“You Will Be Amazed!”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
July 5-6, 2025
Gospel: Luke 10: 1-12, 17-20
Would you like to be amazed? If yes, do you want an easy way to do it? Just do what Christ told you to do. “Lord, everything worked just like You told us it would!” Well, duh! As they say in Italian, “Stunad” (stupid). “Were you expecting something different? I’m God, remember?” Peter had been fishing all night and hadn’t caught anything. So, when our Lord told him, “Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch,” Peter responded with a bit of sarcasm: “Master, we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if You say so, I will pay out the nets” (Luke 5:4-5). It was obvious that Jesus wasn’t a fisherman; he was a carpenter. But what happened? Because the fishermen did what our Lord told them to do, they caught so many fish that their nets tore. The Epistles affirm that if we do what God tells us to do, we will get what He promised, and our Lord has never reneged on any of His promises. But keep it simple – do what He tells you to do just for today, just for this hour. He tells us exactly where the landmines are on the way to salvation, and He gives us the map. “Don’t step there . . . it will hurt you.”
Christ performed many miracles. He fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. So, you would think that the Apostles would have learned, but no. They were not the sharpest knives in the drawer, nor were they the brightest bears in Jellystone Park. Remember that old cartoon? You would think that after our Lord resurrected four people from the dead and performed all the other miracles, the Apostles would have learned to trust Him. “Do what I tell you, and you will get what I’ve got.” Our Lord did not say, “My words are just suggestive. You do what you think is best.” He did not say “Give 10 percent to the Church,” which I appreciate, but He didn’t say that either. That is nowhere in Scripture. If you ask, “How does He speak to us in the 21st Century?” The same way He did in the First Century, Stunad! Read the black part of Scripture, not the white part. It has not changed. Now, believe it or not, no matter how good-looking, intelligent, and talented I am, our Lord does not need my advice. Whenever the Lord asked the Apostles a question, they gave Him the wrong answer. We must do what He asks us to do.
I took three vows when I was ordained: poverty, chastity, and obedience. Thank God eating fish wasn’t one of them. Anyway, do you know which vow is the most difficult? Obedience. There are two parts to obedience. One is objective obedience: “Yes, Sir. Very good, Sir.” You salute and carry out the mission. There is also subjective obedience. You give an order, and you hear, “Yes, Sir. Very good, Sir.” But you know, in the back of their mind, they are patting the back of their head, which is a sign of mockery, and thinking, “I’m doing this because if I don’t, you’ll put me in prison.” If they don’t obey a command, the First Sergeant will conduct some hands-on therapy. They don’t do that anymore, but the laying on of hands can help alleviate many problems. Subjective obedience is the renunciation of the will, in the same way as in marriages. There is only one law in the married state, clerical state, and single state, or whatever your vocation. It is the renunciation of self to do the will of the beloved. For example, if you ask your children to do something, they may ask, “Why?” When you say, “Because I said so,” they may throw a tantrum because they are not adults. We do the same with God. “Why do I have to go to Mass?” Do you want God’s peace? “Yes.” Do you want God’s joy? “Yes.” Do you want the promise of eternal life? “Yes.” Then do what He told you and you will be amazed at what happens.
Announcement:
We will be getting a new vestment case. For 20+ years, I have stared at the old one, and I really, really don’t like it. Recently, I was at another church for a wedding, and when I saw theirs, I thought, “Need one. Gotta have one. Get one.” It was so beautiful. A donor has given most of the money for the new vestment case, but there is still room left if you would like to make a memorial donation. The Misfits will be doing the demolition of the old cabinet, so we will save some money there. If you would like to help with the cabinet, contact Lori Storms in the office. Her phone number is (704) 982-2910 extension 1. There are pictures of the new vestment case on the church’s Facebook page. The case will be handmade of white oak and will take approximately seven months to complete. It will be so beautiful!
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
