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Sermon Notes – God Hears Our Prayers

“God Hears Our Prayers”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 27 – 28, 2019

Scripture: Luke 11:1-13

The purpose of prayer is to unite ourselves to God and to resign ourselves to His will. In today’s scripture, we are told to “ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). You may be thinking, “I have prayed for this or that and got notta….bubkes.” We did as we were told, and He reneged. We’ve all been disappointed. I have been a priest for 35 years and would like to be a monsignor, but I don’t see that happening. We expect better from those we love, but, God gives us much more than we will know until our Particular Judgement.

My evil twin brother, Paul, wrote a book on waste management. I tried reading it, but didn’t make it through the first paragraph. When he got sick, I prayed hard…I said all the prayers I knew for him to recover. What I got was a bro in a box. Am I upset? You bet. I am still upset that I’m the only one left in my family. But, in our grief, anger, and disappointment, God is trying to draw us closer to Him…to enfold us in His arms. We need to remain humble and rely on Him. We must trust Him.

God always hears our prayers, but sometimes the answer is “no.” As a result, we may feel rejected and angry. It’s okay to be angry…He can take it. But, it’s not okay to hold a grudge and not come to church or to live a life of debauchery. Remember, God sees all…outside of time. We don’t see all of the dimensions, but He does. Parents, too, don’t always give their children everything they want, especially when they ask for things like a machine gun, a horse, or a dog. Parents can see the consequences that their children may not. So, because parents want only what is best for their children, the answer may be “no” or “not yet.” It’s the same with God. He gives us what is best for us. It may not be what we want or when we want it, and it may be hard to understand or to accept His plan. But, we are called to keep praying….asking for consolation and for Him to draw us closer to his Sacred Heart.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you trust that God hears all of your prayers and knows what is best for you? Will you pray for consolation if His answer is not what you hoped it would be?

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Sermon Notes – Violence is a Problem of the Heart

“Violence is a Problem of the Heart”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 17-18, 2019

Scripture: Luke 12:49-53

I have heard it said that Jesus preached nonviolence. On the contrary…He preached violence against self for the sake of the Kingdom. He preached violence against evil. For example, He taught that “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (Matthew 5:30). That seems fairly violent to me. Violence has been in our world since the time of Cain and Able. Sampson slew 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, and David killed Goliath with a single stone. However, violence can be a good thing when it stops other acts of sin. Avoiding sin helps draw us closer to God. Saints Francis and Benedict both threw themselves down a hill into a cluster of brambles to avoid sin. They went to any extreme to avoid it. When you have something in your body that doesn’t belong there, like a splinter in the finger, you go crazy and will go to all lengths to remove it.

The cause of violence is in the heart…the wrong stuff is there. Christ should be in people’s hearts; otherwise, the Devil will come in and take possession. We don’t have a problem of violence. Our problem is a lack of God which leads to evil dwelling in the soul. The state of the soul will manifest itself. If evil is present, the signs are: violence; mutilation of self, such as piercings of the lip, tongue, nose, etc.; nudity; and love of sex. Bad parents and enablers often contribute to these manifestations.

It’s not stuff, but Satan that causes violence. Stuff is just stuff. Stuff is not evil…it is morally neutral. Only evil people make stuff evil. Giving people more stuff won’t stop violence…even the filthy rich can be evil. An example is the Epstein case that’s been all over the news lately. What is the cure? Well, it’s not more laws…they don’t stop anything. The cure for violence is not a “what,” but a “Who”, and that is Our Savior.

When a Code Red is called at the Veterans’ Administration (VA) Hospital, four to five security personnel rush to the area to restore order. Are these patients morally bad? Maybe, but, they could be mentally ill. Others are violent because they are evil. Once, we had a patient who had just come out of surgery. He was acting up, because he wanted to go home. His wife told him that he was sick and needed to stay in the hospital. He promised her that he would come back the next day. The surgical staff had a different idea and told him he had to stay.

Some men think they are tough guys. No, they’re not. I didn’t see them in Afghanistan. I know tough guys. My church back home was filled with WWII soldiers…many of them paratroopers. There’s not enough drugs or alcohol to make me do what they did. But, they did what they had to do. That church established a school and a convent, and also produced five priests. Tough men can love Christ too.

Once, while I was serving at St. Gabriel’s parish in Charlotte, the men had prepared breakfast. I was waited on by a man with a German accent who had numbers tattooed on his arm. I knew that meant he had served in Hitler’s Special Forces. This man had served on both the eastern and western fronts. He was a bad man. But, he became a very good Catholic and died in the arms of Christ. So, even though it may take a while, there is hope that even the most evil can be transformed.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you keep Christ in your heart so that Satan cannot take possession? Will you avoid enabling those who have evil in their hearts?

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Sermon Notes – Embrace Your Crosses

“Embrace Your Crosses”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 24-25, 2019

Scripture: Luke 13:22-30

We all want to go to heaven…that’s why you’re here. So, how do we get there? You must first do two things:

1) die – we’ve got this one covered; and

2) die in a state of grace.

That last one is the tricky part. Heaven is for people who love God. To get to heaven, you must keep God’s Commandments. By the way, there are more than ten….those are just a pop quiz. It’s in scripture…in the black and white part…you can read it.

How can you tell if someone may be holy? There are both external and internal signs. External signs include participating in the Mass. Well, I go to the hospital a lot, but that doesn’t make me a doctor. A better sign is that you will see God in the fruits of their labor. Internal signs include assenting to the will of others and denying ourselves. We must love God more than ourselves and practice self-mortification by losing our egos and embracing our crosses. This is a tough one, because we are not perfect. However, we must keep striving for a transformation of the heart. Doing so will help us and others get to heaven.

So, how many people will get in to heaven? A lot. And, once we get there, we will have three surprises waiting for us:

1) We are there;

2) Who is there; and

3) Who is not there

Priests take three vows: Obedience, Chastity, and Poverty. Obedience is mandated by the 3rd and 4th Commandments. While I have chastity and poverty nailed, obedience has been the toughest one for me. You would think after all the time I spent in the Army and 35 years as a priest that obedience would be the easiest vow for me to keep.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you lose the ego and practice self-mortification? Will you embrace your crosses and lift them up to God?

Father’s Afterthoughts…

Life is tough…it’s tougher when you’re stupid.

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Sermon Notes – Small Acts of Love

“Small Acts of Love”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 10-11, 2019

Scripture: Luke 12:32-48

I was thinking the other day about the time when we closed my parents’ home. I found lots of pictures of me and my brothers. Mom had even stored away the gifts we had given her as kids. There were drawings and other little trinkets we had given her…refrigerator art…and she kept them all. Were they good? No. They were terrible. But she cherished them enough to save them. One time when I was five years old, I gave her some flowers – dandelions – I thought they were beautiful, and she made a big fuss over them and even put them in a glass on the window sill. She cherished our small acts of love. Now that I’m a priest, little kids have given me pictures they have drawn, and I have them in the Sacristy because they, too, are small acts of love.

Just as we make a big deal over the gifts our children give us, God delights in them too. Like the saints, we have our own inconveniences, discomforts, anxieties. Also like the saints, we can give them to Him. It’s what we have, and it’s what we can give. They are our gifts…our small expressions of love for Him. These small acts of love make the Lord smile, and we are called to do them.

Sometimes people will say they are going to take highfalutin theology classes to increase their religious knowledge. Well, how’s that working for you? This is an example of spiritual pride. God doesn’t care if we can name the twelve tribes of Israel. We need to be more like the young, uneducated Saint Therese of Lisieux, who said “When I am small, I am safe.”

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you look for ways to make God smile? Will you make small acts of love?

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Sermon Notes – Only God Can Mend a Broken Heart

“Only God Can Mend a Broken Heart”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 3-4, 2019

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21

On the first Friday of each month, I visit the prison in Badin. While there, I try out that weekend’s sermon on the prisoners. I am happy to say that today’s sermon is “felon approved.”

Do you know what the seven deadly sins are? Pride, Anger, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Avarice or Greed, and Sloth (PALEGAS). Committing these sins will send us to hell. Actually, we send ourselves to hell by rejecting God. He doesn’t reject us.

We commit the sin of greed when we try to fill the holes in our souls with things that only God can fill. We tell ourselves if we only had more stuff, we would feel better. We think that something instead of someone can fix us. But, even after acquiring a bunch of stuff, we still have that hole in our heart. We are victims of our stuff. Once we strive to be more like God, the desire for things is put into perspective. We may not have as much stuff, but we will be rich beyond measure. My mother’s family was poor, but they practiced the faith, so they were rich. Be greedy only about the things of God by seeking more of them. The beauty is that they are free…the only cost is our love. There is no cost for His.

People aren’t sad because they are poor, so giving them stuff isn’t going to make them feel better. It is not true that having more stuff will make you happy. If that were true, people in prison would be ecstatic. Think about it…prisoners get three hot’s and a cot, as well as free medical and dental care. Even some wealthy people aren’t all that happy. I’ve worked in rich parishes, and I have met some of them.

We are called to enjoy the fruits of our labor. However, money is only a means to an end. We are entitled to take care of our family, charity, and the church. It is our obligation to use cha-ching (money) as a means of furthering the gospel and giving to others. Saint Theresa set the example by providing for people in dire need while also talking to them about the Savior. You may be thinking that you don’t have a lot of cha-ching, so you cannot help anyone. But, you can become rich by receiving graces from God. How? By participating in Mass, praying, going to confession, using holy water, and offering up your suffering to Him, you become rich in the Kingdom of God. Christ will make you a spiritual billionaire. The only cost is time. Then, you can share the graces you receive with others and give them hope in Christ.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you let God heal your broken heart? Will you share the fruits of your labor with those in need? Will you share His graces with others and give them hope in the Savior?

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Sermon Notes – Ignore the Rat Droppings

“Ignore the Rat Droppings”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 20 – 21, 2019

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

Banned phrases at this parish are: 2nd collection, choir practice, and crisis. For a situation to be a crisis, one of the following must be happening:

– We are taking incoming fire,

– We are suffering mass casualties, or

– There isn’t enough money to pay salaries, especially mine

Sometimes, the staff will tell me that we have a crisis. I ask them if we are taking incoming fire. Usually, the problem is that we do not have a reader or an organist. But, that’s okay…I can read. I can’t play the organ, but music is not required to hold Mass. At my previous parish, the sound system operator came up to me at Mass to let me know that her sister was in labor. Because I did not study obstetrics at seminary, we may have had a problem that day. And, I have to admit, I’ve gone to the altar with better thoughts. However, all the worries we have when we come to church are just rat droppings.

In today’s scripture, Jesus and the apostles were visiting Martha and Mary’s home. While Martha was working hard to serve their guests, Mary simply sat at the feet of the Lord. Exasperated, Martha asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her. He responded, saying “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things” (Luke 10:41). Jesus was telling Martha to slow down and to focus on Who is important. We, too, sometimes let the small stuff take us away from Him. Focus on what is important. Focus on Christ.

Prayer is heart speaking to heart. There are three types of prayers: vocal, mental/meditative, and unitive. Vocal and mental prayers prepare us for unitive prayer which is when God comes to you. This is the state we should strive for. The point of this exercise is the adoration of Christ and to be united with Him. We need to focus on who we are praying to and who is present.

Sometimes, we see messages like “Say this prayer for 10 days” or “Say this or that word just right” and good things will happen for you. But this is just extortion. It will not change God’s mind. I want to be Monsignor…but I don’t see that happening in the next four years.

Quiet reflection before Mass prepares us for the Holy Sacrifice where we die with Christ and rise with Him. We are active participants in the Mass when we give our human nature to Him in the offertory. When I visit a nursing home, many of the residents are sleeping. Are they actively participating? Yes. In fact, they might be in unitive prayer already.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you ignore the rat droppings and focus on Who is important? Will you focus on Christ?

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Sermon Notes – Good Isn’t Good Enough

“Good Isn’t Good Enough”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 13-14, 2019

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

I meet a lot of people in my travels and, sometimes, I think my Roman collar intimidates them. They make sure to tell me that they are good Catholics who go to Mass every Sunday and keep the Commandments. I don’t have the heart to ask them if they also go to Mass on holy days of obligation. Although they don’t rob and kill, is that the standard God gave us? No!. We are not only called to be good, but to “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Being good is merely baby steps to salvation. Now, some people become overly pious by praying so much that they don’t have time for their families. Likewise, there have been people who beat themselves as a penance to show remorse for sin. The Church has said that we are not to do that. Also, if someone tells me they went to confession and the priest gave them as their penance to say 21 Hail Mary’s, I will call foul. The maximum allowed to be given is ten. That’s a written rule in black and white.

Going to confession once a year and tithing are the minimum and fulfill the law. However, they are only guidelines. Love goes far beyond that. It is giving all to the one you love. On their wedding anniversary, husbands usually give their wives a card. That’s the bare minimum. Do they show their love throughout the year or just on their anniversary? Christ gives us total love – daily – in the Mass and the Sacraments. During Lent, we think it’s simply terrible that we have to give up hamburgers and tacos on Fridays. But, when we love someone, we will make any sacrifice for them. And, we don’t think of it as a burden; instead, it’s our gift to them. For example, parents don’t really relish changing diapers or getting spit-up on; but, we love our children, and would do anything for them.

When you read the parable of the Good Samaritan, remember we need to read scripture with the time period in which it was written in mind. In the parable, a man was beaten, robbed, and left for dead. Both a Levite and priest passed the man on the opposite side of the road and did not help him. According to biblical law, they were not required to help the man because they were not on the same side of the road. Our Lord said “No.” We must go above and beyond the law. We must love our neighbor, and love is not doing only what the law requires. Love demands all. We must love totally and without reservation. Often, priests will say they have said their prayers and visited the sick. However, that is their job. What have they done beyond that? The answer is where their love lies.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you show your love by doing more than the bare minimum?

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Sermon Notes – I Should’ve Had a V-8!

Wow! I should’ve had a V-8!”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 6-7, 2019

Scripture: Luke 10: 1-12, 17-20

I like to call today’s scripture the “V-8 Gospel.” Paul had a V-8 moment while preaching in Athens, Greece. While there, he modified his preaching and used a philosophical approach instead. It didn’t go well. After that experience, he preached as God had instructed. He preached about the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection with great success. So, when Christ asks you to do something, follow His instructions! This is no fool’s errand. Think about the miracle He performed when 5000 people were fed with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Christ told the disciples to have the people sit in groups of hundreds and fifties. After the people were properly seated, He prayed over the food, and everyone ate until satisfied with 12 baskets left over.

God is hope for sinners. Everything He ever said, has happened. Go out and proclaim the gospel and the good news…that there is salvation through our Savior. Let people see His love. He gave us all the power to proclaim the gospel at our Baptism during which we were filled with grace and infused with the virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Will you be roundly mocked? Sure. You won’t always get good results, but don’t take it personally. Do you know how many times I have been cursed at and thrown out of hospital rooms? Lots. But that’s okay…I am only worried about the end results. Now, if you are waiting for thanks for your good works, you may be waiting a long time. We may not be present or even know the results of our work. Also, we may plant the seeds and someone else may reap the harvest. One sows and another reaps. However, we will get our reward from Him.

A word of caution about evangelization. If you encounter anyone who may be possessed by demons, do NOT mess around with them. Only priests can do exorcisms. I can do them in an emergency, but I have Holy Water.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you do whatever He tells you instead of having V-8 moments? Will you proclaim the gospel and the good news…that there is salvation through our Savior? Will you show people His love?

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Sermon Notes – Choose Life

“Choose Life”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 15-16, 2019

Scripture: John 16: 12-15

The other day, a young man who is working on his masters’ degree stopped by my office to ask me some questions about the Catholic faith. This happens from time to time, but this guy asked me an interesting question. He wanted to know what the Catholic Church has to offer Stanly County. I told him that the beauty of the Catholic faith is that we have the fullness and splendor of truth and the means for salvation. We are blessed. You can look it up in the Catachism. In 2000 years, that has never changed. Small changes have occurred such as the Kleenex hats that women wore at one time, but the teachings of Christ remain.

Unfortunately, many people don’t like the truth, but that doesn’t change it. When Christ told the rich young man he should give his belongings to the poor in order to gain eternal life, the man walked away because he couldn’t handle the truth (Matthew 19:16-22). Did Christ change His mind and call the man back? No. When He told the crowd in Capernaum that they must eat His body and drink His blood so that they could live forever, many of His disciples abandoned Him (John 6:54-66). Did Christ change His mind then? No. Because, the truth is the truth. So, when given the choice, choose life!

God is love, and His nature is love. He offers us salvation and precise ways in which to achieve it. We should be grateful, because we didn’t have to earn it…Christ paid that price for us on the cross. It’s a gift from Him. Do we deserve it? No, but, He gave it to us because He loves us. When we make mistakes, we are called to get up and try again. God loves even the most grievous among us. I visit prison inmates regularly…God loves them too. Some of those felons won’t be leaving prison until they die. Recently, I was talking to two young ladies and I told them that the only person who can drive Christ from your heart is you through sin. It can be hard to keep His commandments. I know, because I think a lot about me, and sometimes what I want is not what He wants for me. But, if we follow His commandments, we can live in His Love. You have probably heard the phrase “What would Jesus do?” The answer is do whatever He tells you.

There is nothing wrong with the Catholic faith. The problem lies in how we practice it. Faith, hope, and charity were infused into us at our baptism and are replenished through the sacraments. But, faith, unless applied, is useless. How do we apply our faith? By being generous to others who are less fortunate. Our generosity is the body of Christ in action.

We are not a small group. There is us and about one billion other Catholics. So, we are not alone, and we pray for one another. We are part of the body of Christ….a community of one. In contrast, Protestant religions are very divided and often consist of a small group of people in a building. In Statesville, there used to be two First Baptist churches…one white and one black. But, our faith is not determined by the color of our skin or our nationalities. We are all Catholic…not Spanish Catholic, French Catholic, or Irish Catholic.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you put your faith in to action by being generous to others who are less fortunate?

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Sermon Notes – Put Your Love Into Action

“Put Your Love Into Action”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

May 25-26, 2019

Scripture: John 14: 23-29

23) Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. 24) Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. 25) “I have told you this while I am with you. 26) The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you. 27) Peace* I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. 28) You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29) And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe.

While meditating today, I thought about the lyrics from “My Fair Lady.” During one scene, Eliza Doolittle tells Professor Higgins that she is sick of his words and that if he is in love, he must show her; otherwise, he is wasting her time. You see, the word “love” is a verb, and it implies action. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). In other words, if you love Him, you must show Him. Your love is expressed in action and it will draw you close to God. Is it always easy? No, sometimes it will be difficult and unpleasant.

Priests take three vows: poverty, chastity and obedience. Want to know which one is the most difficult to keep? Obedience is by far the most difficult. A good example is the difficulty our first parents, Adam and Eve, had obeying the only rule they had: they were not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, else they would die. But, we want what we want when we want it. It’s all about us. Love, instead, always thinks about others first. Saint Augustine said that work itself is love: “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.”

People sometimes tell me that they are Catholic, they believe in God, and they love Him, but they don’t go to church. Really? Is it so difficult to spend less than one hour a week to show your love and gratitude to Him who suffered and died for our sins so that we might have eternal life? Is that love? Nah…that is not love.

The goodness of soldiers and their love for one another is abundant. How do they show it? Well, during long road marches, if a soldier is struggling with their heavy back packs, other soldiers shoulder and carry the packs for them. When a soldier falls, the others pick the soldier up and carry him or her. When we lose soldiers, it is our hands that take them to their graves. This is love by doing.

Father’s Afterthoughts…

Monday is Memorial Day. It bothers me greatly that people don’t observe the day respectfully by honoring soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom. Instead, it is a day for “White Sales” and barbecues. How sad. Nobody loves a soldier until the enemy is at the gates.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you put your love into action?