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Sermon Notes – Small Sacrifices

“Make Small Sacrifices with Great Love”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 30 – December 1st, 2019

Scripture: Matthew 24: 37-44

Today is the first day of Advent and the beginning of the Church’s new year. In 24 days, we will celebrate the birthday of Christ.

Peace is a “Who” not a “what.” Our Lord wants to give us peace; but, it does not come from our own virtuousness; instead, it comes from Him. Yet, we want to keep what we have. We don’t want to be told how to live, and we want to keep our stuff. My brother, John, went to the doctor who told him that he had Hepatitis C. The doctor said that he could cure my brother, but he would have to stop drinking. The Lord offered to heal him, but my brother said, “No, thank you.” John wanted other things more. He died an unpleasant death, but it was within the arms of the Holy Church.

Thousands of years ago, after our parents committed the first sin, God tried to prepare His people. He sent St. John the Baptist and other profits to teach them. Some got it, and some did not. From the Old Testament, we know that they wouldn’t listen to Him; they didn’t get it, and they went looking for love in all the wrong places. God cried, because He was trying to prepare people and wanted to gather them to Him.

Christ never failed to fulfill any of His promises, and He never will. We long for the promises of God, and while we wait, He is preparing us with His teachings and the Sacraments. You should not give people things for which they are not ready. For example, we prepare ourselves to eat out at restaurants by not eating beforehand. We also do not give a young child a horse…or get them a cat, even if they say “Oh, I’ll take care of it.” We have been preparing for the Savior for thousands of years. He will judge when we are ready… not us.

Involuntary suffering helps us prepare for the death of self. An example is when you try to take a nap in spite of a lot of noise. Another example is when we cannot go home for Christmas to be with those we love. Or, maybe it’s the first Thanksgiving or Christmas without loved ones who have received their celestial discharge. These are real sufferings. When we hear happy songs, we may even want to chuck the radio out the window. We feel the loss. One of my involuntary sufferings (it’s really all about me) is when I get called out in the middle of the night. As I go through town, every light is working, even at 2 am and there’s nobody around. But, if I zipped through a light, most likely there would be a trooper nearby waiting to catch me. Another involuntary suffering occurs when I get behind someone who can’t do the speed limit; they go from 58 mph to 42 then back to 58…they drive like a Slinky. Have they ever heard of cruise control? It drives me insane! Other drivers cannot seem to do the speed limit until they are behind me and then they speed up. Dude really? Still another, is when I’m at the grocery store and someone with 25 items gets into the 12-item or less lane. No matter what it is we have to endure, we can turn into a prayer. All of those involuntary mortifications, and there seems to be so many, are the renunciation of self.

Voluntary mortifications are personal sufferings in which we strip ourselves of small things like…I won’t have that extra piece of pie, meat, or squirrel depending on how you roll. You don’t have to donate a kidney; just do something small like saying an extra decade of the rosary. This is how we can prepare to meet God. Some other examples of voluntary mortification are: Going to confession frequently; Participating in the Mass…even on weekdays; and, Praying. Saint Teresa said that there are no small sacrifices that are made with a great deal of love.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you make small sacrifices with great love? Will you turn your involuntary sufferings into prayers?

Father’s Reflections….

  • God’s gifts are not our reward for being special. He gives us just enough to want more and to grow closer to Him. God doesn’t want to give us just gifts. He wants to give us the gift of Himself.
  • When I was very young, we attended my uncle’s funeral. When I looked inside his coffin, I saw that he had a missing leg. Not wanting to go looking around for it, I asked Dad where it was. Dad, always quick on his feet, said they had put it back in the box. My uncle’s funeral was held at a French parish in Massachusetts where they say the rosary very quickly. Even so, it helps prepare our souls.
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Sermon Notes – How to Renew the Church

“How to Renew the Church is Staring Us in the Face”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 16-17, 2019

Scripture: Luke 21:5-19

I did a wedding on Saturday that really made me feel my age…it reminded me of my mortality. The bride married a nice guy; I married her parents 30 years ago before the Army sent me overseas for sun and fun. Afterward, I baptized all of their kids. Wow..I’m getting really, really old! This morning, I got another reminder when I could do only six minutes on the elliptical machine when at one time I was able to do an hour.

When I think back over my life in the Church, I’m sad to see that it is falling in to terrible shape and has been for a long time. But, we’ve always had problems in the Church; however, bishops think we need something to revive it. I’ve seen so many programs like Catholics Come Home, Renew, RCIA, etc. We are going to do this and that and have all these new programs, but we need money and even more money. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been wasted which is an interesting renewal; money goes from your bank account into theirs.

Some people have a lot of zeal and a lot of hutzpah. They make things up and brow beat us into obedience. Yet, we’ve always had the remedy, for the past 2,000 years, and it has been overlooked. Bishops, priests, and many lay people have it. All they need to do is take the book (Butler’s Lives of the Saints) off the shelf, dust it off, and read about the lives of the saints and how they followed the teachings of Christ. We don’t need to spend any money, we don’t need to form prayer groups, we don’t need to create new committees…please, no more committees!

Saint John Vianney wasn’t particularly bright and was taught Latin one smack at a time. He had no money, but he lived a life of prayer and penance. As a result, he changed the Church and renewed the faith. Saint Francis of Assissi was a deacon who never aspired to become a priest. He formed the Franciscans and required members to beg for food while preaching. Today, Franciscans look like they are a little late in leaving the table. There was a young girl in France, St. Therese de Lisieux, who never left the convent, who died in her early 20’s, but changed the Church with her “Little Way.” Saint Theresa of Calcutta worked with the sickest of the sick…people afflicted with leprosy. What she did, she did with great love. She had a passionate love for Christ. Saint Isidore led a life of learning and holiness and was able to unite a country split in its faith. These are just a few of the saints who followed the teachings of Christ and who changed the Church as a result.

So, how do we renew the Church? Go back to the saints and look at what they have done for the Church by becoming holy. We are all called to live a holy life by following the teachings of Christ which is also the best way to evangelize. People will see the change in you and want what you have. The power of God’s word is not found in any program. The power is in the tabernacle, the Sacraments, in your soul and in your very will.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you model your life after the Saints? Will you live the teachings of Christ?

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Sermon Notes – I Am With You Always

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 9-10, 2019

Scripture: Luke 20: 27-38

When I was a young priest and just out of seminary, I was assigned to a cathedral parish. I was working with Father Burke who was a good priest. One day, when I had just finished the Vigil Mass and Father Burke and I were about to leave for dinner, someone came running up to us saying “Father you must go to hospital; there is an emergency.” Father Burke looked at me and said “Jesus took care of everything before you, and He will after you leave; so relax.”

In modern times, we have television, radio, and internet, etc., and everything has become a crisis. However, as you may recall, my definition of an emergency is if we have:

• Incoming fire;

• Mass casualties; and

• No money for paychecks… especially mine

If you were to read a history of the church, you would see that, throughout history, popes and bishops have thought to make reforms to the clergy and other religious vocations. St. Paul wrote 1st Corinthians in which he addressed issues in the Church that concerned him such as gluttony and sexual immorality. There were also attempts to reform and suppress the Carmelites. So, there have always been concerns about the Church being this or that, and how bad the priests are. In fairness some things may be true, but it’s not even close to what they’re claiming. Never anything specifically, but let your minds go wild. Yes, there have been problems through the ages…we are men not angels. I am distressed and saddened by my own sins and those of other people. But, nothing can thwart His will. Christ told Peter, in person, that upon “this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He also said “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Father’s Reflection about Veterans’ Day:

One day while I was making my rounds in the treatment area of the VA Hospital, I saw a muscular man wearing a “wife beater” shirt sitting in the waiting area. I called out to him “Marine!” He jumped to attention and when I walked up to him, he asked how I knew he was a Marine. I said “Uncle Sam’s Muscle Club” (USMC).

I met another patient at the VA who looked in pretty bad shape. I told him “You look too good to be here. What branch of the military were you in?” He said that he was a Coast Guard Corpsman and had served on-board a ship. Me: “Where did you go?” Him: “We went to New York and then to Vietnam. We took care of business and came home.” Me: “Doc…thank you.” Him: “Nobody has called me that in a very long time.”

Most of these heroes will never tell you what they did for our country. One of my uncles flew 38 combat missions over Nazi-Germany while another earned a Purple Heart and a CIB. We are all surrounded by these silent hero’s.

One of our parishioners had a family member who served in the Marine Corps during World War II. The President of the United States awarded this soldier the Bronze Star Medal for his bravery. Here is the citation: For heroic achievement while serving as Detail Chief of Battery N. Fourth Battalion, Fourteenth Marines, Fourth Marine Division, during operations against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan, Marianas Islands, from 15 to 21 June, 1944. On 21 June, when an enemy group pinned down sections of his Battery, seriously impairing its firing efficiency, Platoon Sergeant Santella quickly located the group and, when several of his men were wounded in the fray due to superior numbers of Japanese, withdrew with his patrol, leaving an injured man, who was unable to walk, in the forward area until a stretcher could be brought up. Observing that intense hostile fire prevented the stretcher-bearers from reaching the casualty, Platoon Sergeant Santella crawled to a flank position and, standing up, opened fire with an automatic weapon, continuing fire despite two shoulder wounds until the corpsmen were able to evacuate the injured Marine. His initiative, courage, and unselfish devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

*******

On the 11th hour of the 11th day, of the 11th month, the guns fell silent, and World War I ended. Tomorrow, our nation honors those who have served in the U.S. Military. If you see a vet; don’t just say thank you for your service; instead, thank them for their sacrifice.

******

How will you apply this message to your life? Are you thankful for what veterans have done for our country? If so, will you thank them for their sacrifice?

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Sermon Notes – The Final Exam

“The Final Exam”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 2-3, 2019

Scripture: Luke 19: 1-10

One night, about 30 years ago, I was staring out over the desert sand with fellow soldiers. We were all dressed in chemical protection suits while having a smoke break and waiting on the scud missiles that were nearby. I asked First Sergeant Chico Rodriguez how I should do my job in Iraq and survive. I was a young captain and had learned the school house theory at Fort Bragg about what I was to do. Chico had been a tunnel rat in Vietnam and had searched tunnels with a knife in his mouth and a side arm at his waist….not a job for the nervous. I wanted Top’s experiential knowledge, and he became my mentor.

There are three ways in which we can know God:

1. We can know God by His signature…by everything around us. He is the perfection of all virtues…of all beauty. A word of advice to the men – All women are beautiful all the time. You can thank me later!

2. We can know God by what the Church has taught us. But, does knowledge make us holier? Not necessarily.

3. We can know Him by using the first two ways. We can experience God in His very being…love. We can experience His nature…His mercy…His forgiveness, and He will infuse His very life into our souls. We know God by how He has revealed Himself, and we know He is good. We know Him because of His revelation and the spirit of His essence…He is love. We experience His love by the grace of His mercy found in the sacraments.

This is but a foretaste of what we will experience in heaven.

Book knowledge is good to a certain extent. Thomas Aquinas once said that “Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.” Some people have master’s degrees and doctor’s degrees. Are they more holy? Not necessarily. Did Saint Therese have a degree? No. If that is all it took, we would all be saints. It doesn’t prove anything. We are called to share with others our book knowledge as well as our experiences with God and His love.

A friend sent me a remembrance card for an event that happened 20 years ago. I brought him in to the Church, and he is now a priest in Monroe. I advised Ben to take all of his books and go to the chapel to study. Let Christ teach you. He will give meaning to your knowledge. Bishop Sheen wrote all of his books in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Books are good, but they are limited; we must experience Him personally by having His nature in our souls and by experiencing His mercy in the Sacraments. In Holy Communion, He comes to us as the Savior.

Remember, the final exam is not a written test. He will ask “what did you do? How did you show My love to others?”

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you pass the final exam? Do you share your knowledge and His love with others?

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Sermon Notes – I am Fine

“I am Fine”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

October 19-20, 2019

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Recently, I was visiting a man at the VA Hospital. When I asked him how he was doing, he said “Fine.” I thought to myself, “Dude, you’re in the hospital, how fine can you be!” I often ask patients if they would like to make peace with God and come back to Church. Usually, they say “No, I am fine.” Hey, I’ve seen the numbers on your chart, and they all end with Stage 4. I wouldn’t be taking out a magazine subscription right now! The word “Fine” can be used as an acronym for Fouled up, Insensitive, Neurotic, and Emotional.

Only 37% of people are regular churchgoers. Sadly, even though you have made sacrifices, many of your children do not participate in the Mass. My family is not immune to this trend, and it breaks my heart. I was at a funeral and one of my cousins asked me if I “still believed all that stuff”. No, I wear this outfit to get out of tickets!

Our Lord never said to have parish councils, to create new programs, or to have a 2nd collection. Instead, He said to proclaim the message. All other changes are like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. We are all called to be disciples and to preach as Christ did. We are called to sow the seed of His word whether it is convenient or not and whether they like it or not. And, if they don’t like it, there is something wrong in them…it’s called sin. It can be depressing, and we can become discouraged when people do not respond the way we hoped they would, but we must let the Good Lord take it from there. You are doing the right thing, and He is pleased.

Even if we were able to pack this sanctuary at every Mass, you have a much bigger audience than I could ever have. Saint Timothy said to preach the word not only with our lips, but as Saint Francis said also with our actions. Preach the word that Christ has taught us without changing the language, and He will be pleased. Will you get your feelings hurt? Oh yes! But timing is everything. Sometimes I wait until the drug cart has gone by before talking to a patient.

People say the Church needs to change the laws on this or that and such and such a thing. They say if you change the teaching, I’ll come back to church. But, Christ meant what He said. He never changed His mind. When He proclaimed the truth and everyone left Him, did He change the truth then? No, and He didn’t run after them. As Jack Nicholson said, “You can’t handle the truth!” When Christ asked his apostles if they would leave Him too, Saint Peter said “To whom should we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Father’s Reflections…

• G.K. Chesterton, a former atheist, left the Anglican church and converted to Catholicism, because he wanted his sins forgiven, not just explained away.

• Men, stay awake with one eye open, because while you sleep, your wives are plotting

How will you apply this message to your life? Are you or someone you know “Fine”? Will you preach His word to others with your lips as well as your actions?

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Sermon Notes – Embrace Your Crosses

“Embrace Your Crosses”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

October 12-13, 2019

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19

You have heard me say to pray with thanksgiving…to be grateful for all your blessings and all of the good things God has done. But, we should also be thankful for our crosses. Of all the blessing we have, it is our crosses we don’t thank Him for. Nobody likes their crosses, and sometimes we become angry with God because of them. Our crosses are not bad things; in fact, they are good. Our Lord gives us crosses to give us chances to be humble, a kind of spiritual leash, and they can be our greatest blessings when we unite our sufferings with His. So, embrace your crosses and carry them with love because as Saint Therese said when we are small, we are safe.

Our parish is abundantly blessed. We are blessed with many attributes and talents. Yet, it is our humility that keeps us close to God. As an example, my mother thought my father was an engineer, and when he got calls from the government, she thought he was going to the local reserve center. He never told us this, but he was actually a spy. My father never lost his humility. In contrast, I know two priests, both colonels, who lost their humbleness and eventually left the priesthood.

When I think about the kind of priest I want to be when I’m old, I think of Monsignor Smith. Even though Monsignor was in the hospital and dying, he had a sign placed on his door that said “If I am asleep, please wake me, I would like to visit with you.” He was asleep when I went to visit him. His breathing was labored, so I did not have the heart to wake him. Father Campbell is another priest I would like to emulate when I’m old. Father Campbell was in the hospital and very sick. When he heard a code announced, he immediately got out of bed and started walking down the hall in nothing but his hospital gown to respond to the code. Two nurses saw Father Campbell and grabbed him under both elbows and carted him back to his room. Both Monsignor Smith and Father Campbell remained humble servants to the very end of their lives.

Crosses are a notice from God to get our spiritual affairs in order so that we can prepare for heaven. Our invitation to the Great Banquet is coming soon and we need to be ready. Our baptismal robes are cleansed by the crosses we carry as well as by praying scripturally. I say the Morning Offering first thing every morning. This prayer can be prayed for ourselves and for others.

When we are given the gift of old age, our crosses can grow abundantly, but it may not be the best time to take out a magazine subscription. Yet, our crosses can open the hearts and souls of others when we share the wisdom, knowledge, and grace gained from carrying those crosses. I like working at the VA Hospital. Because I’m a combat veteran, other combat veterans tend to be more willing to tell me things they haven’t shared with anyone else including their doctors. Sometimes a bit of street cred helps us reach people that those without it cannot.

Occasions pop-up all the time to help people with their crosses. Am I always crazy about helping others carry their crosses? No. People will call me and ask if I’m busy. Sometimes I am busy, but nobody except my guardian angel knows the look on my face when I say “I’m not busy” and then take the time to listen and talk with them. It is a sign from God when people ask for my highly valuable time to listen for a minute and to help them carry their crosses. And, on those occasions when we encounter rude and obnoxious people, God is asking us to help them with their crosses for just a little while. When we take on the struggles of others, we become like Simon of Cyrene who helped Christ carry His cross.

Bishop Fulton Sheen wrote books and had a very popular television show. You may think he had a great life and few crosses. Not true. He had a thorn in the flesh. He had stomach problems and could eat only crackers, milk, and boiled chicken.

Once when Saint Teresa of Avila fell off her horse and into a river, she complained to God about the trials in her life. When God told her that is how He treats His friends, Teresa yelled at the Lord, “If this is how you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few!”

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you embrace your crosses and carry them with love? Will you help others carry their crosses?

Father’s Reflections…

Sin and death are not God’s invention. The fault for that can be laid at the feet of our original parents…Adam and Eve.

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Sermon Notes – Pennies From Heaven

“Pennies From Heaven”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

September 28-29, 2019

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

I was born with multiple birth defects…awfully good looks and no money. Another common birth defect is no looks and lots of money. Yet, you cannot judge people from the outside…just look at me. I have a weak heart. My insides are not nearly as good as the outside. Recently, while I was meditating, I thought about my evil twin brother. When he passed away, he took his wallet with him, and I got zilch. Most often, people judge the amount of our wealth by what we have in our wallets. When I empty mine, all that’s there are pennies. Even though my parents were poor, they gave me a nest egg…the gift of faith. They took my brothers and me to church and had us baptized which infused the faith in us. The gift of faith was kept alive through the sacraments of Reconciliation and Confirmation. Later, my brother received the Sacrament of Matrimony, and for me, it was Holy Orders.

When we blame God for our shortcomings…if our inventory is depleted, our accounting work is incomplete. Our gifts can be placed into three columns. The middle column which contains the gift of faith makes the other two columns balance….to make sense. Some people think they don’t have talents and gifts. Not true. Everyone has them…it all depends on how they are used. I have two talents. One is as an Army chaplain, but I’m too old for that now. My mind still wants to write checks my body cannot cash. My other talent is as a hospital chaplain. What we do with our talents is the key to a rich life. If you don’t think you are rich, you are using the wrong accounting method.

All of our sufferings, fears, pains, sorrows, and joys make us far richer than any amount of money ever could. People in nursing homes are very wealthy because they have lots of crosses. They are wealthy because they can share with others the wisdom, knowledge, and grace gained from carrying those crosses….and that only comes from Christ and it is priceless. We all have the potential to share way more with others than we think. The more we give to others, the more we get back. So, if we use our talents and gifts correctly, we can all be rich, because as children of God, we will inherit His kingdom.

How will you apply this message to your life?

Are you using the right accounting method? Does the middle column on your balance sheet need adjustment? Focus on the middle column, the gift of faith, and everything else will fall into place.

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Sermon Notes – An Angry Heart

“Everybody’s Got A Hungry Heart”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

September 21-22, 2019

Scripture: Luke 16:1-13

Our lives are orderly when everything is in it’s proper place. Likewise, most things are good if they are used for their proper purpose. For example, both gravel and wood are useful; however, it is painful if you get a piece of gravel in your eye or a splinter in your finger. Money is a good thing to have, but if used in the wrong way, it can act like a cancer, bringing desperation, hurt, anger, and bitterness. If used to support your family or a charity, having money can be wonderful. But, many people try to fill the hole in their souls with the things that money can buy. Money cannot bring anything that lasts. I previously served at a rich parish, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that having money does not automatically give you lasting hope and peace. Only a “Who” can heal the hole in your soul. Only God can heal a hungry heart.

We try to fill the hole in our hearts with all kinds of things. If I could drink more or eat lots of chocolate cake, my life would be great. If I could just marry my girlfriend, I’d be happy. However, once we get what we crave, the thrill often fades and we want something – or someone – new. Money, people, and objects will never fill the hole in our hearts. In fact, they can cause more pain. Only God can heal our hearts. 12-Step programs help people with addiction. The first step in all

12-step programs is to admit defeat of self-will. We must surrender ourselves to Him. And, when we do, we gain everything. Who wants us more than God? Who understands us more than God? Who knows us better than God? Who loves us in spite of ourselves more than God? Who can guide, love, and protect us better than God? Nobody! He is the source of hope and peace in our souls. Will we still have troubles? Yes! But, once we surrender our pride and lose ourselves in God, we will find ourselves.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you stop trying to fill the hole in your heart with people, money, and things? Will you keep God at the center of your life so that He can heal your soul?

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Sermon Notes – We Must Give Our Gifts Away

“To Keep Our Gifts, We Must Give Them Away”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

September 7-8, 2019

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33

You cannot be My disciple unless you give away your belongings. Right now, some of you may be reaching for your wallets; but this is not a 2nd collection. Our parish is so very generous; when we need something, the money always comes. We give our money and time to Him, but we hold on to the worse things we have. What we don’t give Him are our crosses and sins…and that is what He wants most.

I tell my felons in the gated community that they are my missionaries inside the prison. They can give the other felons what I cannot…hope. They have found the means for carrying their crosses. And, by using those tools, they can reach other felons and bring them hope. Some say they cannot tell me the really bad stuff during Confession. Not true! One of the felons, a Catechist, killed his two children while off his meds.

I met a man in Hospice who passed away recently. He really busted my chops. He said, “Father, you look like the VC dressed in black.” This man was sexually abused as a child and later drafted to Vietnam. He had ALS and spent a lot of time in VA facilities. But, he was always smiling and friendly to everyone. He was able to help others who had the same problems as he. He knew what was coming, but he faced it with a joyful heart. Like the felons, we must use our crosses as a way to reach others. We can find strength in Him. So, go tell others what the Lord has done for you.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you give away your gifts so that you can keep them? Will you tell others what He has done for you? Will you give Him your crosses and sins?

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Sermon Notes – He Must Increase

“He Must Increase as We Decrease”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 31 – September 1, 2019

Scripture: Luke 14:1, 7-14

Once, Saint Francis had to share a room with a Franciscan priest who suffered from asthma. The priest spent the night coughing and spitting, so Francis got very little sleep. The next day, the priest asked Francis for forgiveness, but Francis told him there was nothing to forgive and that he could think of no better face to spit upon than his. Francis shared in the affliction of his Franciscan brother.

In today’s scripture, Christ says when invited to dinner we are not to worry about the place setting or our place at the table. In fact, He said we should be humble and take the lowest place. It’s a free dinner, so just say “thank you.” Saint John the Baptist said: “He must increase and we must decrease.” Saint Therese said when we are small, we are safe. Being small is a virtue of humility which allows us to see ourselves as He sees us.

There are three ways in which we are seen:

1) As we think we are

2) As other people think we are; and

3) As God sees us. This is what we should strive for.

Our talents are gifts that come from Him, and we should be grateful for the blessings He has given us. But, all the titles we have are meaningless unless we use them to advance the Kingdom of God. They were not given to us because we are special. They were given to us for a purpose…to serve others. And, when we see God, He will ask us what we did with the gifts He gave us. Besides, titles are transitory and there is no promotion beyond sainthood.

In whatever place He puts us, we are to bring His love to others…to be a witness for Christ. Sometimes, I tell my classmates what I do at the VA Hospital, and it grosses them out. They say they could never do that. Once, I was on a Hospice call and gave the patient last rites. After the patient died, I helped the nurses place her body in a bag and clean the room. There is no job too small or disgusting for a child of God. You do whatever you are called to do. That’s why the nurses call me to see patients who are close to death. I ask the family if they would like me to say prayers for the departing soul, and if they say they aren’t Catholic, I tell them that’s okay…God wasn’t either. We are all children of God.

We don’t know how many angels have come into our lives. We also never know who our teachers may be. Take me for example. It took an Act of Congress to make me an officer and a gentleman. That alone is reason enough to mistrust politicians! Once, while I was in seminary, a kindly old priest approached me and said “hello Father.” I told the priest that I was still a seminarian. Soon, the priest’s aid came up to us and said “Bishop, it’s time to go.” Bishop Flanagan had the heart of a priest and was humble.

Recently, during my meditation, I thought about our parish. You have helped me bear my crosses for the past 15 years. When we are humble, we are able to bear our crosses with grace instead of complaining bitterly. We can be happy with today’s crosses with the knowledge that tomorrow’s may be much heavier.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you use the talents and skills that God gave you to help others and to advance His Kingdom?