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
October 5 – 6, 2024
Gospel: Mark 10:2-16
Who did God create first – Adam or Eve? Adam? No. God created adom first. What does “adom” mean? It means “person” in Hebrew. After God took the rib from adom and created male and female, then adom became Adam and Eve. Once there was one person, and now there were two. The two become one in the Sacrament of Marriage. That’s why you have to read Scripture in the original Hebrew. “Father, when did you study that?” Actually, I studied it for two semesters under a Rabbi. God created adom first and then He separated that person into male and female. So that in the Sacrament of Marriage the two who were separate are joined together into one.
Now you might think, “Father, you’re not married.” Correct, and every woman on the planet is thankful for that. There’s a saying that “those who can’t, teach.” Really? Does your cardiologist have heart disease? No. Does your oncologist have cancer? No. So don’t listen to them; they don’t have it. “How would you know, Doc? You don’t have the disease, so buzz off!” The love of a priest for God and the vocation of the priesthood are very similar to marriage. Why? Although the situations are different, it is the same basic expression of love because that love comes from Almighty God. God chooses how we will serve Him in this life. In the married state, man and woman become co-creators with God in the order of nature. He chose me to become a co-creator with Him in the order of grace. To express the love and wonder of God and expressed in self-sacrificial love always mindful of the intent of the Other. United with the source of all love and to be holy in order to give that holiness to others. That love lasts forever. I cannot stop being a priest until they zip me into a body bag and send the box back up to Rhode Island to be buried with my parents until the resurrection on the Last Day. I am a priest forever because we are married to it.
How do we accomplish growing together in marital love? Through the Sacraments and prayer. Bishop Sheen said this to all couples, Catholic and non-Catholic, who were preparing for marriage, “Pray the Rosary together every day.” I say the same to the couples I am preparing for marriage. Why? It accomplishes a number of things. If you pray the Rosary, you pray scripture, which solves a lot of problems. You learn how to speak to each other. If you can pray out loud together, you can talk to each other about anything. Setting aside that time for prayer just for the two of you and God, the source of all love, will keep a marriage together. Many priests who stopped saying their prayers and stopped doing their meditations eventually left the priesthood. Their egos cut them off from the source of life. They choose self-love instead of being filled with His selfless love. I have yet to meet a priest who left the Priesthood and was truly happy.
Love is always focused on the other and not on self. That is what love is. Yes, it is long-suffering, and you have to put up with the sins of others. So do I. Not everybody makes me cookies. Oh, the sufferings I’ve seen as a priest! But no matter the vocation, the principles are the same. Holiness and union with God enable us to have union with others in our vocations.
How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________________
You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.” On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.” Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.” Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”