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Sermon Notes – November 3, 2024 – “Things I Wish I Could See – Part 2”
“Things I Wish I Could See – Part 2”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
November 2 – 3, 2024
Gospel: Mark 12:28-34
Let’s see how your memory is. Remember last week when I talked about vision? Okay, obviously you don’t remember but there are Sermon Notes at the back of the church. Pick one up and refresh your memory on what I said. What I said was that I wished I could see what truly is. Dr. Billingsley is great, but there is just so much he can do. I want to see our good Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, in the Confessional, in the Mass, and in the Sacraments. By the way, do you know why deacons cannot perform the Sacraments? Because only those who can celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are allowed to perform the Sacraments. The Sacraments come from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Anyhow, I want to see our Lord as He truly is . . . the brilliant light that is the light of the world.
I had my picture taken in New York for an Army advertisement, and I had to put on makeup. That was the first and last time I will ever wear makeup outside of the box. I was a member of the 101st Airborne . . . so hell no! You wouldn’t believe all the lights they shine on you to put on the makeup. While I was sitting under all those lights, I felt like a rotisserie chicken. That’s the same kind of light here in the church – the light of truth – that shines on us as we sit in front of the Most Blessed Sacrament and in the Confessional. That light allows us to see ourselves. We see ourselves in three ways: how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how we truly are. It takes humility to see ourselves as we truly are. That’s why the vision to see ourselves as we truly are is so necessary for advancement in spiritual life.
We find that vision by seeking the light of Christ whether it is in front of the Blessed Sacrament or in the Confessional. In His light, we see ourselves as we truly are . . . our crosses, our failures, our talents, and our abilities. Too often we avoid His light because we see ourselves with all these problems. “God, I have all these problems. I’m not good enough for you Lord.” First of all, we cannot earn God’s love. I don’t care how good you are, you cannot earn His love because God’s love is free. Look at all that God has given us, including our crosses which are actually gifts. But when we look at our crosses, we see pain. We see all our troubles, all our failures, and all our wants and desires.
In spite of everything, we are all loved by Christ. Nothing that we have done can stop God’s love for us. Nothing. God will always love us. How we love God is another matter, but that is up to us. But God will always love us. We are children of God. When I was in Hospice the other day, I was talking to this man while the EMT’s were with him. I asked him if he would tell me his religious denomination so that we could take proper care of him. He said, “I’m not Catholic; I’m Baptist.” I said, “May I tell you a secret?” He whispered, “Yeah, go ahead.” I said, “You are a child of God, and no one gets better than that.”
As you sit here in church, you are sitting in the presence of God, Himself, in the Blessed Sacrament. You are also sitting in His presence during Confession. It is then that we see ourselves as we truly are – loved by God.
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.”
Saint of the Day – Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity- November 8
Saint of the Day – Saint Herculaneus of Perugia- November 7
Saint of the Day – Saint Leonard of Noblac – November 6
Saint of the Day – Saint Charles Borromeo – November 4
Saint of the Day – Saint Martin de Porres – November 3
Feast of the Day – All Saints Day – November 1
Saint of the Day – Saint Wolfgang – October 31
Sermon Notes – October 27, 2024 – “Things I Wish I Could See – Part 1”
“Things I Wish I Could See – Part 1”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
October 26 – 27, 2024
Gospel: Mark 10:46-52
I have to be careful when I read the paper because if I hold my head just right the light that shines through my glasses could start a fire. Thanks to the heroic efforts of Dr. Billingsley, my vision is 20/20 and I am street legal to drive. Because of him, I don’t need a dog and cane to get around, and he has the worry lines to prove it.
When I pay attention, I can see things as well as anybody else. The trouble is that I want to see better. I see things as they are, but I want to see things as they truly are. I want to see things that exist but cannot be seen. I’m not saying that I want to see the deputy sheriff hiding behind a billboard on Highway 52. Rather, I want to be like Saint Francis and Saint Teresa de Lisieux, the Little Flower. They saw their guardian angels. I would like to see our good Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. I would like to see our Lord celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and walk to the Father waiting at the altar. I would like to see our Lord on the other side of the confessional screen absolving me of my sins by putting His hand into the chalice of His Most Precious Blood and anointing my soul. I would like to see our Lord give the faithful new life through the Sacrament of Baptism. I would like to see our Lord unite a man and a woman in the Sacrament of Matrimony and leading to procreation according to the order of nature which Saint John Paul II called the domestic church. I would like to see our Lord give young people the Sacrament of Confirmation and impart the Holy Spirit upon them so that they can be faithful witnesses. I would also like to see our Lord at a deathbed and giving Last Rites to prepare a soul to transition from this life to the next bringing them safely to Heaven where all of us are meant to be.
I would like to see that, but I would settle for this – to see our Lord’s presence in those people who really irritate the you-know-what out of me. You know them – they drive 10 mph below the posted speed limit and then they go 15 mph over it and then back to 7 mph. In the military we call that the “slinky.” They think the speed limit is just a suggestion. I had one in front of me the other day, and I wished I were a cop so that I could blue light him. He crossed over the yellow line, and then all the lines. Dude! But you know what? There’s no need for all that angst and anxiety. I work at the VA, and I had plenty of time to get where I was going. But it’s all about me! God might say to me, “Hey, this morning during your prayers you said you love Me. How’s that working for you?” Not well. I could pray for more patience; however, patience is an acquired virtue, and if you pray, “Lord, please give me patience,” He will send every idiot your way. But that’s how to achieve more patience. You might feel angry, but how you react to that anger is how it can become a sin.
The gift I pray for is to have eyes of faith that can see God in suffering souls. That is the kind of 20/20 vision I would like to have.
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.”