Category: Sermon Notes

Transripts of weekly sermons

Posted on

Sermon Notes – November 10, 2024 – “Are You Grateful?”

“Are You Grateful?”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 9 – 10, 2024

Gospel:  Mark 12:38-44  

I’m in bit of a conundrum because I prepared a wonderful sermon, brief but wonderful, on the Gospel just not this Gospel.  Oops!  So, would you like to hear a sermon that I come up with by the seat of my pants or would you like to hear the short one on another Gospel?  Seat of my pants?  Not happening. 

Remember the story about the ten lepers who were cured by Jesus but only one came back to thank Him?  That was a lesson on prayer for the Apostles to show them how few say, “thank you.”   The lepers asked God for a favor, and when God cured them, they went away.  Jesus was surprised that only one man came back to thank Him.  You don’t surprise God.  I don’t care how original you think you are.  You don’t surprise God.  But God did that to drive home the point to the Apostles about how important gratitude is in prayer.  We are ungrateful children sometimes, which hurts both our spiritual and mental health lives.  We sink into a funk.  “Oh God doesn’t love me.”   Well make a gratitude list.  In all 12-Step Programs, they tell people to make a list of things they are grateful for.  “How long of a list?  Five or ten things?”  Oh, about 100.  “What do you mean a hundred?”  Well, that’s easy.  Are you breathing?  Put that at the top of the list.  Is your heart beating?  That’s number two.   “But I’m not happy.”   I see that.  You are so self-centered it’s unbelievable.  Make a gratitude list. 

There are so many things to be grateful to God for.   I tell people at funerals to be grateful you had someone you loved and who loved you.  It’s not forever in this life; in the next one, yes.  Be grateful you had them for so long.  My family bailed out on me early.  I don’t blame them at all, to tell you the truth.  But my family reunions are a lot easier, cheaper, and quieter.  But I loved them, and they loved me.  “But I don’t have this, and I don’t have that.”  Well, I don’t have a Bentley, and that keeps me up at night.  I go to the Bentley dealership and just cry.  I don’t have a lot, but I have all that I want.   I have more than ever I needed and more than I ever wanted except for bacon.   That will come in Heaven.  Extra crispy please, Lord. 

Be grateful for what you have.  It is a great addition to spiritual life.  You know what else is a good addition to spiritual life?  Spending time with God.  In prayer, we go to God and tell Him what we need and thank Him for the blessings He has given us.  Okay, conversation over; time to move on.   God is perfection in courtesy which comes from the virtues of love, charity, and respect. Prayer takes time.  “What are you waiting for Father?”   I’m waiting for God to say, “You’re welcome.”   It is inconsiderate if you walk away from God after saying “Thank you,” without waiting for Him to say, “You’re welcome.”  Have you ever thought about that?  “Hey, I’m doing fine. I said, ‘thank you, didn’t I?”   Perfect!  You are growing right along.   When we say, “thank you” to people, we expect them to say, “You’re welcome.”   When you thank God in prayer, take some time to wait and listen because He will always respond and say “You’re welcome.  I love you.” 

When Jesus tells you to do something in prayer, do it.  Don’t worry about the results – just do it.  You will be surprised at the results.  He showers His gifts on the just and the unjust in life.  He gives His gifts to the unjust so that they might turn their hearts to Him.  He still loves them and even their sins cannot stop His love.  He gives His gifts to the just to keep them encouraged, to reassure them that He is watching over them, to let them know that He hasn’t forgotten about them, and so that they may have gifts to give others to show God’s love for them.  That is why God cured the lepers. 

How will you apply this message to your life? ________________________________________ 

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

Posted on

Sermon Notes – November 3, 2024 – “Things I Wish I Could See – Part 2”

“Things I Wish I Could See – Part 2”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 2 – 3, 2024


Gospel:   Mark 12:28-34

Let’s see how your memory is.  Remember last week when I talked about vision?  Okay, obviously you don’t remember but there are Sermon Notes at the back of the church.  Pick one up and refresh your memory on what I said.  What I said was that I wished I could see what truly is.  Dr. Billingsley is great, but there is just so much he can do.  I want to see our good Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, in the Confessional, in the Mass, and in the Sacraments.  By the way, do you know why deacons cannot perform the Sacraments?  Because only those who can celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are allowed to perform the Sacraments.  The Sacraments come from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  Anyhow, I want to see our Lord as He truly is . . . the brilliant light that is the light of the world. 

I had my picture taken in New York for an Army advertisement, and I had to put on makeup.  That was the first and last time I will ever wear makeup outside of the box.   I was a member of the 101st Airborne . . . so hell no!  You wouldn’t believe all the lights they shine on you to put on the makeup.  While I was sitting under all those lights, I felt like a rotisserie chicken.   That’s the same kind of light here in the church – the light of truth – that shines on us as we sit in front of the Most Blessed Sacrament and in the Confessional.  That light allows us to see ourselves.  We see ourselves in three ways:  how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how we truly are.  It takes humility to see ourselves as we truly are.  That’s why the vision to see ourselves as we truly are is so necessary for advancement in spiritual life.  

We find that vision by seeking the light of Christ whether it is in front of the Blessed Sacrament or in the Confessional.  In His light, we see ourselves as we truly are . . . our crosses, our failures, our talents, and our abilities.  Too often we avoid His light because we see ourselves with all these problems.  “God, I have all these problems.  I’m not good enough for you Lord.”  First of all, we cannot earn God’s love.  I don’t care how good you are, you cannot earn His love because God’s love is free.  Look at all that God has given us, including our crosses which are actually gifts.  But when we look at our crosses, we see pain. We see all our troubles, all our failures, and all our wants and desires. 

In spite of everything, we are all loved by Christ.  Nothing that we have done can stop God’s love for us.  Nothing.  God will always love us.  How we love God is another matter, but that is up to us.  But God will always love us.  We are children of God.  When I was in Hospice the other day, I was talking to this man while the EMT’s were with him.  I asked him if he would tell me his religious denomination so that we could take proper care of him.  He said, “I’m not Catholic; I’m Baptist.”   I said, “May I tell you a secret?”  He whispered, “Yeah, go ahead.”  I said, “You are a child of God, and no one gets better than that.” 

As you sit here in church, you are sitting in the presence of God, Himself, in the Blessed Sacrament.  You are also sitting in His presence during Confession.  It is then that we see ourselves as we truly are – loved by God.

How will you apply this message to your life? _______________________________________ 

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

Posted on

Sermon Notes – October 27, 2024 – “Things I Wish I Could See – Part 1”

“Things I Wish I Could See – Part 1”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

October 26 – 27, 2024

Gospel:   Mark 10:46-52

I have to be careful when I read the paper because if I hold my head just right the light that shines through my glasses could start a fire.  Thanks to the heroic efforts of Dr. Billingsley, my vision is 20/20 and I am street legal to drive.   Because of him, I don’t need a dog and cane to get around, and he has the worry lines to prove it. 

When I pay attention, I can see things as well as anybody else.  The trouble is that I want to see better.  I see things as they are, but I want to see things as they truly are.  I want to see things that exist but cannot be seen.  I’m not saying that I want to see the deputy sheriff hiding behind a billboard on Highway 52.  Rather, I want to be like Saint Francis and Saint Teresa de Lisieux, the Little Flower.  They saw their guardian angels.  I would like to see our good Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.  I would like to see our Lord celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and walk to the Father waiting at the altar.  I would like to see our Lord on the other side of the confessional screen absolving me of my sins by putting His hand into the chalice of His Most Precious Blood and anointing my soul.  I would like to see our Lord give the faithful new life through the Sacrament of Baptism.  I would like to see our Lord unite a man and a woman in the Sacrament of Matrimony and leading to procreation according to the order of nature which Saint John Paul II called the domestic church.  I would like to see our Lord give young people the Sacrament of Confirmation and impart the Holy Spirit upon them so that they can be faithful witnesses.  I would also like to see our Lord at a deathbed and giving Last Rites to prepare a soul to transition from this life to the next bringing them safely to Heaven where all of us are meant to be. 

I would like to see that, but I would settle for this – to see our Lord’s presence in those people who really irritate the you-know-what out of me.  You know them – they drive 10 mph below the posted speed limit and then they go 15 mph over it and then back to 7 mph.  In the military we call that the “slinky.”   They think the speed limit is just a suggestion.  I had one in front of me the other day, and I wished I were a cop so that I could blue light him.  He crossed over the yellow line, and then all the lines.  Dude!   But you know what?  There’s no need for all that angst and anxiety.  I work at the VA, and I had plenty of time to get where I was going.  But it’s all about me!  God might say to me, “Hey, this morning during your prayers you said you love Me.  How’s that working for you?”  Not well.  I could pray for more patience; however, patience is an acquired virtue, and if you pray, “Lord, please give me patience,” He will send every idiot your way.  But that’s how to achieve more patience.  You might feel angry, but how you react to that anger is how it can become a sin. 

The gift I pray for is to have eyes of faith that can see God in suffering souls.  That is the kind of 20/20 vision I would like to have. 

How will you apply this message to your life? _____________________________________ 

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

Posted on

Sermon Notes – “He Knows Our Fears” – October 13, 2024

“He Knows Our Fears”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

October 12 – 13, 2024

Gospel:   Mark 10:17-30

Going back to the Old Testament, there is the Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.”  In the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, “True Lies,” Arnold’s wife asks him, while he is on truth serum, if he ever killed anybody.  Arnold replies, “Yes, but they were all bad.”  Translated properly from Hebrew, the Commandment says, “You shall not take life unjustly.”  That is the Commandment.  The State has the inherent right to execute prisoners who have been justly convicted of capital crimes. The Church did not give the State that right, and the Church cannot take it away.  You have the right to protect yourself and others to the point of killing another person.  That is not murder, which is forbidden.  Remind me to speak to the Godmother, but that’s another matter.  You have to read Scripture in Hebrew.  “Oh!  We should not have soldiers or armed police!”  Yeah, let me know how that works out for you.  Not well because it violates the 5th Commandment.  You have the right and the obligation to preserve your own life. 

Thomas à Kempis was a priest who died in 1471 at the age of 91, an amazing life span especially during that period, medicine being what it was.  Even today, that would be considered a darn good run.  During his life, he was a priest at an Abbey where one of his jobs was to write.  He transcribed four copies of the bible with a quill pen and parchment paper.  That’s a lot of writing.  He also taught the young religious in the offices of the Abby.  He wrote a book, “The Imitation of Christ,” which is a spiritual classic.   If you are interested in spiritual life, it is a book you should have.   He wrote that the key to spiritual life is to do the will of another rather than your own.  And that’s hard.  I teach that to all the young men who want to be married.  I tell them that the answer to everything their wives ask is, “Yes, dear.”  That’s it, and your meals will continue to come on a regular basis.  Otherwise, you may win the battle, but you will not win the war.  They will attrite (gradually arrange) your death by a thousand cuts, and you have to shut your eyes some time.   So just say, “Yes, dear.” 

Doing the will of another is the hardest thing.   It is an act of love to trust in the will of another especially someone appointed over you.  When I entered the military service, do you know what the first thing I did was?  I was a brand new officer – a captain.  But I went to a sergeant, even though I was already in the Army when he was still in diapers, and I asked him, “Would you help me, please?”  Why?  Because he knew more about the Army than I did.  Knowledge does not always apply to rank or position.  I had to trust that sergeant not to lead me astray.   I had to trust Master Sergeant Rodriguez, who was a tunnel rat in Vietnam, to teach me how to do my job in combat so I didn’t get myself killed.  He had been there, and rank had no standing.  So, we trust, which is hard to do.  Remember, we are fallen creatures because of Original Sin, sins committed after Baptism, and those sins committed against us after Baptism.  Our first parents walked with God and talked with God but did not want to serve God.  They ate the apple, and here we are.

What is God’s will?  “I do not know what God’s will is for me.”  Well, Christ spelled it out very specifically because every time He asked the Apostles a question, they got the answer wrong.  He knew we would also screw it up, so He said, “Keep My Commandments,” and he spelled them out.  “If you love Me, keep my Commandments.”  That means the Commandments are works of love, so we trust and surrender our will to Him.  And that’s hard because sometimes we think we are the brightest bears in Jellystone Park.  But we are not.  We are afraid.  “If I do this, I won’t have any fun. I won’t have this, and I won’t have that.”  The rich young man had many possessions.  He was possessed by his possessions.  Nobody could have his stuff.  You see someone playing with your stuff, you call the police because it’s your stuff.  All the gifts God has given, our talents and abilities, are to be put into service for others.  Our Lord knows our fears – that we might lose something or that we might miss something.  Fear is a tactic that the devil uses very often.  It’s a poor, positive motivator but a great negative one.  Fear.  “I might miss something.”  “I’m too busy on Sunday mornings to come to Mass.”  Hmmm . . . 9:30 a.m. in Albemarle.  What is going on in Albemarle at that hour?  I’ve lived here a long time, and I would like to know because I’ve missed it!  “I can’t come to Mass because I have company.”  Bring them to Mass with you; it would be good for them.  But people fear they will miss something. 

Our Lord talked about this in today’s Gospel:  “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 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 (Mark 10:29-30).  He promises us great things to assuage that fear that prevents us from renouncing ourselves and from loving Him.  What our Lord promises us in this life are very nice things but the greatest thing of all He promises us is Himself. 

How will you apply this message to your life? _____________________________________ 

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

Posted on

Sermon Notes – October 6, 2024 – “Love is Long-Suffering”

“Love is Long-Suffering”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

October 5 – 6, 2024

Gospel:   Mark 10:2-16

Who did God create first – Adam or Eve?  Adam?  No.  God created adom first.  What does “adom” mean?  It means “person” in Hebrew.  After God took the rib from adom and created male and female, then adom became Adam and Eve.  Once there was one person, and now there were two.  The two become one in the Sacrament of Marriage.  That’s why you have to read Scripture in the original Hebrew.  “Father, when did you study that?”  Actually, I studied it for two semesters under a Rabbi.  God created adom first and then He separated that person into male and female.  So that in the Sacrament of Marriage the two who were separate are joined together into one. 

Now you might think, “Father, you’re not married.”  Correct, and every woman on the planet is thankful for that.  There’s a saying that “those who can’t, teach.”  Really?  Does your cardiologist have heart disease?  No.  Does your oncologist have cancer?  No.  So don’t listen to them; they don’t have it.  “How would you know, Doc?  You don’t have the disease, so buzz off!”  The love of a priest for God and the vocation of the priesthood are very similar to marriage.  Why?  Although the situations are different, it is the same basic expression of love because that love comes from Almighty God.  God chooses how we will serve Him in this life.  In the married state, man and woman become co-creators with God in the order of nature.  He chose me to become a co-creator with Him in the order of grace.   To express the love and wonder of God and expressed in self-sacrificial love always mindful of the intent of the Other.  United with the source of all love and to be holy in order to give that holiness to others.  That love lasts forever.  I cannot stop being a priest until they zip me into a body bag and send the box back up to Rhode Island to be buried with my parents until the resurrection on the Last Day.   I am a priest forever because we are married to it. 

How do we accomplish growing together in marital love?   Through the Sacraments and prayer.  Bishop Sheen said this to all couples, Catholic and non-Catholic, who were preparing for marriage, “Pray the Rosary together every day.”  I say the same to the couples I am preparing for marriage.  Why?  It accomplishes a number of things.  If you pray the Rosary, you pray scripture, which solves a lot of problems. You learn how to speak to each other.  If you can pray out loud together, you can talk to each other about anything.  Setting aside that time for prayer just for the two of you and God, the source of all love, will keep a marriage together.   Many priests who stopped saying their prayers and stopped doing their meditations eventually left the priesthood.  Their egos cut them off from the source of life.  They choose self-love instead of being filled with His selfless love.  I have yet to meet a priest who left the Priesthood and was truly happy. 

Love is always focused on the other and not on self.  That is what love is.  Yes, it is long-suffering, and you have to put up with the sins of others.  So do I.  Not everybody makes me cookies.  Oh, the sufferings I’ve seen as a priest!   But no matter the vocation, the principles are the same.  Holiness and union with God enable us to have union with others in our vocations.

How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________________ 

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

Posted on

Sermon Notes – “We Must Give Up Everything to Receive Everything” – September 29, 2024

“We Must Give Up Everything to Receive Everything”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

September 28 – 29, 2024

Gospel:   Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

 38 John said to him, ‘Master, we saw someone who is not one of us driving out devils in Your name, and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’

39 But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him; no one who works a miracle in My name could soon afterwards speak evil of Me.

40 Anyone who is not against us is for us. 

41 ‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward. 

42 ‘But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck. 

43 And if your hand should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that can never be put out. 

45 And if your foot should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 

47  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,

48 where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’p


We have a doctor in the parish who operated on me. I kept the receipt, just in case. He had trouble with the hospital because of the surgeries he would not perform. They wanted him to do gastric bypass surgery on patients, and he said, “No.”  The hospital was not pleased because there was a lot of money in it. “What do you mean by ‘No?’”  He said, “Because I would be operating on the wrong organ. There is nothing wrong with the patients’ stomachs – the malady is in their brains.”  Doctors are allowed to operate on an organ only if it is diseased or broken. That is the only time they can do surgery on patients. Here is a bit of medical trivia – your skin is the largest organ you have. Doctors cannot whack things off people just because they have body dysmorphia and do not like the way they look. That goes against the Fifth Commandment.

The problem is not the organ – it is just fine and doing everything it is supposed to. The problem is in the brain, and whacking things off people does not change the brain. You must change the brain. Our good Lord said if you do something wrong, cut off your hand, cut off your foot, or poke your eye out. But He was using hyperbole like He was when Scripture says He fed 5,000 men, not counting women and children. Can you count to 5,000? Our Lord was using hyperbole, which you will find in the preface of every 12-step program: “If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it — then you are ready to take certain steps.”  Any length. But that does not include body mutilation. It means sacrificing people, places, and things –   everything for health. The most challenging thing to sacrifice is self. That is what our Lord asks of us: to be willing to sacrifice everything for Him. Whatever we think reality is, that is not what it truly is. We must give up everything to receive everything. We cannot allow any person, place, or thing to stand in the way of possessing love and being possessed by love itself.

Father’s Reflections . . .

People have asked, “Father, how was your vacation?”  It was great until it ended. My flight was changed three times and then finally canceled. The next day, I had to get up at o’dark-thirty and drive to the airport. You know, there is no more beautiful sight in the morning darkness than seeing a bright light shining ahead of you, and that light screams, “Duncan Donuts!”  There is a God. I finally got back around noon and was on the go until last night. So, if you want a favor, today is not the day to ask for one. Although my vacation was not what I planned, it was a lot of fun. As the military says, no order of battle survives the first gunshot. I went up to see the Godmother, and she is sinking. I also saw my cousin.  Now, I do not know what I did to her, but as I was leaving her house, she said, “Oh, you must try this drink. I love it! It is so wonderful and very good for your health!”  Okay, I would love to. I got into the car and began the 45-minute drive back to my sister-in-law’s house in Rhode Island. I thought I would try the drink since my cousin had recommended it. I took a swallow, and you know, I almost spit it out, but I was too cheap and did not want to pay the cleaning fee for the car. Blech! When I got back to my sister-in-law’s house, I read the ingredients, and it was full of celery, parsley, and cucumbers. Yuck! My cousin tried to put the whack on me! Who am I, Fredo?

How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________ 

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

Posted on

Sermon Notes – September 15, 2024 – “Stop Pole-Vaulting Over Mouse Turds”

“Stop Pole-Vaulting Over Mouse Turds”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

September 14 – 15, 2024

Gospel:   Mark 8:27-35

If you read the gospels, and I hope you do, just the black part – not the white part – you may think, “Gee, it seems awfully hard to be a follower of Christ.”  Remember what Christ told the rich young man?  He said, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow Me” (Matthew 19:21).   Well, the young man didn’t.  Our Lord said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53).   What happened?  His disciples left Him.  God created male and female, i.e., original equipment.  Regarding marriage, Jesus said, “They are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate” (Matthew 19:6).  Jesus told the disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).  That means to imitate Him which doesn’t seem pleasant now does it?  “Oh, it’s so hard!”  I always like it when people want to talk about stuff.  They say, “Can we talk about this?”  When people want to talk about their sinful ways, they are trying to negotiate your surrender. They want you to take their side and co-sign their garbage.  They are not seeking clarification; they are seeking change.   

 What is the purpose of instruction?  To instruct – not negotiate.  Christ did not negotiate because He had the truth.  “But the truth is so hard!”  Do you know why it’s hard to follow the truth?  Because of a lack of love.  Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My Commandments.  They are not burdensome” (John 5:3).   We do it out of love.  Love finds no burden.  If someone asks you to go one mile, go two miles with them.  If someone asks for your coat, let them have your shirt as well.  If someone hits you on the right cheek, offer them the left cheek too (Matthew 5:39-41).  That’s not exactly pleasant.  If someone hits me, I may lay them out.  It’s a muscle memory from when I played hockey.

Love never asks how little it can do.  “Hey, Father, what’s the least I can do to get into Heaven?”  “Does God grade on a curve?”  Love never asks that.  Love says, “Is that all I can do?  Can I do more?”  Sometimes, an act of love is a little difficult because no matter how far we have advanced in our spiritual lives, we are all prone to “king baby” syndrome.  “I want what I want when I want it!”  It’s easier dealing with a terrorist.  Love never set limits and always seeks to do more.  Now, remember this, it is very important to spiritual health: Love is not an emotion, nor is forgiveness.  Love is an act of the Will.   Our emotions are disoriented because of the effects of original sin, the sins we have committed after Baptism, and those sins committed against us by others.   But Jesus commands it, so it can be done. 

An act of Love is to do something for the sake of another, whether you understand it or not.  Sometimes, it is most unpleasant, even egregious, and we don’t want to do it.  I do a lot of work in health care, and sometimes the work is a little less appealing to my senses, but I do it anyway.   I was in Hospice, and one of the nurses asked if I could help her clean out a patient’s trachea tube.  I wouldn’t recommend it to most people because it’s not the most appealing smell.  But I’m a ghoul, so I said, “Sure!”  It’s not about me – it’s about that poor schmuck who wants to breathe.  It’s not about us, and it’s not about emotions.  When I was a young priest, I went on a Hospice call for an older woman who had lung cancer.  She was staying at her son’s house.  Her son had served in WWII and earned a Purple Heart.   He had to do a lot of bad stuff.  I went in to see his mother and gave her the Sacraments.  But her son wouldn’t go into the room and just stood by the door.  His wife went into the room and had to give her husband’s mother a morphine suppository for pain.  Do you know what she did after that?  She went into the bathroom and vomited.  That was love, and it’s the kind of love we are supposed to be examples of.  Parents, think about the times you took care of your children when they were sick.  Sometimes, it wasn’t exactly pleasant to the senses, but you did it because you loved them. 

Now I may find things a little less pleasant to my senses, but I do it anyway because it is not about me.  I have to see Christ in the person in that situation.  “My God!  I’m so tired. I can’t say all my prayers.”  Shut up and say your prayers.  They are not that long.  You are pole-vaulting over mouse droppings.  “Oh!  These things God asks me to do are so hard!”  No, they aren’t.  God asks us to do little acts of love by a denial of self, which is what love is.  Love does not think of self.  That’s how we do what Christ asks us to do.  Yes, sometimes it will be unpleasant.  But the unpleasantness itself is another gift to our Lord.   Love enables us to do things that might be repulsive.  Remember the television series, “The Band of Brothers”?  What bound them together?  Love.  There is no price too high to pay for a brother.  Cost is not important.  It is just a measure of how much we love.

How will you apply this message to your life?___________________________________ 

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

Posted on

Sermon Notes – September 8, 2024 – “The Wonder of His Love”

“The Wonder of His Love”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

September 7 – 8, 2024

Gospel:  Mark 7:31-37

31 Returning from the territory of Tyre, He went by way of Sidon towards the Lake of Galilee, right through the Decapolis territory.

32 And they brought Him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked Him to lay His hand on him.

33 He took him aside to be by themselves, away from the crowd, put His fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle.

34 Then looking up to Heaven He sighed; and He said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.’

35 And his ears were opened, and at once the impediment of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly.

36 And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more He insisted, the more widely they proclaimed it.

37 Their admiration was unbounded, and they said, ‘Everything He does is good, He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.’

I was at the VA hospital in Salisbury, and when I visited the Memory Loss Unit, I heard that this one patient had a very distinctive accent.  So went into his room and said, “Hey!  You from New York?”  He said, “Yeah!”  I said, “You know a guy?”  “Yeah!”  I said, “I know a guy.  We may know the same guy!”  He laughed and then went back into his confusion, which is how it is with people with memory loss.  Sometimes, you can say the magic word and bring them out of their confusion for a moment.   I visited a lady in a local nursing home who was also in a memory loss unit.  She was staring at the wall, and my gosh, she was very proficient in medical/military language, which I cannot repeat here.  I was very impressed, but I yelled, “Mom!  Stop!”   And just saying that magical word got through to her.    I saw another patient who was in bed, and one of the staff was feeding him.   So, I went in and was talking to them, and I asked the nurse, “You know, while you are taking care of him, do you ever think that when you are looking down at him, you are seeing the face of God smiling back at you?” 

In the Gospel today, Jesus performs miracles.  There are two kinds of miracles – extraordinary and ordinary.   Jesus sighed and groaned, and that groan was for all eternity from the beginning of time to the end times.  He took all the pains of our illness upon Him like He did on the Cross.  We were never meant to die or be sick.  Our illness is a result of Original Sin and the sins we committed after our baptism.   Our Lord Jesus took them upon Himself.  Did He know pain?  Yes.  Think of the pain He endured on the Cross.  Throughout Scripture, our Lord performed extraordinary miracles, such as raising the dead to life.  There were also what are called ordinary miracles.   Do you know what they are?  You can find them at Atrium Hospital – they are the geniuses in white coats whose job it is to make us well.  You can find them in psychologist offices, in 12-step meetings, and in families where love is restored and relationships healed.  

Ordinary miracles happen all the time.  God is still active.  One thing about all those miracles, the physical and spiritual acts of love God does for us, what is the reaction of all those He cured?   Well, one person came back and said, “Thank you.”   Our Lord said, “Do not tell anyone.”   What did they do?   They told people because they had joy.  The more our Lord told them not to tell anyone, the more they proclaimed what He had done for them.  That comes from the joy of receiving the gift of God’s great love.  That is the key to evangelization.  The key to evangelization is telling people about the good things the Lord has done for us.  And they are innumerable when you think about it.  Just in my short, uneventful life, I’ve been saved from an accident when a car ran over me.  Oops!  I guess I wasn’t meant to be a stunt double.  He kept me safe during my exotic travels, including trips to Oakboro, when things got a little harried.  He helped me during my illnesses.  And those are just the things I am aware of; I am not aware of those things He preserved me from.   I will only know that when I see Him in Heaven – at least on Judgement Day; hopefully, I will get to Heaven.   

There are so many gifts our Lord has given us to tell people about.  As for me: 1) My parents had me baptized, which took away Original Sin; 2) I went to Confession, and my sins were forgiven; 3) I received the Most Precious Body and Blood of our Lord at Holy Communion; 4) I received the Holy Spirit at Confirmation; and 5) I received Holy Ordination.  There is so much to tell people about the love of God.   God forgives my sins, and He gives me His Most Precious Body and dwells in my soul. Those are the great joys you can tell people about.  Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit which is the key to evangelization. 

We should always be joyous about God’s gifts.   Some of His greatest gifts to us are ones we hate.  Do you know why?  Because we see them as crosses.  But He gives us those gifts to keep us humble.  I know many people who are very gifted and who have heavy crosses so that they remain humble.  God is the source of all gifts.  Those gifts are given to take care of the obligation for justice and to build up the Body of Christ.  So whatever cross you have and whatever crosses I have – you have to buy the book because I’m not giving that away for free – they are gifts.  They are opportunities for us to stay humble – I’m not doing a great job at that.  But they are also opportunities for us to do penance for our sins.  Sometimes we don’t realize the great gifts He has given us.  This is how we evangelize – spreading the good news about our Lord’s love.  We evangelize by telling people about the wonders of what He has done for us.

How will you apply this message to your life?_____________________________________          


You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

Posted on

Sermon Notes – August 25, 2024 – “This is Where Truth Resides”

“This is Where Truth Resides”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 24 – 25, 2024

Gospel:  John 6:60-6

60 After hearing it, many of His followers said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’

62 What if you should see the Son of man ascend to where He was before?

61 Jesus was aware that His followers were complaining about it and said, ‘Does this disturb you?

63 ‘It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

64 ‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the outset who did not believe and who was to betray him.

65 He went on, ‘This is why I told you that no one could come to Me except by the gift of the Father.’

66 After this, many of His disciples went away and accompanied Him no more.

67 Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’

68 Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life,

69 and we believe; we have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.’

I have dealt with many people, and I like doing so.  I can always tell which people used to be Catholic.  Do you know how I can do that?  Am I gifted?  No.  I can because they tell me.  They say, “I used to be Catholic.”  Oh really?   I’m still Catholic.  What happened to you?  Did you find a better way to Heaven?  When they tell you they are no longer Catholic, they are unhappy.  I have never met a priest who left the priesthood and was happy.  Never.  And I’ve been around for a long time.  Usually, after priests leave, they realize they made a big mistake, but it’s really tough to come back.  Bishop Curlin was really good at bringing priests back, but nowadays that ain’t happening.   

Why would anyone leave?  We have the words of spirit and life.  We have the truth.  You know the truth when you hear it because it touches your soul.  We all want to hear, “Hey Father. Pizza and bacon are really good for your heart.”  I would love to hear that, but I’m not going to, am I?  Probably not.  “Hey, Father.  Cucumbers are good for your health.”   Then I am going to die because that’s not going down this throat!   I barely do fish, and that’s a penance.  But we all want to hear that it’s okay to eat and do what we want.  “Oh, I have a kidney condition that alcohol is good for.”  Really?  Do you mean stupid?  “Smoking is good for you.”  I’ll let you know about that too.  We all want to hear those words because it gives us an excuse to do what we want which may not be what Christ wants.  We have the truth of everlasting life.  Jesus gives us that truth.  Because of our fallen nature, the sins we’ve committed after our baptism, and the sins of others committed against us, it is hard to follow that truth.   Sometimes, it is hard to see the love of God.  When our good Lord took my mother, my father, and both of my brothers from this world, I was not exactly pleased with Him, okay?  But bad things happen, so we have to trust. 

From whom do you hear, “I absolve you of all your sins.”  “Behold the lamb of God.”  You won’t hear that anywhere but here.  This is where truth resides.  The fullness of truth helps us carry our crosses and deal with all the things that try to take us away from Him, the sorrow that we all experience, the temptations, our faults and failures, the crosses that have been given to us, and the crosses we take on for others to help them.  Only here do we have peace and consolation.  We can go somewhere else, but no one finds that peace except here.  I have 71 years of experience and 40 years of that as a priest – If anyone can enlighten me, I’m always open to verifiable knowledge, but I have yet to see it or read about it.  Only here in the fullness of Christ will we find peace.  When G.K. Chesterton became Catholic, he said, “I want my sins forgiven, not explained away.”  He also said, “If you believe Protestantism, you’ll believe anything.”  Growing up, all Christians had a basic set of morals.  Now, “to whom shall we go? He has the message of eternal life.”  We are men and not angels, so we all struggle with our crosses.  We come here for our Lord’s help, healing, and strength.   

How will you apply this message to your life?  _______________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”