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Sermon Notes – Be Careful What You Wish For

“Be Careful What You Wish for…You Just Might Get It!”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

October 13 – 14, 2018

Scripture: Mark 10: 17-30

The Rich Man.

17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?* No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.’” 20 He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 24The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to pass through [the] eye of [a] needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel. 30 who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many that are first will be last, and [the] last will be first.”

If I had lots of cha-ching and said that I was giving you a Bentley or Rolls-Royce, would you be ecstatic with happiness? Yes, of course you would! But…be careful. Having an expensive car comes with higher insurance premiums, and it will need regular service which can be pricey. You might want to keep your prized possession in the garage to guard against birds pooping on it. Perhaps, you will need a bigger garage that is heated and air-conditioned too. You also might want to be careful about where you drive your new car. You’d be terrified to drive it to Walmart or you might need to leave it parked in Badin and walk to work. Your new car may be a prized possession, but it possesses you.

When I was in the Army, we could take whatever we wanted to the field (military version of camping) as long as it fit into our backpacks….which meant we had to be able to carry them. I learned quickly to only pack what I absolutely needed while in the field. Those backpacks get very heavy and become a burden – very quickly – especially during a 10 mile march. It is the same with our possessions.

When a rich man asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, the man was shocked and saddened when Jesus told him to sell all of his possessions and give to the poor. The man, who felt that he had obeyed the Commandments all his life, could not bear to part with his wealth and status, so he walked away. Christ did not chastise the rich man, but looked at him with great love. We, too, suffer when we allow wealth or work to keep us from a closer relationship with God. There is little joy in a selfish life focused entirely on self. When we grow close to Christ, and trust Him for the things we really need in life, we don’t need to hold on to our possessions and positions for security.

We are possessed by our possessions . However, we were not created to accumulate things….they can become a distraction. They require time, energy, money, and divert us from the things in life that matter most. More stuff will not make you happy. Quite the opposite is true. What matters at the end of our life is not the house we lived in, the car we drove, or the possessions we purchased. The greatest possession on earth we can have is our Lord Jesus Christ…to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him, and to be possessed by Him. Once we are possessed by God, we have everything…we are rich…and everything falls into place.

We are self-possessed, and that is our greatest possession. We can fulfill our vocations and enjoy the fruits of our labor without feeling guilty. However, along with our vocations, come responsibilities. If you are married, you are responsible for providing for your family and guiding them. If you are single, you have a responsibility for service to the community and to the parish.

A universal truth is one that applies to everyone regardless of gender, race, status, or beliefs and is one that everyone believes to be true; for example, gravity. Other than that, everyone has their own version of the truth. Today, people like to say that “they are proclaiming the truth.” They say their bodies belong to them to do with as they wish. They are forcing their own will onto society. But there is only one truth. Christ said “I am the way, and the life, and the truth” (John 14:6).

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you eliminate the stuff that distracts you from a closer relationship with God?

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Sermon Notes – Look….Squirel !

“Look…..Squirrel!”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

October 6 – 7, 2018

Scripture: Mark 10: 2-16

2 The Pharisees approached and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. 3 He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” 5 But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and be joined to his wife], 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate. 10 In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” 13 And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16 Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

Saint Jerome translated the book of Genesis from Hebrew into Latin. Translating Latin into English is problematic, because English is an imprecise language. The correct translation from Latin is that God created “homo” (a person) first and then separated His creation into two people. The Sacrament of Marriage transforms two people into one person.

If doctors treat a disease incorrectly, it’s night-night time. The same is true for the Catholic Church. Some say that if priests were allowed to marry the scandal of sexual assaults by priests would not have happened. But think about it…there are lots of perverts who are married.

Do not be distracted. The problem is priests who gave in to the temptations of satan, and bishops who lacked the backbone to lower the boom on bad priests and initiating spiritual kneecapping. We cannot blame anyone other than those who yielded to temptation and those who covered it up. But, we are unwilling to address the real problem and make excuses instead. We refuse to call it what it is…satan.

I hear people say that there’s too much sex and violence on television…but, how would they know? Are they actively watching those shows? Nevertheless, we cannot blame inanimate objects for our sins…that bird just won’t fly. The trouble in the Church is satan and sin, and our attachment to it because of a lack of moral courage and determination.

The Catholic Church is a hospice for sinners…not a hotel for sin. Priests, the backbone of the Catholic Church, are there to take care of souls and minister to their flocks. We must give members of our parishes the truth. The Eucharist is a “Who”, and not a “What.” During communion, we receive the Lord Jesus Christ – our Savior who saves us from our sins.

We don’t need more structure, committees, or meetings to fix what’s wrong with the Church. There is already too much bureaucracy which makes the Church seem unapproachable. Every first year seminarian knows this. We need for more lay people and those in the hierarchy to seek and strive for holiness.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you keep your focus on Christ and not be distracted? Will you strive to become more holy?Done1 ShareSeen by 8LikeCommentShare

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Sermon Notes – Take Your Meds!

“Take Your Meds!”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 25th & 26th, 2018

Scripture: Matthew 16: 13-20

13 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi* he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist,* others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood* has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 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. 19 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.” 20 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

Recently, I met a man who was admitted to the VA Hospital. When he arrived, escorted by VA security guards, he was in very bad shape…a real mess and almost out of his mind. After a while, he was able to calm down and admitted that he had stopped taking his medications because he thought he was well.

God has also given us a prescription…prayer and penance…and it is up to us to use it. A lot of people turn to God when they are in pain, feel bad, or have nowhere else to go. We must avoid doing what the VA patient did and continue to take our medication by growing closer to Him, even when we feel better.

We cannot rely on past good deeds. The Lord tells us to take up our crosses each day (Luke 9:23). We may not like the remedy; perhaps it’s inconvenient or not what we desire. But, time and time again we have learned, sometimes the hard way, that God ALWAYS knows what is best for us. As Mary said at the wedding in Cana, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5).

We learned in Catechism classes that sin is an offense against God and results in our estrangement from Him. Sin marks and disfigures our soul and psyche; it also distorts our faculties.

Matthew 18: 7-9

7 Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 8 If your hand or foot causes you to sin,* cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into fiery Gehenna.

We can reestablish our bond with God and restore the beauty of our souls through the Sacraments. Through them, we are unblemished by the stain of sin, and we become more holy, brighter, and wiser. Holiness leads to increased knowledge. This is not for our benefit, but so that we can be a conduit of God’s love and help lead others to Him. People need God’s love. We don’t need a new, expensive program or study group. Through acts of love and mercy, we will lead people to Him.

We are all sinners. If we try to lead a holy life and grow closer to God, we realize how our sins affect Him. As our love for Him grows, so does our desire to repent for our sins AND for the sins of others.

Think about it….When you love someone, it hurts you when people disrespect them. So, you try to show your loved-one even more love to atone for those who hurt them. We can, and should, do the same for God. Love is not about feeling good about yourself; it’s about making others feel better.

We are supposed to let the Sacraments change us. Instead, we keep trying to change ourselves into what WE desire. However, when we try to go it alone, we become angry and bitter because we don’t have God at the center of our lives. The image we try to project to others, if not from God, is a sham and will not last. Pity those who walk away from the Catholic Church for they have walked away from the source of peace. You probably know a few..how is it working for them?

There is so much evil in the world…and there always has been. From the beginning, we have been in a constant battle with demonic forces that are trying to prevent us from leading others to Christ. To deal with scandal in the Church, we need to practice the teachings of Christ as well as do some housecleaning. There have always been bad priests, nuns, bishops, and popes. In spite of them, the Church has survived for over 2,000 years. So, we do NOT need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, we need to do what Christ has taught us. It works every time; but, it doesn’t work when not used.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you rely on the sacraments of prayer and penance to grow ever closer to God? Will you be a conduit for His love and share it with others so that they can be lead to Christ?

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Sermon Notes – The Buck Stops Here

“The Buck Stops Here…With Me”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 7 – 8, 2018

Scripture: Mark 6: 1-6

We often find excuses for our bad behavior just as Adam and Eve did after they disobeyed God and ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam blamed Eve for eating the forbidden fruit, and Eve blamed the serpent. We, like Adam and Eve, tend to avoid accepting responsibility for our own blunders; instead, we search for others to throw under the bus.

For example, if we were to ask those who drink too much about the reason for their excessive drinking, we might get the following response: “If you had my [spouse/boss/children/life] you would drink too!

Christ wants to give us the greatest gift of all…the gift of Himself through the sacraments. But, we can find a thousand excuses for not accepting His invitation. We turn our backs on Him for the silliest reasons. Judas traded Jesus’ life for 30 pieces of silver. But we are not so different. We look for reasons to reject His gift too.

Why don’t you participate in Mass?

– It’s in Latin or it’s NOT in Latin

– I’m too busy.

– I’m too tired.

– I believe priests should be married.

– The scheduled Mass times are inconvenient.

Why don’t you go to confession?

– I don’t like going into the confessional booth

– The times for confession are inconvenient

The truth is NOT that we are unable to accept God’s gift because it’s too difficult. God would not set us up to fail. The reality is that we do not want to change. Everything He asks of us is achievable if we love Him enough.

Do we ask our doctors if they are married, to speak in our preferred language, or to expand their office hours to fit our schedules? No.

Furthermore, even though we think we don’t have time to participate in Mass or go to confession, we are able to find the time to watch television, surf the internet, or play video games.

God created us to be joyous; but we will never be happy by getting everything we think we want or need; it is only when we are given what He wants for us will we find true joy.

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Sermon Notes – Becoming Young Again in Christ

Miracle of Transformation – Becoming Young Again in Christ

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 30 – July 1st, 2018

Scripture: Mark 5: 21-43

As we age, we grow away from our parents; but, spiritually, we grow closer to God.

Christ raised three people from the dead: the 12-year-old daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:22-43); a widow’s son in the town of Nain (Luke 7:11-15); and his friend Lazarus (John 11:1-44). This means they had to die two times.

Christ has never made anyone young again. He gives us the gift of growing old…of more birthdays. As we age, we can become hardened and jaded as we commit sin. But, if we live a spiritual life, we can grow young and become innocent again. Christ meets us where we are….in our homes, in hospitals and even in prisons.

Psalm 43:4 – “That I may come to the altar of God, to God, my joy, my delight. Then I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.

The Sacraments give us faith, hope, and charity. God created us to be joyous, and we naturally draw people to us when we radiate joy. We teach people to love by letting them love us.

We learn humility when we must accept help from others. As caretakers, we bring Christ to those in our care. When we offer our help to others, we take on their burdens. We suffer with and for Christ who took our sufferings upon Himself.

How can we apply this message to our lives?

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Sermon Notes – When the Belly is Full, Ears are Open

“When the Belly is Full, Ears are Open”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 21 – 22, 2018

Scripture: Mark 6: 30-34

30 The apostles* gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught 31 He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat 32 So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.33 People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them 34 When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity or them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things

St. John de Britto (1674-1693) was born into a noble family in Portugal. After becoming a Jesuit priest, he volunteered to work in India to convert Hindus to Christianity. St. John was martyred for his efforts. His crime? Feeding the poor

.When St. John arrived in India, he soon discovered that its people were hungry… spiritually. The Indian people wanted to be taught, and they came by the thousands to learn about the Catholic faith and to be fed true bread from heaven….the only way to fill the holes in their souls

During the next 14 years St. John preached, converted, and baptized over 10,000 people. After he advised a powerful prince to dismiss his many wives and to keep only one, St. John was persecuted, tortured and beheaded. A sorrowful example of how powerful people try to hold onto their power

We are also called to feed the poor and those who are hungry in spirit. People are malnourished…both physically and spiritually. We try to satisfy our hunger with everything but Christ. Eating junk food hurts us physically, but spiritual fasts are devastating to the soul.

We must give what we have received for free…truth and faith. Do not worry about what to say…that will come from God. Our job is to open the spigot and let it flow, being careful not to cause a clog so that souls are open to let God’s grace enter

We may wind up like St. John…mocked, ridiculed, disappointed and persecuted. A small cost when compared to the price of a soul which is Christ. Therefore, we can walk away with a smile from those who rebuff us, because we are doing God’s Will and planting seeds. We have given them the spiritual truth. Pilate looked at truth in the face and did not recognize it. John 18:37-38

37 So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king.* For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice. 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

As we draw close to Christ, there will always be more; in fact, infinitely more. We cannot possibly imagine the heavenly banquet…it is too vast. We shall have more joy than we can possibly imagine.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you help feed the poor?

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Sermon Notes – Miracle of the Loaves & Fishes

“The Miracle of the Loaves & Fishes”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 28th and 29th, 2018

Scripture: John 6: 1-5

1 After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee [of Tiberias]. 2 A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish feast of Passover was near. 5 When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”

Philip told Jesus that they didn’t have enough money to feed everyone. The apostles never quite got it right. Even after all of the miracles they had seen, they still flunked the lesson because of a lack of faith.

At the wedding in Cana, Mary told the servers to “do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5). We, too, must do whatever he tells us by using whatever talents we have.

God has given us talents, and we must use them. Our talents are not limited to skills, but can include the crosses we bear, illnesses we have endured, or experiences that have shaped us. Our essential talent is to love God.

For example, there are priests who are more talented, but in different ways. There are those who have advanced degrees. Some are skilled administrators. Others are eloquent speakers. However, those priests may not be able to make people laugh when they are going through the darkest of days, or know how to help soldiers with PTSD, or they may shy away from hospital “yuck.”

The Lord asks us to do things for Him, but we find reasons for why we cannot even though He has given us what we need to go out and tell the good news. He has given us firm, concrete instructions…to spread His love and help save souls wherever we are.

Our common mission on the divine scale is huge…make God’s love manifest in the world. We may never see the results of our efforts, but, that’s not what is important. We are planting seeds and doing “whatever He tells us to do.”

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you “do whatever He tells you”?

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Sermon Notes – Tend Your Garden

“Tend Your Garden.”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 11 – 12, 2018

Scripture: John 6: 41-51

41 The Jews murmured about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” 42 And they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring* among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Keeping our homes neat and clean takes constant effort….so does maintaining our lawns and gardens. But, when our children and/or grandchildren arrive, it takes no time at all for our homes to be ransacked. Also, when it rains, the weeds come back with a vengeance. Everything is changing, so we can never rest.

Our spiritual lives are like that too. We must be diligent to remain close to God. We can draw closer to Him by receiving the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion.

We do not go to Mass…We do not participate in Mass…We are a part of Mass. We live and die with Christ at the alter and become part of his sacrifice. You can’t get any closer than that!

Prayer is heart speaking to heart. It is our conversations with God. How do we know if our prayers are working? They are drawing us closer to Him.

Propaganda Ministry. If you ask people how things are going at their church, they might say “great!” They may go on to say that their church is supporting various types of missions or maybe they’re working on important projects. However, the important measure of how a church is doing is in how many are a part of Mass, how many are going to confession, and how many are entering into vocations. Everything else is just busy work.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you tend to your spiritual garden diligently, growing ever closer to Christ?

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Sermon Notes – Trials and Suffering

“During Your Times of Trial and Suffering,

It Was Then That I Carried You”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

October 27 – 28, 2018

Scripture: Mark 10: 46-52

46 They came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. 47 On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, he is calling you.” 50 He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. 51 Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” 52 Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

Throughout His life, Jesus never denied anyone who asked for the miracle of healing. Because He loves us, He never said “No.” We all have maladies. And, sometimes we think that He does not hear us if nothing happens when we pray for relief. It may seem like He is falling down on the job, but we will never know how many of our burdens He carried for us until we finally meet Him. If He says “No” or “Not Now”, you can be sure that it’s for another good reason.

The apostles had their own trials and sufferings. Paul suffered from a thorn in the flesh, and he prayed to the Lord three times to relieve him of the pain. But, Christ told Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12).

Saint Therese of Lisieux endured her share of suffering. She lost her mother when she was just four years old, and she suffered from depression. It was her love of God that enabled Therese to always put others first by through self-sacrifice. These daily sacrifices of self were her gifts to Our Lord. Both Paul and Therese understood that the more one is weak, without selfish desires, the closer we grow to Him.

Saint Teresa of Avila also endured trials and tribulations. Teresa entered a Carmelite convent during a time when women did so if they had nowhere else to go. Often, Teresa felt that she was surrounded by hostility and gossip. When she complained about this, Jesus said, “Teresa, that’s how I treat my friends”. Teresa responded, “No wonder you have so few friends.”

The suffering we bear is a prayer for our penance and for others. We can imitate His suffering at His passion if we keep our focus on the crucifix. Our pain keeps us humble and holy. It also opens our hearts to others who suffer in the same way and enables us to connect with them because of our shared experiences. Christ wants us to be His representatives and bring people to Him. But, you cannot reach an alcoholic, veteran, inmate, or sexual assault victim unless you’ve been to the same level of hell as they. Only then can you reach them and offer them hope and peace in their suffering. We can tell them how we have dealt with a similar trial or suffering.

Enduring pain and suffering can be relentless and unpleasant. Therefore, we must seek the sacraments to increase our faith and love. Also, we need to pray unceasingly. How? At the start of each day, pray the Morning Offering so that everything you do during the day is for Him:

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

I offer You my prayers, works,

Joys and sufferings of this day

For all the intentions of YourSacred Heart,

In union with theHoly Sacrifice of the Mass

Offered throughout the world, In reparation for my sins,

For the intentions of all myRelatives and friends, and

Also for the intentions ofThe Holy Father. Amen

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you share in His passion by offering up your suffering to the Lord? Will you seek the sacraments to increase your faith and love? Will you pray unceasingly?

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Sermon Notes – Want to be More Holy?

“Want to Be More Holy? Follow the Instructions.”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 14 – 15, 2018

Scripture: Mark 6: 7-13

7- He summoned the Twelve* and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 – He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. 9 – They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. 10 – He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. 11- Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” 12 – So they went off and preached repentance. 13 – They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

When we bake a cake and closely follow the instructions in our recipe, the result is a delicious cake.

When we follow God’s instructions and do as we are told, the result is we become holy.

His instructions cover every area of our lives. But, it is hard to listen if we think we are too smart. God always keeps his word. But, we doubt how much he loves us, even though we hear it over and over again in Mass and at Confession. When we doubt His word, we are committing the sin of pride.

Our first parents, Adam and Eve, did NOT follow God’s instructions. God gave them one rule: Do not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. When they disobeyed God, they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden.We do not need to form a study group or a committee to do research about what God wants and how to be holy.

We do not need to recreate the wheel. The work has already been done. He left us precise instructions on how to be holy. We just need to follow them.

Will it always yield results? No.

But, do not be discouraged if you think your efforts are unsuccessful and not yielding results….just keep doing what God asks you to do…you are doing His Will and planting seeds.

So…show YOUR compassion

YOU visit the sick and the elderly

YOU help the homeless and the hungry

YOU get your hands dirty.

But…we must be holy first. People need to see Him in us. Remember…the only time your neighbor may see God is in your face. Mother Angelica once said: “I am a mirror to my neighbor, and in that mirror, he must see a reflection of Jesus. If that mirror is cloudy or distorted, Jesus’ reflection will be so vague it will hardly be seen.”

How will you apply this message to your life? Are you ready to get YOUR hands dirty?