God Loves Us All
Be Still and Know.
The Rosary in a Year – Day 140 – His Glory Remains
St. Paul’s letter to the Romans tells us, “if God is for us, who is against us?” Reflecting on a fresco of the Scourging, Fr. Mark-Mary draws our attention to Jesus’ strength and glory shining through despite his suffering. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
Saint of the Day – May 20 – Saint Bernardine of Siena, Priest
Change the Future
The Most Useful Asset
The Rosary in a Year – Day 139 – Gold in Our Halos
In today’s painting by Vicente Masip, Judas is pictured with a gold and black halo. Even as Judas leads the soldiers to arrest Jesus, Fr. Mark-Mary explains that this halo shows Judas has the chance to return to Jesus. We too can always return to Jesus, seeking his forgiveness as Peter does. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Agony in the Garden and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear
Sermon Notes – May 11, 2025 – “Read the Instructions”
“Read the Instructions”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
May 10 – 11, 2025
Gospel: John 10: 27-30
Today is a wonderful day. The Sacrament of First Communion will be administered. Last night, I imposed the Sacrament of Confirmation on students. I want to thank the Faith Formation staff and especially the parents for their wonderful work in helping prepare for this day. This is a great gift because this gift is not just a gift with a lowercase “g.” It is a Gift with a capital “G.” This Gift is God, Himself, coming into your souls. It is the medicine of God.
Do you know why doctors give us medicine? If we are sick, it will make us healthy. Another reason for medicine is to keep us healthy. It is the same reason God gives us Himself in the Sacraments, to make us healthy and to keep us healthy. When we sin, the Sacrament of Penance makes us healthy. The other Sacraments help keep us healthy, which include Holy Communion that the young people will receive today, and the Sacrament of Confirmation, which keeps us strong for service to others.
Now, there may be restrictions that come with the medicine our physicians prescribe. The instructions on the bottle may say, “Do not take with grapefruit juice.” I love that one, and I wonder how that was determined. Did some poor shmuck take his medicine with grapefruit juice and go whoops! Other medications should be taken with food, and if you don’t, you quickly realize you made a big mistake. There may also be certain times to take medicine. So, there can be all sorts of restrictions so that the medicine can do its job. But we are always complaining about it: “Oh, poor me. I cannot eat this or that.” Oh, be quiet. At least you are old enough to enjoy the privilege. We must cooperate with the medicine we’ve been prescribed. It’s the same with God and the Sacraments. They are gifts from God, but we must cooperate by receiving the Sacraments in a State of Grace, which is attained by receiving the Sacrament of Penance. These gifts will not overpower us. They will not take us away from the temptation to sin. We must not make appointments to visit it or take it to lunch. You must work with the gift that God has given you.
Do you know what the biggest occasion of sin is? I don’t want to hear about cell phones, computers, or anything else. Computers have an off switch, and cell phones need to be charged. The biggest occasion for sin sits right on top of our shoulders. We are not responsible for our thoughts, but we are responsible for what we do with them. God’s medicine is not going to overpower our thoughts. Even though you may not feel His medicine working, it is. The pills I take are working, even though I don’t feel them working. I know my blood pressure pills are working because when I take my blood pressure, it’s fine. The pills are working. Do I feel it? No. If I stop taking the pills, will I feel it? No. But the damage will continue, and I will feel it one day when I take the big dirt nap a lot sooner than I should.
So, we must cooperate with God’s gifts. Just because you don’t feel them working, doesn’t mean they aren’t. They are. But we have to cooperate by doing what we need to do. These are God’s gifts to you. Use them by trying to live a holy life, coming to every weekend Mass, and going to Confession. I go to Confession too, and I’ve known these priests since they were ordained. I tell them everything, and they are still standing. But if we don’t cooperate with God, the Sacraments will not work. It is not easy. However, Saint Ambrose said, “The work of love is not hard; if there is any work involved, the work itself is love.”
God’s medicine is the gift of the Sacraments. He gives us the gift of His very Self so that we can carry our crosses, and if we fall, we can get back up and carry them again. God offers us His grace for our healing and to strengthen us so that we can carry all our crosses out of love for Him.
Father’s Reflections . . . . So, we have a new pope. Passed over again! People have asked me, “Father, how was your trip?” My trips are always interesting. I used to fly in my clerical clothes, my black suit and collar. On one of my flights, there were six priests on board. Once the plane was in flight, nobody talked, nobody moved, and nobody wanted anything. They all sat as quiet as a tomb. The crew brought me several Cokes and a shopping bag full of treats. Yeah baby! I like that. So, I was getting on the plane Sunday night at 10, and although I was flying in lay clothes, my seatmate looked up and said, “Hi Father. How are you?” Crap: I can forget about martinis!
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.
Reach Out to Him
For the one who feels as though nobody – not a single living soul – understands what you are going through, what you are feeling, what you are struggling with, what you are facing, what you are fighting, what you are in the middle of, what you are coming out of, what you are walking through.
I’ve been in your shoes. We all have. Because even though we humans are so very much alike in so many ways, we are also so very different in the ways that make us uniquely us. And the way we process emotions is absoulutely uniquely us.
And it’s the very reason why so often we feel alone in the hardest places of our life. But, here’s the good news. There might not be another living soul who truly understands, (after all you are the only you) but there is a LIVING GOD who more than sees you, gets you, feels you, knows you more than you even know yourself.
He, who is ever present, who is all knowing, who is 100% aware of every detail and every moment of your life, understands exactly how you are feeling.
Never let your feelings and emotions convince you you are alone in whatever it is you are facing.
When no one else understands, God does.
Reach out to Him.
Call out to Him.
Cry out to Him.
Be honest and real with Him.
Let it all out and allow Him to draw near, to hold and comfort, to counsel and guide, to encourage and strengthen, to forgive and heal, to take and to carry. And you will find, while a sister and a friend coming alongside (when they can) is wonderful, there is not a single living soul who compares to walking through life with the Living God – the Lover of our soul.~
~Stacy L. Sanchez / Heartprints of God