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“I Know a Guy”

 Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 August 26 – 27, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 16:13-20

Whenever our Lord asked a question, people always got the answer wrong.   So, I didn’t feel too bad as a student.  I’m not the brightest bulb in the circuit.  He asked them, “Who do people say that I am?”  Their answers were all wrong because the voice of people is not the voice of God.   When He asked the apostles that question, what did they say?   The apostles didn’t want to tick Jesus off, so they just went along to get along.  But while all the other apostles were afraid to answer, Simon Peter said, “You are the Messiah, Son of the Living God.”   But that answer didn’t come from Peter alone.  Jesus said, “This was revealed to you by My heavenly Father.”   So, our good Lord renamed him.  “You are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build My church.”   

When you read this passage in English, it is okay.  But when you read it in the original language, it is very striking.  Peter’s name was Simon bar-Jonah or Simon son of Jonah.   Peter is a Greek word meaning “rock.”  Our Lord renamed him Peter just like in the Old Testament when He changed Abram’s name to Abraham.   Abraham became the father of holy people.  When our Lord renamed Peter, he also became the father of holy people in the new body of Christ, the Church.  “Upon you, I will build my Church.”   Now, two things are interesting about that statement.  If you read the original statement, it says “you” in the singular context and not “you” in the plural meaning all the apostles.   Only Peter was given that decision-making authority.   Upon you, personally, I will build My Church.  That’s why the apostles were ticked off.  “Hey, what are we, chopped liver?” “Peter is a bozo.  Come on!”  “Upon this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”   Peter was given the power to bind and loose.  You have to understand that power.  That power is only for disciplinary matters such as fasting and abstinence.  The Church can do that to help people grow in the spiritual life.  The Church could also allow priests to marry because that is a discipline and not dogma.  However, it cannot change divine law because that would give the creatures God created power over Him.   Jesus did not give man the power over God.

Jesus knew what He was doing.  He created male and female.  He said that a man shall leave his mother and father and cling to his wife.  I do believe Jesus understood the full meaning of His words.  “Oh!  We are in the 21st century, and we understand things much better now than Jesus did, so we are going to change things.”   Uh-Huh.  Know what that is?   It’s the heresy of modernism.  “We are in a new age, and we understand things better.”  Ummm . . . No, you don’t.   When I was ordained, I had to take an oath against modernism.  There is a document on file at the Diocese that confirms the oath I took.   Why?  Because we preach now what we preached from the beginning.  The form has changed over the years, but the truth of the Church has not.  Some people have tried to change it, and they’ve gone away one way or another.  God may have revoked their birth certificates; I don’t know but sometimes that does happen. 

Read the Church fathers.  The First Century is now.   And if you have trouble falling asleep, read the works of Saint Augustine.   The works by John Chrysostom are much easier to read.   But reading Saint Augustine will quickly bring on the Zzzz‘s.   He said he had a really wicked life before being converted, but he certainly couldn’t write about it.  My gosh!  What we preach now is what we preached from the beginning.  The Pope is guaranteed the truth as long as he preaches what was given from the beginning.  We should be proud of our history.  Unfortunately, the Church has had popes, bishops, priests, and dare I say, sisters, who were not as holy as they should have been.  “Father, say it ain’t so!”  They caused all sorts of problems in the Church throughout the ages including great scandals.  If you think we are having fun these days, read the Church history.   Now we have electronics that hype up everything.  “Oh my God!!”   Relax.  God is awake all night and is taking care of this.  You don’t trust His promise?  That the gates of hell will not prevail?  Our good Lord is in charge.  Yes, we wish we had more holy priests, bishops, and nuns.  But we are men and not angels.  We are failed human beings standing on the deposit of faith.  Should we be upset and concerned about the future of the Church?  Yes and no.  No, because God is in charge, and He’s going to take care of it.  And yes, but we pray for those who are supposed to exercise the teaching office of the Church. 

Be strong.  When you say the right thing, some people really won’t like it.   I have been cursed out before, but I took it really well . . . “Sniff- Sniff”   Really?   You know the people I hung around with?    On those occasions, I always want to say, “I know a guy.”  You wouldn’t do that up north.  You’d get really hurt, and the cops would just say, “Oh that was a terrible accident!”  In the old days, that happened.  But you pray for them.

The Church has not changed its doctrine no matter how foul the people are who have been entrusted with it.   The promises of Christ were true in the beginning, and they are true now.  Yes, it is a time of turmoil in the Church.  We get nervous, upset, and angry because we see that which has given us life, love, and hope seemingly betrayed by those in it.  The smoke of satan is in the Church.  But God is in charge.  He has not forgotten His Church – His Body.  When Paul was out there putting the whack on people, Jesus asked him, “Why are you persecuting Me?”   God knows exactly what is going on.  Is this time the worst in the Church?  No.  Would we like it to be better?  Oh, heck yeah.  But we trust in our Heavenly Father.  So have faith, have courage, and pray for those who we think are weak and failing in their vocations.   

Father’s Reflections . . .I know that the weather is interesting and that you are all warm.  I’m wearing three layers of clothing, so I know how you feel.  But use this to your advantage.  Would you rather be hot here now or a lot hotter somewhere else later? 

How will you apply this message to your life?  _____________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to  annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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.”