First Martyrs of the Church of Rome’s Story (d. 64)
There were Christians in Rome within a dozen or so years after the death of Jesus, though they were not the converts of the “Apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 15:20). Paul had not yet visited them at the time he wrote his great letter in 57-58 A.D.
There was a large Jewish population in Rome. Probably as a result of controversy between Jews and Jewish Christians, the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome in 49-50 A.D. Suetonius the historian says that the expulsion was due to disturbances in the city “caused by the certain Chrestus” [Christ]. Perhaps many came back after Claudius’ death in 54 A.D. Paul’s letter was addressed to a Church with members from Jewish and Gentile backgrounds.
In July of 64 A.D., more than half of Rome was destroyed by fire. Rumor blamed the tragedy on Nero, who wanted to enlarge his palace. He shifted the blame by accusing the Christians. According to the historian Tacitus, many Christians were put to death because of their “hatred of the human race.” Peter and Paul were probably among the victims.
Threatened by an army revolt and condemned to death by the senate, Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D. at the age of 31.
Reflection
Wherever the Good News of Jesus was preached, it met the same opposition as Jesus did, and many of those who began to follow him shared his suffering and death. But no human force could stop the power of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. The blood of martyrs has always been, and will always be, the seed of Christians.
The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” Today, we begin our journey into the mystery of the Eucharist. Fr. Mike emphasizes that the Eucharist is particularly unique in relation to the other sacraments because it unites us to the heavenly liturgy and draws us into communion with God. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1322-1327.
Together, with Fr. Mike, we have arrived at the conclusion and nugget day for the section on the sacrament of Confirmation. Fr. Mike reiterates the idea that, “What God has done in me cannot stop with me.” We receive God’s gifts at Confirmation, and it is now up to us to use these gifts. He also emphasizes the importance of having the desire for the sacrament of Confirmation when the sacrament is received. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1315-1321.
We continue our examination of the sacrament of Confirmation, specifically both who should receive Confirmation and who can act as the minister of the sacrament. Fr. Mike reiterates that every baptized person, not yet confirmed, should receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Without Confirmation, Christian initiation remains incomplete. He also emphasizes the importance of choosing someone who can help you grow in the Faith as a sponsor. Fr. Mike concludes with an examination of who the minister of Confirmation is, and how its minister ties us to the apostolic succession. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1306-1314.
Peter (d. 64?) Saint Mark ends the first half of his Gospel with a triumphant climax. He has recorded doubt, misunderstanding, and the opposition of many to Jesus. Now Peter makes his great confession of faith: “You are the Messiah” (Mark 8:29b). It was one of the many glorious moments in Peter’s life, beginning with the day he was called from his nets along the Sea of Galilee to become a fisher of men for Jesus.
The New Testament clearly shows Peter as the leader of the apostles, chosen by Jesus to have a special relationship with him. With James and John he was privileged to witness the Transfiguration, the raising of a dead child to life, and the agony in Gethsemane. His mother-in-law was cured by Jesus. He was sent with John to prepare for the last Passover before Jesus’ death. His name is first on every list of apostles.
And to Peter only did Jesus say, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:17b-19).
But the Gospels prove their own trustworthiness by the unflattering details they include about Peter. He clearly had no public relations person. It is a great comfort for ordinary mortals to know that Peter also has his human weakness, even in the presence of Jesus.
He generously gave up all things, yet he can ask in childish self-regard, “What are we going to get for all this?” (see Matthew 19:27). He receives the full force of Christ’s anger when he objects to the idea of a suffering Messiah: “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (Matthew 16:23b).
Peter is willing to accept Jesus’ doctrine of forgiveness, but suggests a limit of seven times. He walks on the water in faith, but sinks in doubt. He refuses to let Jesus wash his feet, then wants his whole body cleansed. He swears at the Last Supper that he will never deny Jesus, and then swears to a servant maid that he has never known the man. He loyally resists the first attempt to arrest Jesus by cutting off Malchus’ ear, but in the end he runs away with the others. In the depth of his sorrow, Jesus looks on him and forgives him, and he goes out and sheds bitter tears. The Risen Jesus told Peter to feed his lambs and his sheep (John 21:15-17).
Paul (d. 64?) If the most well-known preacher today suddenly began preaching that the United States should adopt Marxism and not rely on the Constitution, the angry reaction would help us understand Paul’s life when he started preaching that Christ alone can save us. He had been the most pharisaic of Pharisees, the most legalistic of Mosaic lawyers. Now he suddenly appears to other Jews as a heretical welcomer of Gentiles, a traitor and apostate.
Paul’s central conviction was simple and absolute: Only God can save humanity. No human effort—even the most scrupulous observance of law—can create a human good which we can bring to God as reparation for sin and payment for grace. To be saved from itself, from sin, from the devil, and from death, humanity must open itself completely to the saving power of Jesus.
Paul never lost his love for his Jewish family, though he carried on a lifelong debate with them about the uselessness of the Law without Christ. He reminded the Gentiles that they were grafted on the parent stock of the Jews, who were still God’s chosen people, the children of the promise.
Reflection
We would probably go to confession to Peter sooner than to any of the other apostles. He is perhaps a more striking example of the simple fact of holiness. Jesus says to us as he said, in effect, to Peter: “It is not you who have chosen me, but I who have chosen you. Peter, it is not human wisdom that makes it possible for you to believe, but my Father’s revelation. I, not you, build my Church.” Paul’s experience of the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus was the driving force that made him one of the most zealous, dynamic, and courageous ambassadors of Christ the Church has ever had. But persecution, humiliation, and weakness became his day-by-day carrying of the cross, material for further transformation. The dying Christ was in him; the living Christ was his life.
The Church is fortunate that Irenaeus was involved in many of its controversies in the second century. He was a student, well trained no doubt, with great patience in investigating, tremendously protective of apostolic teaching, but prompted more by a desire to win over his opponents than to prove them in error.
As bishop of Lyons he was especially concerned with the Gnostics, who took their name from the Greek word for “knowledge.” Claiming access to secret knowledge imparted by Jesus to only a few disciples, their teaching was attracting and confusing many Christians. After thoroughly investigating the various Gnostic sects and their “secret,” Irenaeus showed to what logical conclusions their tenets led. These he contrasted with the teaching of the apostles and the text of Holy Scripture, giving us, in five books, a system of theology of great importance to subsequent times. Moreover, his work, widely used and translated into Latin and Armenian, gradually ended the influence of the Gnostics.
The circumstances and details about his death, like those of his birth and early life in Asia Minor, are not at all clear. However in 2022, Pope Francis named Saint Irenaeus a Doctor of the Church.
Reflection
A deep and genuine concern for other people will remind us that the discovery of truth is not to be a victory for some and a defeat for others. Unless all can claim a share in that victory, truth itself will continue to be rejected by the losers, because it will be regarded as inseparable from the yoke of defeat. And so, confrontation, controversy and the like might yield to a genuine united search for God’s truth and how it can best be served.
The High Price of Low Living Father Peter Fitzgibbons
June 24 – 25, 2023
Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33
Years ago, my older brother, John, went to the doctor. The doctor told my brother that she had bad news for him. John said, “What’s that?” The doctor told him that he had Hepatitis C. She also told John that he could probably be cured of it, but that he would have to stop drinking. My brother thought about it and said, “I appreciate that doctor, but I like to drink.” This was a guy who kept a bottle of vodka in his freezer. Now, my brother was not a stupid man. John and my twin brother both had Mensa cards, members of the Society of Geniuses. John had a great doctor who offered all her talents and abilities to increase the odds of his survival. Sometimes Hepatitis C can lie dormant forever, but it can also come and take you out. My brother decided to play the odds and to continue drinking, but he lost the gamble. The doctor had tried to help John, but he refused God’s gift. I was there when he died. He died a much more painful death than he should have. It was not a pleasant way to go.
I’ve been reading all these articles in Catholic newspapers about our needing to be a “welcoming Church.” I have a question. Remember “Welcome Back Kotter” and what happened when Horshack had a question? OOOOHHH! OOOOHHH! OOOOHHH! I have a question! When were we not a welcoming Church? My brother’s doctor used all her expertise trying to get him to change his mind. But he was stuck on stupid. You cannot fix stupid; you can only medicate it. Saying that we are “not welcoming” is an insult to the people of God. Look at all the Catholic hospitals, schools, and orphanages that took everybody. A lot of times when the poor inquired about their bills, there were none. How can we not be welcoming?
Now, I’ve been a Catholic for 69 years and 40+ weeks. I was very young when I was baptized, so I don’t remember the exact date. My father was an usher, and I never saw him throw anyone out of church. I have never seen Lori body slam anybody who came into the office. That doesn’t mean she hasn’t wanted to, but she’s never done it. I have been here for 20 years, and I have never observed anyone not welcome in this church. Bea’s husband, Tommy, was an usher here for 55 years, and he was not Catholic until near the end of his life. That’s an interesting story. Tommy attended a Baptist church for 55 years. When he was very sick, I went to his house to see him. We watched Russian crash videos which I highly recommend by the way. While I was there, Tommy said, “Father, how do I become Catholic?” Well, I can hook a brother up tomorrow – no problem. How can we not be welcoming? Did Stump or Navy-boy Timmy ever check your baptismal certificates or bank statements? No. Did you ever hear me say, “If you are not Catholic, you are going to hell”? No. So, I get pretty indignant when people say that we are not welcoming. What did Christ say? “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28-30). “Yeah baby!” Not so fast. He also said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” “Oh, so there are conditions?” Yes. You must give up the high price of low living. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mk 8:34). Leave your father and mother; sell everything you have and give it to the poor; eat My body and drink My blood; one wife and one husband, marriage between male and female. . . Do you think our Lord got it wrong?
Our Lord has a lot of conditions, but they are not burdensome. The Commandments are acts of love, and love is easy. It is the mindset that comes from sin that tells us they are difficult. Just like addicts we think, “You don’t care. If you really cared for me, you’d give me my drugs or booze.” Come up higher . . . You will feel much better when you stop doing that stupid stuff. Aren’t you tired of hurting? Come up higher. Come enjoy the grace of God. Come enjoy His peace in your soul and the full joy of not being bound by old habits and sin. Is it always instantaneous? No. When people get sober, tell them it takes about two years to regain their marbles. It takes about five years to learn how to play with them, because original sin diminishes the will and intellect. Repeated sin does the same thing.
We are always carrying our cross. When we preach what Christ did, we are a welcoming Church. We are not being hurtful or hateful. I came to Albemarle 20 years ago, and I am responsible for the spiritual care of all people within 404 square miles. Church law doesn’t say “all Catholic souls” – it simply says “all souls.” By virtue of my office, I am supposed to be welcoming to all people. So, I take the insult that we are “not welcoming” personally. We are trying to help people. When we carry our cross, we take his place. The Pharisees said, “We will believe you if you come down from the cross.” But Christ said, “Come up with me. Share My passion. Then you will know true peace.”
We are very welcoming of people here. You should have been at the baptism I had yesterday. They were Spanish, and I couldn’t pronounce their names. Y’all know how great my Spanish skills are. It was a lot fun and full of laughter as the Anglo struggled to speak Spanish. When I was overseas, we had people from Bangladesh and Pakistan who wanted to come to Mass. But they couldn’t when the Saudi Arabians were around. The Ministry of Internal Security wouldn’t allow Catholic Mass, so they would sneak in with us, and they were all welcome. They were afraid that the Saudi Arabians would bust in during Mass. I told them that we had a couple hundred of heavily armed men who were not in a good mood. I didn’t think anyone was going to bother us.
We are all one in Christ. We are all welcome. Yes, Christ has certain rules, that’s true. But by being here, we are all a testimony that those rules are not burdensome. We welcome everybody. Unfortunately, we have plenty of pew space. I wish that more people were here. I would even add another Mass if needed. We are welcoming. People will always be drawn to Him. And in that welcoming, in that call from Up Higher, they will see Christ.
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 Facebook page at ola.catholic.church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”
We continue our examination of the sacrament of Confirmation, specifically the celebration and effects of the sacrament of Confirmation. Fr. Mike explores the different elements of the rite of Confirmation and the ways in which Confirmation increases and deepens our baptismal graces. He emphasizes, in particular, the special strength of the Holy Spirit that we receive to spread and defend the Faith by our words and actions. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1297-1305.
Together, with Fr. Mike, we continue our examination of the sacrament of Confirmation, specifically the two Traditions and different signs of Confirmation. Fr. Mike unpacks the differences in the two Traditions, East and West, in the celebration of Confirmation. He also explores the different signs that oil and anointing in the sacrament of Confirmation can signify. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1290-1296.
Saint Cyril of Alexandria’s Story (378 – June 27, 444)
Saints are not born with halos around their heads. Cyril, recognized as a great teacher of the Church, began his career as archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt, with impulsive, often violent, actions. He pillaged and closed the churches of the Novatian heretics—who required those who denied the faith to be re-baptized—participated in the deposing of Saint John Chrysostom, and confiscated Jewish property, expelling the Jews from Alexandria in retaliation for their attacks on Christians.
Cyril’s importance for theology and Church history lies in his championing the cause of orthodoxy against the heresy of Nestorius, who taught that in Christ there were two persons, one human and one divine.
The controversy centered around the two natures in Christ. Nestorius would not agree to the title “God-bearer” for Mary. He preferred “Christ-bearer,” saying there are two distinct persons in Christ—divine and human—joined only by a moral union. He said Mary was not the mother of God but only of the man Christ, whose humanity was only a temple of God. Nestorianism implied that the humanity of Christ was a mere disguise.
Presiding as the pope’s representative at the Council of Ephesus in 431, Cyril condemned Nestorianism and proclaimed Mary truly the “God-bearer”—the mother of the one Person who is truly God and truly human. In the confusion that followed, Cyril was deposed and imprisoned for three months, after which he was welcomed back to Alexandria.
Besides needing to soften some of his opposition to those who had sided with Nestorius, Cyril had difficulties with some of his own allies, who thought he had gone too far, sacrificing not only language but orthodoxy. Until his death, his policy of moderation kept his extreme partisans under control. On his deathbed, despite pressure, he refused to condemn the teacher of Nestorius.
Reflection
Lives of the saints are valuable not only for the virtue they reveal but also for the less admirable qualities that also appear. Holiness is a gift of God to us as human beings. Life is a process. We respond to God’s gift, but sometimes with a lot of zigzagging. If Cyril had been more patient and diplomatic, the Nestorian church might not have risen and maintained power so long. But even saints must grow out of immaturity, narrowness, and selfishness. It is because they—and we—do grow, that we are truly saints, persons who live the life of God.
