Category: Sermon Notes

Transripts of weekly sermons

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Sermon Notes – April 20, 2025 – “He is Alive”

“He is Alive”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

April 19 – 20, 2025

Gospel:  John 20: 1-9

1 It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb 2 and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,’ she said, ‘and we don’t know where they have put Him.’ 3 So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. 4 They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. 6 Simon Peter, following him, also came up, went into the tomb, saw the linen cloths lying on the ground 7 and also the cloth that had been over His head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. 9 Till this moment they had still not understood the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead.

This summer I will have another birthday… hopefully.   My brother stopped his seven years ago, and my twin brother has too.  I have been debating whether to get a tattoo – maybe one with barbed wire and a skull.  But at my age, perhaps a tattoo with my home address and phone number would be a better idea.  I have been around.  I may not look my age, and I certainly don’t act it.  “Father, you’ve seen a lot and done a lot.”  Yes.  I can’t tell you much about it, but I have.  If I did, I would have to kill you.  It’s nothing personal, just business.  “Father, what is the most interesting thing you have seen that you can tell us about without having to commit mass murder?”   Well, I’ve seen people rise from the dead.  “Really?  Father, you better cut back on the meds.”  No, I really have seen people come back from the dead and be restored to life.  Not in the way Jesus rose (Matthew 28:5-6), and not in the way Lazarus (John 11:1-44), Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:21-43), and the widow’s son (Luke 7:11-17) rose.  No, not in that way.  “Father, how did they rise from the dead?”  Good question.  Their souls were dead because of repeated venial sin or mortal sin.  They were dead.  They had no divine life in them.  But they were restored to life through the grace that comes from our Lord’s Passion, death, and resurrection, which opened the Gates of Heaven, bestowed upon Mother Holy Church the means to effect resurrection, and gave the grace to wash away all sin from the soul, and return it to life.  No matter how bad it is, all sin can be washed away. 

The most powerful instrument ever known is the blood of Christ.  Go back to the Passion on Good Friday, and we see the power of our Lord’s blood being poured out for us, drip by drip.  I have seen many come back from the dead.  Their lives are returned to them through Holy Communion.  Does a resurrection happen?  It sure does, every day.  You would be surprised where it happens.  People will say, “Father, may I talk to you?”  Sure!   This is usually what I do – I see the older, sicker patients in the hospital.  I say to them, “Would you like to receive the Anointing of the Sick?”   If they say, ‘yes,’ I say, “By the way, when was the last time you went to Confession?”  I don’t ask if they want to go.  I use an authoritarian tone and ask them when the last time was.  It pushes them over the hump of fear they are hiding behind so that life can be restored to their souls, and they can spend eternity in Heaven with Christ.   

This is the good news of the Resurrection: that Christ has died, and He is alive.  He gives that life to the soul so that we can live for Him in this world and go to Him in the next.  Eventually, we will get our bodies back, hopefully in better shape than they are now.    When you have the divine life, what else do you have?  Joy.  Christ wishes to live in all of us.  He made our souls for only one thing, and that is not sin.  He made our souls a fitting resting place for 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.

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Sermon Notes – April 13, 2025 – The Sound and Smell of Love

“The Sound and Smell of Love”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

April 12 – 13, 2025


Gospel:  Luke 23:1-49

Holy Mother Church instructs her priests to proclaim a short sermon after reading the Passion.  So, this will be short, but very good. 

In the Passion, we see the frailty of human nature.  Some say, “If we only had power, we could make everything right.”   Pontius Pilate had absolute power as the Roman governor.  He had a Roman legion of 12,000 soldiers at his command.  So when the crowd began to rebel, on Pilate’s order, the soldiers could have killed everyone without any repercussions for him.  They could have taken care of business, and nothing would have happened.  But Pilate caved even though he had absolute power.  Five days later, the Jews were calling for his crucifixion. 

People say, “I love God.”  Then why don’t you go to church?   What about your sin?  “Well, when I sin, I only hurt myself.”   Really?  Sin hurts a lot of people.  I would like everyone to search for “Jesus Christ Superstar” on YouTube.  It’s an old Broadway play, and in one part, there is the scourging of Jesus.  Listen to the flogging of Jesus.  How brutal it was.  Listen to Pilate counting the 39 strokes.  They couldn’t give him 40 because that would have been illegal. 

If you read and listen to the Passion and meditate on it, you hear the story of love freely given, even though we didn’t deserve it.  In “Jesus Christ Superstar,” there is a part on the soundtrack when our Lord is on the Cross, and if you listen carefully, you hear the drip, drip, drip of blood.  Police officers, EMTs, and medical folks will tell you that blood has a smell.  It has a copper smell that makes some people sick.  But when we listen, and if we think about it, we can say that love has a smell.  It is God’s love.  I was thinking about that earlier this morning – the house I grew up in smelled like apple pie.  Love has a smell, and it also has a sound.  Listen to the track of “Jesus Christ Superstar” and listen to the drops of blood.  It is love being poured out one drop at a time for us.

When you hear the Passion proclaimed, you hear the effects of our sin.  All sin – mortal, venial, and material – is an alienation of God.  Yet when you read the culmination of the Passion, you cannot deny one statement of fact – that God loves us.  Look upon the Crucifix and know that God loves you.  In the next-to-last words our Lord said in this life before He was resurrected and went to the Father to open the Gates of Heaven, was a prayer for us.  “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!”

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.

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Sermon Notes – April 6, 2025 – “God is in the Business of Salvation – Not Condemnation”

                           “God is in the Business of Salvation – Not Condemnation”

                                     Father Peter Fitzgibbons

                                       April 5 – 6, 2025

Gospel:  John 8:1-11

In today’s Gospel reading, it is the only time in all of Scripture that our Lord wrote anything.  What did He write?  That’s a good question, but Scripture does not record what was written.  Bishop Sheen talked about it in one of his books.  The woman was caught in the act of adultery, and the law demanded justice.  Jesus said, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7).  In his book, Bishop Sheen suggested that what our Lord wrote on the ground could have been the sins of those men standing around Him.   He knew their sins.  Oops!  And off they went.  Bye-bye!  Some of their sins could have warranted capital punishment just like the woman’s.  

Jesus does not condemn us for our sins.  He is not in the condemnation business; He is in the salvation business.  During the Particular Judgment and the Final Judgment, if our Lord can cry in Heaven, He does.  He created us out of love.  Why?  To live with Him forever.  However, through our sins, we choose not to love Him and are cast off.   Our Lord does not revoke our free Will, so we have a choice to either love Him or not to love Him.   If we love Him, we will stay with Him forever.  But if we do not love our Lord, we will be separated from Him forever.   He wants us all to be saved and not condemned.  

We do not know the situations people are in, but we try to have some level of understanding.   Now the actions themselves may be grossly sinful.  That’s true, but we may not know the reason.  Is there an impediment?  Are there mitigating factors?   We studied those things in Canon Law, and they are considered during Confession.   People play all sorts of spiritual word games.  “Well, this is not a mortal sin because I did this and that.”   I have Spiritual Canon lawyers trying to play with me.  “God knows I love him.”   Really?  You don’t show it for someone who is truly in love with God.   You know the difference between a mortal and venial sin, right?  Well, God doesn’t.   A material sin happens when you hit your thumb with a hammer and let out some verbiage that is probably not appropriate in polite society.  Material sins are instant reactions.  The only difference between mortal and venial sins for someone who truly loves God is the difference between punching and slapping your wife.  There is no difference. 

We judge the actions but pray for the sinner.   The actions can be wrong and very much so, but Jesus told us to love them and to judge their actions.  We will know them by their fruits.  They are not beyond His mercy.  I told you about the man who brought me coffee on Sunday mornings while I was at St. Gabriel’s.  He was a member of the German Schutzstaffel (Protective Echelon) and a bodyguard for Adolf Hitler.   These were the bad boys in the German military.  They were the worst of the worst.  But this man died in the arms of Holy Mother Church.  We are to forgive one another just as God has forgiven us. What is forgiveness?  Forgiveness is an act of the Will.  It is not an act of emotion.  Love is an act of the Will.  It also is not an emotion.   Liking someone is an act of emotion, but love is not.  When you say, “I forgive you because Christ told me to,” that doesn’t mean you are going to invite them to Christmas dinner or send them a birthday card.  That is not required.  Remember all our emotions, faculties, and senses are diminished by Original Sin, the sins we have committed after our Baptism, and the sins others have committed against us.  They can be affected by things like a stoplight turning red just as we approach it, when a blue-haired wonder won’t get out of your way, or the kind of chocolate you had that day.  Those things can immediately change our emotions.  However, our Lord told us how to deal with our emotions, our dislike for people who have hurt us, and those who have neglected us.  Although the effect can be immediate, it is usually not and can be a long process.  We might have to bear emotional suffering all our lives.   It’s like me and my family – they gave me good looks but no money.  But we pray for them just as our Lord said.   By the way, it was not a suggestion.  In the military, a suggestion by a superior has the force of an order.   

Our Lord didn’t say we have to like it.   In fact, it doesn’t matter whether you like to do it, want to do it, or care about doing it . . . you just do it.  You pray for those who persecute you and for those who harm you.  Whatever they have done against you, pray for them.  By praying for them, you may help them with their own problems and help them embrace our Lord.   It also helps you.  Remember, we pray for them not because we want to: “I really want to pray for that guy who scraped my car.”   No, you don’t.  But we pray for them because Christ told us to do so, and it will be better for them and better 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.

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Sermon Notes – March 23, 2025 – “God Does Not Want Us Separated From Him”

 “God Does Not Want Us Separated From Him”

 Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 March 22 – 23, 2025


Gospel:  Luke 13:1-9

In the past two months, I have done seven funerals…I must be good at it.  On Friday, I had a double header— a father and son.  I asked the family why we couldn’t hold both funerals together.  But they said, “No.  Our mother hated our father, who was her ex-husband, so we have to have two separate funerals.”   But maybe she would just like to come to gloat and make sure he’s dead.   Well, that wasn’t happening, so we had two separate funerals and committed both of their souls to Almighty God and His mercy.   

In the Gospel, we hear that God gives the vineyard owner’s tree another year to see if it produces fruit.  God gives us all the time we need to make our way to Heaven.  Do you know why He does that?   It’s why God made you…because He loves us.  Why does God give us time to repent?  Also, because He loves us.   God doesn’t want anyone to be separated from Him, and He is always pleading for our mercy.  He spoke from the Cross seven times, which is called the seven last words.  The sixth time He spoke from the Cross, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:24).   We do not know how grievous sin is. 

God gives us the time and means to achieve our salvation because He doesn’t want anyone to be separated from Him.  He loves us.  Love is His nature.  He created us out of love.   But we have free Will, and we all sin.   He keeps following us, hoping that we will reform so that we may have life and have it to the fullest in the Kingdom of Heaven.   We were created to experience happiness in Heaven, and He provides us with the time and means to get there and to achieve our salvation.   Anybody in hell is a self-made man or woman… I don’t want to be sexist or transphobic.  People go to hell because they turn their backs on God and flip Him off.  “Hey, I’m a self-made man and I can do what I want.”   People who do not want God’s help wind up in hell.  God did not want them there.  He did not create us to be in hell.  But even at the point of death, they turned their backs on God’s love.  I have a little technique that I use at the VA Hospital, and hopefully I’ll have a chance to teach it to my replacement before I retire.  When I see older men, and sometimes older women, at the VA, I wait until they are bombed from their meds to give them Last Rites just in case I don’t see them again before they pass.  There are so few of us priests nowadays, so I always do that. 

A guy came by my office on Friday, and he asked me, “Why did they hit Christ 39 times?”  Because hitting Him 40 times would have been illegal.  It was terrible, but that was to show us how evil sin is.   Meditate on that… the 39 strikes with a whip.  That’s how bad sin is.  God gives us the means for salvation, and He is always calling us even unto the point of death.  Unfortunately, I receive calls to administer Last Rites to people when they are already at the funeral home, and I have to say, “No, it’s a little late for that.   They need to be a little warmer than they are now.”   Last Rites must be given within two hours of clinical death or before signs of rigor mortis.  Additionally, the body must be intact and not scattered throughout creation.  Remember, I was an Army chaplain and a chaplain at a trauma center.  The Sacraments are for the living.   When I administer Last Rites to someone after clinical death, I always say under my breath, “Si vivis – If you are living.”  I say it in Latin and in a low tone so that the family cannot hear me. 

That’s how much God loves us.  No matter how bad we think we are or how bad the things we have done are, He does not want us separated from Him.   I’ve gotten out of my sick bed to give Last Rites to someone because that is what God wants.  One time I was going up the stairwell at a hospital, and a nurse was coming down the stairs.  She asked me, “Are you a priest?”   Yeah.  “Somebody in ICU needs Last Rites.”   Okay.  So, I went to the ICU, gave the patient Last Rites, and I never saw her again.  I do know she died.  Sometimes it just happens.  When I was still an Associate Pastor, I served as the Catholic chaplain at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, which is now part of Novant Health, Atrium Health, and Mercy Hospital.  So, I had a busy job.   One day, I was at Novant Hospital, deciding which wing to visit first.  Once I made the decision, I walked into a patient’s room, and a man in the room said, “My wife is dying. Would you give her Last Rites?”   Certainly.   As I administered the Last Rites, there is a point in the Rites that states, “At or near the point of death, say these words.”  And it was at that precise moment that the woman took her last breath.   So, I said: “Go forth, Christian soul.”  I have that part down after 40 years of practice.  It is by the grace of God that you have a priest at your deathbed, especially here in the South.  God loves us even to the point that He will accept imperfect contrition.  There are two kinds of contrition: perfect and imperfect.  Perfect contrition is one in which you are sad because you offended God, whom you should love with all your heart.   Imperfect contrition arises from a desire to avoid hell: “I don’t want to go to hell, so I’m going to do this just in case.”   Either is sufficient to avoid hell and enter heaven.   However, perfect contrition significantly reduces the time spent in Purgatory. 

Saint John Vianney, the Cure of Ars and patron saint of Catholic parish pastors told a story about walking down the road one day when a lady approached him.  She said, “Father.”  Father Vianney said, “Good morning, my child.”  The woman said, “You know my husband died.”  Yes.  “He was not a nice guy.  He hit me, he drank, he ran around on me, and he did a lot of other bad stuff.”    She gave Father Vianney a whole laundry list of bad things her husband had done.  Then she said, “Father, you can read souls.  He’s in hell, isn’t he?”   Father Vianney replied, “I don’t know.”  “What do you mean you don’t know!!”    By this time, she was getting ugly.  Father Vianney said, “There was a long time after he left the bridge until he hit the water. He had enough time to say, ‘I’m sorry.’”   Either way – whether it was perfect or imperfect contrition – would have been sufficient to save his soul from hell.   When I was an assistant at St. Gabriel’s, there was a man who served me breakfast.  He had a tattoo on his arm, and I knew what that tattoo meant.  During World War II, he served as Adolf Hitler’s personal bodyguard.   These were really bad guys – the worst in the German Army.  But he died reconciled to Christ and the Church.  That is how great God’s love is for us, and we are to lead everyone to His mercy.   

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.

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Sermon Notes – March 16, 2025 – “Experience is Not the Best Teacher”

                                          “Experience is Not the Best Teacher”

                                     Father Peter Fitzgibbons

                                       March 15 – 16, 2025

Gospel:  Luke 9:28b-36

You have heard it said that experience is the best teacher.  But that’s not true.  If it were, there would be no alcoholics.  People would get drunk only once in their lives to avoid nausea, vomiting, and pounding headaches.   Does that sound like fun to anybody?  No.  Experience is not the best teacher because we tend to forget about the pain.  It is also not the best teacher for good experiences. 

In today’s Gospel, we have another epiphany, which means the manifestation of Who Christ is.  Jesus lowered the veil of His humanity that He took from the Blessed Mother to reveal His Divinity.  This epiphany was given to strengthen the Apostles for the Passion, which would occur ten days later.  Peter, James, and John, who were the three lead Apostles, Peter being the most senior, had, by that time, seen at least three dead people raised to life.  The Apostles were there when Jesus fed loaves and fishes to the 5,000.  They were there when He walked on water and cured leprosy.  According to Scripture, not all our Lord’s miracles were written down, and even though the Apostles saw all His miracles, what happened ten days after this epiphany?  When Jesus entered into His Passion, the Apostles were nowhere to be found.  

Now you may be thinking, “Lord, if I had just one of the experiences like the Apostles had, I would never doubt You again.”   Yes, you would . . . We all would.  We are fallen creatures because of Original Sin, the sins we have committed after Baptism, and the wrongs committed against us by others.  “But I want a religious experience.”  Religious experiences are given to us by God.   Sometimes, He gives them to us before we undergo a great trial to help us prepare for it.  Sometimes, He gives them to us as an atta-boy or atta-girl.   Other times, God gives us religious experiences just to say, “I love you, and I’m still with you. I haven’t forgotten about you.”  But it is as God decides and not as we decide.  You cannot go to any church and have a religious experience on demand.  Nor does it happen every time we pray.  That just doesn’t happen.  God doesn’t come when we want Him to.  I wish He did.  I would have been a monsignor a long time ago.  I’m only 71 and have been a priest for 40 years.  But I’m a patient man.  He comes to strengthen our souls, to give us comfort, and sometimes for no reason at all.  He is God, and He decides when to come to us. 

“Every time I go to church, I feel good.”  Really.  Intellectually or emotionally?  Emotionally, you probably won’t.  Intellectually, you may because you are in the presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament and part of the Holy Sacrifice.  That’s a wonderful thing.   However, because of our fallen nature, we don’t always feel that way.   When we feel the Lord has abandoned us, even though He hasn’t, that is when we grow most in faith.  He never has and never will abandon us.  Just because we don’t feel His presence, doesn’t mean He isn’t there.  Drive up Highway 52 at     70 mph and let me know how that works out for you.  “I didn’t see the cop!”   But he saw you.  Cops are very good at hiding.  How many of you have seen your guardian angel?  Very few have.  Saint Teresa de Lisieux and Saint Francis of Assisi saw theirs.  But just because you cannot see them, doesn’t mean that they aren’t there.  Can you see your house from here?  I can.  But if you can’t, that doesn’t mean it’s not there – you just can’t see it.  The same is true for God’s love and His presence around you.   

So do not be disturbed by a lack of religious experiences.  God does not judge you on that.  God judges you on the constancy of your love and following Him whether you find it pleasant or not.  Hanging on to your faith is an act of Will.  We want to always be happy, joyous, and free, but that is not possible in this life.  That will happen only in the next life.  Keep the faith.  Do the next right thing.  And remember that our Lord is always there as a refuge no matter what suffering you are going through.

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.

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Sermon Notes – February 23, 2025 – “We Have No Idea”

                                                             “We Have No Idea”

                                       Father Peter Fitzgibbons

                                       February 22 – 23, 2025

Gospel:  Luke 6:27-38


We are called to love our good Lord.  But love is more than just a feeling.  People say, “Oh, I love God.”  Good for you.  So, what do you do about it?  Our Lord said, “If you love me, keep My Commandments.”  Love demands action.  It’s through that action that you grow more in love with our Lord.  When we have God in our souls, we evangelize.  But it’s not always a happy thing.  Sometimes, it is really difficult.  As I like to say, “I’m not much, but I’m all I think about.  It’s all about me.”   We must die to self to live for others.  I’m giving you a little homework.  Read the short story by O. Henry, “The Gift of the Magi.”  Look it up.  Love grows when we die to self, and our Lord tells us how to do that.  If someone comes up to me and slaps me in the face, we are going to have words.  He’s not going to be happy.  But we are not supposed to do that.  If someone insults you and calls you a name, what’s your first reaction?  A hand or arm gesture?  “Do you know who I am? Do you know who you are talking to?”  They cursed Christ, and if they curse you, be thankful.  “Hey, I’m doing good.”  All those things you find distasteful . . . do those things.  Lend with no expectation of getting it back.  If a man wants you to walk a mile with him, walk two.   Those are steps that are good for your heart.  If someone wants your cloak, give them your shirt as well.  These things are hard, but that’s what love is.  It is the renunciation of self and living for others.  The obsession of self must end, and that is very hard to do.  Obviously, you love God because you are here at Mass on Saturday at 5:00.  You could have stayed home and done something else, but you are here.   You sacrificed to be here today. 

Love is proven in our lives by imitating Christ, by being compassionate, and by our long-suffering.  Regarding his illness, Saint Paul wrote, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for Your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking inChrist’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the Church” (Colossians 1:24).  Paul said, “I am bearing this for the sake of Christ and the redemption of souls.”  That is what we do when others persecute, hate, and utter every kind of slander against us.  We forgive them.  Now, if you are thinking, “I cannot forgive,” yes, you can.  You just don’t want to.  Forgiveness is an act of the will.  God never said, “Well, if you feel like it, forgive somebody.  No, no, no.  We forgive because God forgives us. 

Sometimes, it is uncomfortable to do what our Lord asks.  We have a fallen nature from original sin, from the sins we have committed since our baptism, and from the sins that others have committed against us.  We have a fallen nature, so we are not always highly motivated to do good.   We make a choice to love.  That’s when we grow in love the most.  It’s also when we are the happiest.  We have a joy that nobody can take from us because we are doing what our Lord asked.  Notice that our Lord never said, “Do this if it feels good.”  He never said that because He didn’t care how you felt.  Do the right thing, and then you will feel better.  Feelings are transitory, very much so.  Do the right thing.  Go over and above.  Love has no limits.   Christ said, “No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).  And that is true. 

I always enjoyed watching the people in front of the courthouse.  I haven’t seen them lately, but they would be outside the courthouse yelling, “Jesus is Lord” and “You are going to die and go to hell.”  I found them amusing and appreciated their zeal.  The way they screamed showed they had great lung power.  Their oxygen stats must have been off the chart.  They would scream and carry on, and I would think, “Decaf folks. You need to mellow out.”  I’d really like to peek at their medication chart; they may have been short of a pill or two.  Everybody who doesn’t believe their particular brand of Christianity is going to hell.   Really?  Is God that unjust?  “You are all going to hell.”  How do you know?  Christ said, “Judge not, that you may not be judged” (Matthew 7:1). 

In my work at the VA, I have met a lot of men who served in Vietnam.  I talked to one man who said, “I had a couple of tours in Vietnam.”  I said, “Really?  Were you homesteading there or what?”   He said, “I took a 2nd and 3rd tour so my younger brother wouldn’t have to go.”  If you have ever been overseas doing the things those men did, you know that it takes a hell of a toll on your life.  That man may not be the staunchest Christian, and I may not see him at Sunday Mass, but don’t you think that what he did would cover a lot of things in his spiritual personnel record?   But instead, you are saying that this guy is condemned to hell because he doesn’t share your religion.  How can you say that?  You do not know this man.  They say, “You’re going to hell because you don’t believe my particular brand of Christianity.”  Shut up.  You don’t see the crosses we carry.  God judges us. 

Now, you may be thinking, “Father, you are slim, good-looking, and bright.”  Thanks, but neither of those things is correct.  You don’t know the crosses I’m carrying.  I’ve been a priest for over 40 years, and I’m still not a monsignor.  That really hurts!  We have no idea about the suffering other people are enduring.  When I talk to people, I ask them how they are doing.  They often say, “I’m fine.”  I love that word “fine.”  Do you know what it means?  It’s a medical term, and you wouldn’t like the meaning because it’s a bit rude.  We all struggle with our crosses.  Some are visible, and some are invisible.  We have no idea of the heavy burdens other people carry.  So, we don’t make judgments.  But what we can do is pray for them.  Why?  Because we appreciate it when people pray 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.

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Notas del Sermón – Tu sabrás que son cristianos por su amor – 16 de febrero 2025

“Tu sabrás que son cristianos por su amor”
Padre Peter Fitzgibbons
15-16 de febrero 2025

Evangelio: Lucas 6:17, 20-26

En el último año, la gente se ha mostrado cada vez más agitada por la política, el fútbol y otras cosas. Todos están molestos por una cosa u otra. Para ayudar a las personas con su agitación y lucha interna, les hago una serie de preguntas de diagnóstico. La serie de preguntas de diagnóstico comienza así: ¿Estás recibiendo fuego entrante? No. ¿Hay damnificaciones masivas? No. ¿Walmart está cerrando? No. ¿Dóminos ha dejado de realizar entregas? No. ¿Ha dejado de funcionar su plomería? No. ¿Ha perdido sus privilegios de respirar? No. ¿Dios ha dejado de amarte? No. Entonces estás bien, ¿vale? Crece. Estás bien. Esta no es la colina para morir. Simplemente haz lo que sigue correctamente y estarás bien. La gente me dice que necesitan asesoramiento sobre el duelo. Bueno, tengo una forma útil de conseguirlo y sólo te costará un dólar. Compra un periódico y mira en la sección de obituarios. Ahora tendrás un sentido de pertenencia. Todos mueren. Eres como el resto de nosotros que debemos lidiar con el dolor de perder a alguien.

Cuando estoy en público, esto me pasa mucho. La gente dirá: "Hola, pastor." La mayoría de la gente no lo sabe, pero la palabra “pastor” es un título de trabajo, tal como lo es “capellán.” Soy sacerdote. Me preguntan: "¿Cómo está?" y yo les digo: “Estoy bien. ¿Cómo esta usted?" Algunos dicen: "que soy cristiano," a lo que yo respondo: "Bien, me alegra oír eso." Intercambiamos algunas bromas más y ellos siguen su camino. Son respetuosos y muy amables en general. Pero siempre quiero preguntarles qué tipo de cristiano son. Realmente me gustaría saberlo. El otro día leí un artículo que decía que hay 45,000 sectas diferentes del cristianismo. Aunque creen cosas diferentes, todos piensan que van al cielo, todos menos nosotros.

Hubo un tiempo en que todos los cristianos tenían un sentido común de moralidad. Todas las denominaciones que se llamaban a sí mismas cristianas creían que el control de la natalidad era un pecado. Pero en 1938 hubo una reunión de obispos episcopales y decidieron mejorar las escrituras. Decidieron que el control de la natalidad es bueno. Lo que antes se consideraban delitos en el antiguo derecho penal ahora se ensalzan como virtudes. “Cristo hubiera querido esto.” Bueno, si Él lo hubiera querido, lo habría dicho. El Nuevo Testamento termina con el Libro del Apocalipsis. No puedes mejorarlo. Entonces, cuando la gente dice que es cristiana, no tengo idea de lo que eso significa. Realmente no lo sé.

Si eres cristiano, ¿cómo lo sabría a menos que me lo digas? Sabes que la gente es cristiana por sus actos de amor. Los Apóstoles hicieron lo que hizo Cristo. Cristo dijo: “Si me amáis, mis mandamientos guardaréis (Juan 14:15). Dejó instrucciones específicas. No dijo: “Mis instrucciones sólo tienen una vida útil de unos 2,000 años. Después de eso, quedarán bsoletos y podrás crear los tuyos propios.” No, no lo creo. Cristo fue bastante específico y no nos dio mucho espacio para maniobrar. Si somos seguidores de Cristo, haremos lo que Él hizo. ¿Por qué? Porque lo amamos más que a nosotros mismos. No tenemos que decirle a nadie que somos cristianos. Lo verán en nuestros actos de amor, en nuestros actos de compasión y en nuestros actos de gran sufrimiento. Verán el amor de Cristo obrando a través de nuestra naturaleza humana. Verán su amor y cuidarán de nosotros. Puedes llamarte como quieras, pero debes ser como sea que te llames.

Si afirmas ser un seguidor de Cristo, debes seguirlo haciendo lo que Él hizo. Tomamos nuestras cruces todos los días y lo seguimos. Tratamos de reflejar nuestras vidas en lo que Él hizo. Caeremos; todos lo hacemos, incluso yo. Pero todos nos levantamos nuevamente y nos esforzamos por seguir a Cristo. Esto es lo que hacemos si somos cristianos. Lo demostramos con nuestras acciones, con la forma en que vivimos, con la forma en que amamos, con la forma en que nos sacrificamos y con la forma en que oramos. Así es como podemos conocer a los seguidores de Cristo.

Reflexiones del Padre. . . Es bueno estar en casa. Muchos de ustedes me han preguntado cómo estuvo mi viaje. Decir que fue extraño sería quedarse corto. Hay dos palabras que usamos en el ejército que lo describirían perfectamente, pero no puedo usarlas aquí. Todo lo que puedo decir sobre mi viaje es que elegí un momento increíble para dejar de beber. Después de terminar la misa del funeral de mi tía, hablé con los sacerdotes que estaban allí por unos minutos y luego me confesé. Cuando salí de la iglesia, todos se habían ido. Lindo. Dejaron al santo varón allí en medio de la nada en el oriente. Entonces llamé a mi prima y le pregunté: "¿Dónde estás?" Ella dijo: “Estamos en la procesión fúnebre. ¿Dónde estás?" Estoy aquí en la iglesia. Ella dijo: "Bueno, síguenos." Prima, no soy de “Fall River (Rio Caído).” No tengo idea de dónde estoy. "Oh." Ella me dio direcciones y supe dónde estaba en aproximadamente una milla. Después del funeral, encontré el camino de regreso a la casa. Habían pedido todo tipo de comida. La primera caja que agarre fue una pizza de queso con papas fritas encima. Estás bromeando, ¿verdad? Soy un paciente cardíaco. Mi familia definitivamente está en la cima de una escala extraña. ¡Qué bueno estar de regreso!

¿Cómo aplicarías este mensaje a tu vida? ____________________________________________

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Sermon Notes – You Will Know They are Christian by Their Love – February 16, 2025

 “You Will Know They are Christian by Their Love”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

  February 15 – 16, 2025


Gospel:  Luke 6:17, 20-26

In the last year or so, people have become increasingly agitated about politics, football, and other stuff.  Everybody is upset about one thing or another.  To help people with their agitation and inner strife, I ask them a series of diagnostic questions.  The series of diagnostic questions begins like this: Are you taking incoming fire?  No.  Are there mass casualties?  No.  Is Walmart closing?  No.  Has Domino’s stopped delivering?  No.  Have you lost your flush plumbing?  No.  Have you lost your breathing privileges?  No.  Has God stopped loving you?  No.  Then you are fine, okay?  Grow up.  You’re fine.  This is not the hill to die on.  Just do the next right thing, and you will be great.  People tell me they need grief counseling.  Well, I have a useful way to get it, and it will only cost you a buck.  Buy a newspaper and look in the obituary section.  Now you will have a sense of belonging.  Everybody dies.  You are just like the rest of us who must deal with the grief of losing someone. 

When I’m out in public, this happens to me a lot.  People will say, “Hi, Pastor.”   Most people don’t know this, but the word “pastor” is a job title, just like “chaplain” is.  I’m a priest.  They ask me, “How are you?” and I’ll say, “I’m good.  How are you?”  Some say, “I’m a Christian,” to which I reply, “Good, I’m glad to hear that.”  We exchange a few more pleasantries, and they go about their way.  They are respectful and very nice by and large.  But I always want to ask them what brand of Christian they are.  I would really like to know.  I read an article the other day that there are 45,000 different sects of Christianity.  Even though they believe different things, they all think they are going to Heaven, everyone except us. 

There was a time when everyone who was Christian had a common sense of morality.  Every denomination that called itself Christian believed that birth control was a sin.  But in 1938, there was a meeting of Episcopal bishops, and they decided to improve Scripture.  They decided that birth control is good.  What were once considered crimes in the old criminal law are now extolled as virtues.  “Christ would have wanted this.”  Well, if He wanted it, He would have said it.  The New Testament ends with the Book of Revelation.  You cannot improve it.  So, when people say they are Christian, I have no idea what that means.  I really don’t. 

If you are a Christian, how would I know unless you tell me?  You know people are Christian by their acts of love.  The Apostles did what Christ did.  Christ said, “If you love Me, you will keep My Commandments (John 14:15).  He left specific instructions.  He didn’t say, “My instructions only have a shelf life of about 2,000 years. After that, they will be out of date, and you can make up your own.”  No, I don’t think so.  Christ was quite specific and did not give us much wiggle room.  If we are followers of Christ, we will do what He did.  Why?  Because we love Him more than ourselves.  We don’t have to tell anyone we are Christian.  They will see it in our acts of love, in our acts of compassion, and in our acts of long-suffering.  They will see the love of Christ working through our human nature.  They will see His love and care for us.  You can call yourself anything you want, but you must be whatever it is you call yourself.  

If you claim to be a follower of Christ, you must follow Him by doing what He did.  We take up our crosses every day and follow Him.  We try to mirror our lives by what He did.  We will fall; all of us do, even me.  But we all get back up again and strive to follow Christ.  This is what we do if we are Christian.  We show it by our actions, by the way we live, by the way we love, by the way we sacrifice, and by the way we pray.  This is how we can know the followers of Christ. 

Father’s Reflections . . . It is good to be home.  I’ve had many of you ask how my trip was.  To say it was weird, would be an understatement.  There are two words we use in the Army that would describe it perfectly, but I cannot use them here. All I can say about my trip is that I picked a hell of a time to stop drinking.  After I finished my aunt’s funeral Mass, I talked to the priests who were there for a few minutes and then went to Confession.  When I walked out of the church, everyone was gone.  Nice.  Leave the Holy Man there in the middle of East Nowhere.  So, I called my cousin and asked, “Where are you?”  She said, “We are in the funeral procession.  Where are you?”   I’m here at the church.  She said, “Well, follow us.”  Cousin, I am not from Fall River.  I have no idea where I am.  “Oh.”  She gave me directions, and I knew where I was in a mile or so.  After the funeral, I found my way back to the house.  They had ordered all sorts of food.  The first box I picked up was a cheese pizza with French fries as a topping.  You’re joking, right?  I’m a cardiac patient.  My family is definitely at the top of the weird scale.  It is good to be back!

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.

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Notas del Sermón – Calistenia Católica – 26 de enero 2025

“Calistenia Católica”

Padre Peter Fitzgibbons

25-26 de enero 2025

Evangelio: Lucas 1:1-4, 4:14-21

La gente dice: "Ustedes los católicos se mueven mucho en la iglesia." Sí, tratamos de mantenernos en forma. Lo llamamos calistenia católica. ¿Sabes qué es eso? Durante la misa nos sentamos, nos ponemos de pie, nos arrodillamos y repetimos. ¿Sabes por qué hacemos eso? Porque el hombre se compone de tres elementos: cuerpo, alma y espíritu. Oramos con todo nuestro cuerpo. Por eso nos arrodillamos durante las peticiones. Nos arrodillamos durante la adoración y nos levantamos por respeto. ¿Sabes por qué hacemos eso? Son posiciones de oración, y nos destacamos por respeto.

Cuando estaba en el curso básico para oficiales, como parte de mi formación, me exigían leer el manual de oficiales. ¿Sabes lo que decía? El ejército no toma cualquier cosa por hecho. Dicen que cuando una dama entra a la habitación, te pones de pie. Recuerdo haber pensado: "¿Algunos de estos tipos fueron criados por lobos y no por mujeres?" El ejército tenía amplia experiencia en el trato con estúpidos. Entonces, defendimos a las mujeres. Durante la misa también nos ponemos de pie para la lectura del evangelio. Estas son las palabras de Cristo y nos levantamos por respeto. Cuando el sacerdote proclama el evangelio, actúa en la persona de Cristo, por lo que es como escuchar las palabras de los labios de Cristo tal como era hace 2,000 años. Estamos para mostrar reverencia por las palabras de Dios.

Durante la oración, nos arrodillamos en súplica. Oramos con nuestros cuerpos. A veces se nos va un poco de las manos. Rezar con los brazos en alto es un gesto sacerdotal llamado postura de oración. Imitar las acciones de un sacerdote conlleva a un pecado venial. A veces la gente es demasiado celosa. En algunas iglesias, todos se toman de la mano durante el Padre Nuestro.

Ahora, a menos que seas una enfermera intentando tomarme el pulso, si me agarras la mano, eres hombre muerto. ¿Por qué? Porque eso es simplemente inventado. Había un hombre en mi parroquia en Statesville que estaba un poco descentrado. Serví con su hijo en el extranjero. Cuando yo decía: “El señor esté contigo”, él me respondía: “¡¡Y TAMBIÉN CON USTED, SEÑOR!!”

Gracias, lo aprecio. Hay que admirar el gesto del chico; le faltaban unas cuantas pastillas para tener un buen día. En la iglesia antigua, la gente rezaba el Padre Nuestro boca abajo, postrados, como signo de humildad porque son palabras del señor mismo y nos fueron dadas para enseñarnos a orar. Rezar el Padre Nuestro postrados mostró gran humildad, respeto, amor, admiración y asombro.

Nosotros también debemos orar con gran admiración y no canturreando. También debemos orar el domingo, el día que nuestro señor reservó para relajarnos y disfrutar. Esa lección está en el antiguo testamento en el Midrash judío. Si quieres ser católico, sé judío primero para entender por qué hacemos estas cosas. Durante el Midrash, se supone que debemos probar y disfrutar tantas cosas para darle cien bendiciones a Dios todopoderoso. Eso está en el antiguo testamento. De hecho, cuando oramos con todo el cuerpo, alabamos a Dios por todas sus bendiciones.

Hoy en la misa, las palabras de Isaías son muy ciertas. El profeta proclamó que había sido ungido por el Señor para traer buenas noticias: “El espíritu del Señor Dios está sobre mí, porque el Señor me ha ungido; Me ha enviado a llevar buenas nuevas a los afligidos, a vendar a los quebrantados de corazón, a proclamar libertad a los cautivos y liberar a los prisioneros (Isaías 61:1). Los sacerdotes tienen los medios para devolver la vista a quienes han sido cegados por el pecado y liberarlos de la prisión del pecado. Ésta es la buena noticia. Esto es lo que Nuestro buen señor anunció como el camino para ser libres de alma, mente y espíritu. Recuerde, el "camino" no es un "qué"; es un Quién. Tenemos los medios para tener una vida divina. Nuestro señor nos dice cómo y nos da los medios para alcanzar la vida eterna. Todos luchamos con las cruces diarias mientras lo seguimos al calvario y a la tumba vacía. Desafortunadamente, no se puede llegar a la resurrección sin pasar por el calvario. No puedes darle la vuelta. Este es un día maravilloso. Se cumplen las palabras del profeta Isaías.

¿Cómo aplicarías este mensaje a tu vida? ___________________________________________

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Sermon Notes – January 26, 2025 –  “Catholic Calisthenics”

                                   “Catholic Calisthenics”

                                  Father Peter Fitzgibbons

                                  January 25 – 26, 2025

Gospel:  Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

People say, “You Catholics move around a lot in church.”  Yeah, we try to keep fit.  We call it Catholic calisthenics.  Do you know what that is?   During the Mass, we sit, we stand, we kneel, and we repeat.   Do you know why we do that?  Because man is composed of three elements – body, soul, and spirit.  We pray with our whole body.  That’s why we kneel during petitions.  We kneel during Adoration, and we stand out of respect.  Do you know why we do that?  They are positions of prayer, and we stand out of respect.   

When I was in the Officer Basic Course, as part of my training, I was required to read the officer manual.  Do you know what it said?  The Army didn’t take anything for granted.  It said that when a lady comes into the room, you stand.  I remember thinking, “Were some of these guys raised by wolves and not by women?”  The Army had broad experience in dealing with stupid.  So, we stood up for women.  During the Mass, we also stand up for the Gospel reading.  These are the words of Christ, and we stand up out of respect.  When the priest proclaims the Gospel, he is acting in the person of Christ, so it is like hearing the words from Christ’s lips just as it was 2,000 years ago.   We stand to show reverence for the words of God. 

During prayer, we kneel in supplication. We pray with our bodies.  Sometimes it gets a little out of hand.  Praying with arms raised is a priestly gesture called orans posture.  Imitating the actions of a priest has venial sin attached to it.  Sometimes people are overly zealous.  In some churches, everyone holds hands during the Lord’s Prayer.  Now, unless you are a nurse trying to take my pulse, if you grab my hand, you are a dead man.   Why?  Because that is just made up.   There was this man at my parish in Statesville who was a little off-center.   I served with his son overseas.  When I would say, “The Lord be with you,” he would
yell back, “AND ALSO WITH YOU, SIR!!”   Thanks, appreciate it.  You have to admire the guy’s zeal; he was a few pills short of a good day.

In the ancient church, people prayed the Our Father flat on their faces, prostrated, as a sign of humility because it is the words of the Lord Himself and was given to us to teach us how to pray.  Praying the Our Father while prostrated showed great humility, respect, love, awe, and wonder.  We, too, should pray with great awe and not in a sing-song way.  We should also pray on Sunday, the day our Lord set aside for relaxation and enjoyment.  That lesson is in the Old Testament in the Jewish Midrash.   If you want to be Catholic, be a Jew first so that you understand why we do these things.  During Midrash, we are supposed to taste and enjoy so many things to give a hundred blessings to Almighty God.  That’s in the Old Testament.  Indeed, as we pray with our whole body, we praise God for all His blessings. 

Today in the Mass, the words of Isaiah are so true.  The prophet proclaimed that he had been anointed by the Lord to bring good news: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1).   Priests have the means to restore sight to those who have been blinded by sin and to free them from the prison of sin.  This is the good news.  This is what our good Lord announced as the way to be free in soul, mind, and spirit.  Remember, the “way” is not a “what;” it is a Who.  We have the means to have a divine life.  Our Lord tells us how and gives us the means to achieve eternal life.  We all struggle with daily crosses as we follow Him to Calvary and to the empty tomb.  Unfortunately, you cannot get to the resurrection without going through Calvary.  You cannot go around it.  This is a wonderful day.  The words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled.

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.