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Lack of Knowledge is Not the Problem

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

May 6 – 7, 2023

Gospel: John  14:1-12

Saint Thomas said, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; How can we know the way?”  Jesus told them the way . . . “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”   And throughout His ministry, He spelled out exactly what we need to do to get to Heaven.  A lack of knowledge is not our problem; otherwise I could give you some books, Liz could give you a quiz, and you’d be done and on your way to Heaven.    If a lack of knowledge was the problem, every bishop, every priest, and every cardinal would be a saint.  They all have those initials after their names.  I have initials after my name, but all that proves is that I can take tests.  Taking the knowledge and applying it is the key.  “We want to do it, but we lack the will.”   No.  It’s not a lack of will.  We want to decide for God what is best for us.  We don’t want to be told, and we don’t want to follow.  It’s also not that we lack the strength to do His Will, because God has given us the means to do His Will by prayer and the Sacraments.    He offers to share His divine life which gives us the power to do what must be done.   We return His love by renouncing ourselves and doing what He asks of us.  To be a follower of Christ, we must renounce our very selves and take up our cross.  “Who said?”   I’m just reading the black part from Scripture.  We must renounce our will and do what Christ has asked us to do.  He doesn’t ask us to make judgement calls on what is right or wrong.  He said, “Do what I ask you to do.”  And He was very plain about it.  He is very precise in His directions about what to do and what not to do. 

What is the biggest impediment to following His Will?  Two words . . .  our will.  “Unless you leave your father and mother you cannot be my disciple.”  Now, He was using hyperbole.  The Fourth Commandment is to take care of your parents when they cannot care for themselves.  “Sell everything you have, give it to the poor, and follow me.”   Nope.  Not doing that.  “You can have only one wife until death takes care of her or you.”  Can’t do that either.  The biggest impediment is our will.  But we have to give up our will in order to do His.  Jesus said, “I have come to do the Will of My Father,” and He showed us an example to the point of His suffering and death.  

The most difficult vow a priest takes is obedience.  When I was home, even then I got phone calls because everything is an emergency that only I can handle.  Some day I will take the big “dirt nap” and someone else will have to fill in while someone fills me in up North.  Anyway, the call was from the Chancellor who wanted to know when I was going to schedule vicariate meetings because I’m the vicar and apparently a monsignor too.  I heard that the visiting priest gave me a promotion.  That was awfully nice of him.  I feel really good about myself now!   So, the Chancellor said that Monsignor Winslow wanted me to schedule the meetings.  The Chancellor knew I was away.  I’m on vacation; leave me alone! 
I told the Chancellor that I really couldn’t do it because I was on vacation.  Well, he wouldn’t let it go, and I really wanted to tell him some things that would not have been politically beneficial to me and disobedient.  I knew better.  I would have been out of here in a second.  I’ve got a good gig going here, so I said, “Yes, Monsignor.  I will do it.”   And that’s the hardest part.  It wasn’t the task itself; that was just a phone call and a few notes.  No problem.  It’s the renunciation of the will . . . to imitate Christ and do the Will of the Father. 

There are two parts of the will:  1) objective by following a command by those we owe obedience to and 2) subjective ascent.  Subjective ascent is the hardest of them all.  If you say, “Yes Monsignor.  Yes Monsignor” but in your mind you are thinking, “Take that, Monsignor.”   Don’t let that bad voice come out, otherwise it might not be pleasant.  That’s the hardest part of turning your will over to God.  When Adam and Eve walked with God and talked with God as the old hymn goes, they had one thing to do, and they screwed it up.  And here we are.  It is hard to restrain our will both exteriorly by objective obedience and interiorly by interior sin.  And that’s what we have to work on.  That’s why we pray and do Penance.  “But, I’m not getting anything out of prayer.”  You’re not getting anything out of prayer?  “No.”  Great, you’re not supposed to.  Prayer is a gift for the other.  “I don’t like going to hospitals.  There are sick people there.”   Yeah, I know.  But what the heck, you’re an outpatient and you get to leave.  It’s not about you.  I’d like it to be all about me.  But it’s not. 

You know the way to salvation.  Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”   We imitate Christ which is obedience to the Father by obeying the Father’s Will.  We obey His Will by keeping His Commandments.  Exteriorly, it is very difficult.  Interiorly is the most difficult and that’s what we work on daily, even hourly and minute by minute.  Renunciation of our will is the key to salvation.  It’s not the lack of knowledge.

Father’s Reflections . . .

Yes, I’m back from vacation.  It was an interesting flight.  I overheard a member of the flight crew talking about her plans to kick her boyfriend to the curb.  An in-flight show . . . I like it!   I’ll give you three stories about my vacation.  On the advice of counsel, I can only tell you three.  While on vacation, I did some metal detecting.  I froze my behind out there, but I did find a small key.  I was having fun even though I felt like a frozen popsicle when I got back to the car.  I’ve lost my New England blood.  The other two stories really made me feel my age.  My cousin’s brother gave her $60 to buy lunch for her, my aunt, and me.  We only spent $30.  I must be losing it!   The third story left me shocked and stunned.  I graduated from Providence College in 1975.  The daughter of one of my classmates prepared dinner for a group of us.  We used to call ourselves “The Table.”   I took one look at my former classmates and said, “My God!  I didn’t bring my oils, so I can’t give you all Last Rites!  You guys are old!”  

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” then “Menu” and then “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church Facebook page at facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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