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Sermon Notes – January 21, 2024 – “Your Worst Can Be Your Best”

“Your Worst Can Be Your Best”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 20 – 21, 2024

Gospel: Mark 1:14-20

In the Gospel, Holy Mother Church tells us how our Lord called the Apostles.  If you look at the resumes of all twelve of the Apostles, they are a bit thin.  Their CVs describing their education were even thinner.  I think our Lord could have done a little better, right?  They were a bunch of fishermen and none of them had a Ph.D.  The apostles He chose were not the brightest people in the world, and they had a hard time understanding what our Lord was telling them.  But He did not call them because of their titles or the letters they had before or after their names.  He called them for what they could become and how He would use them to bring His love to the world.  They saw all of the miracles our Lord performed; some were recorded but a lot were not.  They saw all of this, but none of them except John showed up at the crucifixion.  So, what happened?   Eleven of the twelve Apostles cooperated with our good Lord, and they were transformed so that they could bring His love to the world and make known His salvation.   They were transformed so that they could let all people know about the wonderful love of God and the way of redemption.  He transformed them.  He gave them words that could not be disputed.  He gave them courage although it is true that they all ran away when the Romans came for Jesus.  But He gave them the courage to endure their martyrdom.  The Lord gave them these gifts because they allowed and cooperated with His transforming love. 

 It’s the same for all of us.  God calls each of us by name and asks us to be His disciples.  It’s not just “Hey, you” in the plural sense of the word.  He calls you, and you, and you, and you to become fishers of men and to bring His love to the world by being lovers of Him.  Your love for Him opens your soul, and that transformative love affects others.  Remember, you are called by our Lord to be evangelists.  The gift we have been given by our faith is meant to be given to others.  “Will you bring My love to the world?  Will you open your heart to Me?  Will you allow Me to transform you so that you can be My witness and show people My love in the deepest and darkest corners of the earth?”  Let people know about His love and especially about His forgiveness of your sins which is the greatest demonstration of His mercy.  God said, “Do not worry about what you will say. You will be given wisdom.”

 Sometimes He uses our talents and abilities.  You might be thinking, “I don’t have a talent nor do I have the education that Father Fitzgibbons has.”  I don’t even have the education I’m supposed to have.  Don’t even go there.  I am not the best and brightest in the diocese.  I haven’t been made Monsignor even after 40 years in the priesthood.  I must be doing something wrong.  Regardless of your accomplishments in this life, the simple love of God can touch another person.  By being holy, the power of God within us transforms others.  It’s not a conscious act like the folks down at the courthouse who yell, “Jesus saves!”  You don’t have to do that.  Just try to live a good, holy life.  Do the routine spiritual things routinely.  People will notice and wonder what it is about you that they like.  You have a sense of peace and holiness.  You are a living tabernacle because you have Jesus in your soul.

 I have a master’s degree in divinity, but Saint Theresa of Calcutta did not.  She didn’t have a master’s or Ph.D. in theology.  She didn’t have any of that.  But look at what she did.  Look at the courage of that 5’ nothing woman.  She got right up in the faces of both the President and Vice President of the United States and wagged her finger at them.  Oh yeah!  You’re in deep trouble.  You had to do something really bad when some little old nun wags her finger at you and goes, “Uh-uh-uh-uh.”   She should have had a ruler . . . thunk!”  There are many other examples, and that could be any one of us.  Even if you think, “I don’t have that many gifts. I’m not that talented.”  Yes, you are.  “Well, I have a lot of faults.”  Even they can be your best example.  Look at every 12-Step Program.  What does it say in their “Big Book”?  “You will neither regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.  Your past can be the best thing to help others recover.”  Where did they get that?  They got it from Bill Wilson and Robert Smith, co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).  Sister Ignatia Gavin played a vital role in the founding of AA, and Father Edward Dowling was a great spiritual advisor to Bill Wilson.  Your worst can be your best.  We all have that one talent.  I don’t have many talents.  It was funny when Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey and I were doing the funeral for Mike Snyder, the dichotomy was amazing.  Abbot Placid is like Pa Kettle on Valium and then there is me who is like Richard Pryor on speed.  It’s like the Alpha and Omega.  But Abbot Placid can reach people I can’t, and I reach those he can’t.   

 Whatever part of the Body you are in, all of us are equal and have the same goal . . . to bring others to Christ.  The one talent we have in common is our ability to love and to respond to love.  If we respond to God’s love, He will transform us, and we will become temples of the Holy Spirit.  We will be living and moving tabernacles of God’s presence going out to the world.  And how can that not have an effect on the world?

Father’s Reflections . . .

 I can have fun anywhere.  On Friday, I was making my rounds in the Emergency Department at the VA hospital.  I went into a room and was talking to a patient.  I asked him where he was from, and he said Chicago.  Really.  What happened to you?  He said, “I was hit by a car.”  I asked him if it was a mob hit.  Just asking.  He started laughing and said, “Please don’t make me laugh.  It hurts!”  You know a guy, right?  “Yeah, I know a guy.”  I love my job!

 You may have seen the baby bottles at the back of the church.  We are collecting money for the Pregnancy Resource Center.  They take money, checks, Venmo, and cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or whatever you’ve got.  Put it in the collection basket, and we’ll work it out. 

 How will you apply this message to your life?_________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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 – January – 14, 2024 – “Heart Speaking to Heart”

“Heart Speaking to Heart”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 13 – 14, 2024

Gospel: John 1:35-42

 I visit a lot of different groups.  Remember the song, “The In Crowd”?  We’re all old enough to remember that song, right?  I have two different groups that I’m “in” with . . . the shut-ins and the lock-ins.  This sermon has been approved by my lock-ins at the gated community whom I saw on Wednesday.  In the gospel, Jesus said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas” – which is Greek and translated as Peter” or “Rock”  (John 1:35-42).  This was a big deal.  Go back to the Old Testament when God called Abram.  What did God do?  He said, “You will be called Abraham, and you will be the father of My holy people.”  God wasn’t like me who gives people nicknames.  This was a dramatic shift.  However, He had reasons for changing people’s names.   

 What is the secret to prayer?   In the Gospel, Samuel said, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).  That is the whole secret to prayer.  I am guilty of speaking so quickly that most times my mind has to catch up with my mouth.   I don’t often see a prayer like the one to Saint Jude for hopeless causes.  Sometimes I read in the newspaper that if you pray a certain prayer nine times for nine days, you’ll get what you want.  Over the four years of seminary, I was probably sick for a day or two.   But I never heard about celestial extortion.  Really?  “I’ve got the secret to prayer. Light a candle and put on a prayer shawl.”   Why?  Are you cold?    Do you honestly think God doesn’t know what we need?  He knows what we want and desire.  But He keeps us alive by saying “no” sometimes to our prayers even if they are perfect.   If He gave us everything we want, we might not stay close to Him.  Probably the reason I haven’t made Monsignor after 40 years is to keep me humble.  Well, that didn’t work.  We come with our prayers and rattle them off.  Of course, I say mine very quickly, and I have a whole laundry list of things to tell God.  Whew!  I’m done with my prayers.  But apparently, God isn’t listening because I asked Him about this yesterday, and it’s still not done.  He has fallen down on His job.  Maybe He forgot.  I know He’s busy but come on!  I’m a busy guy too, and I have things to do!   If He would just do what I ask, things would be so much better.  It’s good to get all these things off our souls by telling Him what we need, what we want, and what we think He should do.  He laughs.  You have to admit when we tell God what He needs to do, with His divine sense of humor, it cracks Him up.  “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.  Thanks a lot; I really appreciate it.” 

 So, what is prayer?  Bishop Sheen said prayer is heart speaking to heart.  Prayer is not a monologue.  It is not a one-way conversation.  It is two-way communication.  You can’t communicate with someone who won’t shut up.  Hey!  Zip it!  We must listen, and listening is the hardest part.   Listening takes different forms through meditation, quietness, and being interiorly open.  We need quiet inside and out.  Do you know who is perfect at listening?  Nobody; not even monks and religious sisters.  It takes a lot of practice.  We may be sitting there with our minds racing.  Look! Squirrel.  But let the other heart speak to you on the other heart’s terms.   God speaks to us in ordinary ways at His choosing, in His way, and in His own time.  When you tell God what you want, He says, “Thank you very much, Sir.  I’ll get right on that order.”  No.  You’ve got the flow chart on how it works all wrong.   It’s a conversation.  We should sit and listen, which is the hardest part.  It takes time.  When you go to Mass at other churches, they may have a prolonged silence after the readings.  You know, they didn’t go to school, and if they did, they need to get their money back.  A good and proper meditation takes 20 minutes.  We did that in seminary.  We had nowhere else to go, so why not?  We must learn how to quiet ourselves and to listen.  It’s tough because we are all so busy.  Sometimes when we listen, we really don’t like the answers.  However, He knows what is best for everyone, and He loves us more than anyone.  When you receive an answer, be sure to authenticate it because satan will tell us stuff just to make us go off the deep end.  “Well, God told me to do this.”  Uh-Huh.  A friend of mine was a chaplain at a prison in Louisiana.  One of the inmates told him that God had called him to preach.  Really?  Aren’t you the guy who sexually abused his granddaughters?  You might want to rethink that.  You always have to make sure the answer is coming from God.  He does not contradict Himself or what He revealed in Jesus Christ. 

When you come to church, be like the French farmer.  Saint John Vianney was the pastor of a church in a small town in France.  He came to the church to hear confessions.  He saw this little guy sitting there in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  Oh good!  He heard some confessions and when he came back, the guy was still sitting there.  Priests are trained to notice the unusual.  So, Saint John asked the man, “My son is everything okay?”  The man answered, “Yes, Father.”   Saint John said, “My son you’ve been here for hours. What are you doing?”  The man answered, “I am looking at God and God is looking at me.”

How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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 – January 7, 2024 – We Have Lots of “ologies”

We Have Lots of “ologies”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 6 – 7, 2023

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

Next week the Christmas season ends. At some point in the near future, the nativity will disappear. I do not have an exact date yet. That is echelons above my pay grade. But as you heard in the Gospel, the nativity scene is not quite accurate because the Magi (Wise Men from the East) came to the “house” to see Jesus. The stable is not a house. So, when Saint Francis created the idea of a nativity, he compressed the house into a stable. In the nativity you see Scripture. You see the promises God made to His people and fulfilled (Genesis). He sent us a Savior.

The crèche is a marvelous lesson on Theology. We have all these “ologies.” There is Soteriology which is the study of redemption. Jesus came as the Redeemer. There is also Christology which is the study of who Christ is. True God and true Man. He is the Son of God and the Son of Man. The Wise Men brought Him frankincense because that was a gift given only to God. They brought gold because He is a king. Lastly, they brought myrrh because of the reason He came. He came to die. How many of you ladies who have had a baby shower received embalming fluid as a gift? Thanks a lot! You want your children to live, but He came to die. The manger He was laid in became the wood of the Cross 33 years later. Our good Lord was laid upon straw in the manger which was food for the oxen. Our Lord became our bread for life. Without that bread of life, we would have no life within us. He came to die for us and to open the gates of Heaven so that we could live with Him forever.

Another “ology” is Ecclesiology which is the study of the Church. The nativity is a picture of the Church. What is a common characteristic of everyone in the nativity? They were humble. The Wise Men knew that they didn’t know everything, and the shepherds knew they knew nothing. Mary and Joseph were holy, and they always said “yes” to Jesus. With all these people gathered around Jesus, you have a picture of the Church. That is who you still find in the Church. Regardless of their degrees, titles, and letters after their names, if they are truly educated, they are here. Like the shepherds, some people have been educated by the School of Hard Knocks. The Church is Christ’s body. Remember what Christ said to Paul in Acts, “Paul why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4). He didn’t say “organization.” He said “Me.” We are His body and have been throughout time. You always see Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and the shepherds gathered around Jesus. They represent not just the Jews but all people throughout time. The nativity represents a whole course on Theology. It is not something that we trot out once a year for a few weeks and then put back in the closet. The nativity is a wondrous thing on which to meditate.

The diocese is very diverse. We have hyphenated Catholics, and there are many offices for them. That is theologically foreign and absolutely blasphemous. “Father, are you Irish-Catholic?” No, I’m Catholic. We do not have a different Savior. There is one Savior for everyone. If you took a mirror and looked out at the congregation, you would see what I see. We are all one in Christ. Paul said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). We are all one in Christ. We each have different jobs in the Body of Christ that’s for sure. But there are no hyphenated Catholics.

Hagiography is the study of saints. Which saint was the first to hold God incarnate? Think back on your labor and delivery classes. It was Saint Joseph. My question is why we aren’t having venerations for the first human being who held God in his hands and who was the first to look down at God instead of up. I hope you will meditate on that tonight.

Father’s Reflections: A couple of months ago, I had to get the flu vaccine. I’m not a big believer in vaccines, but I’m living proof that vaccines work. When I was in the Army at Fort Bragg, I was forced to get a series of shots because I was deployable. One of those shots was for Typhoid. It definitely worked because that night I was in the hospital with Typhoid. Perfect! I went to the doctor, and he said, “You’re sick.” No kidding! I bet you went to medical school.

How will you apply this message to your life?_________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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 – December 31, 2023 – They Always Said ‘Yes’

They Always Said ‘Yes’

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 30 – 31, 2023

Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

This weekend Holy Mother Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family. Why do we call the Holy Family holy? Well, as the great theologian of this parish, I will tell you. We call them holy because they had no sin. I went to school for that! We know as an article of faith and dogma that the Blessed Mother was without sin. Now tradition, with a small “t,” has it that Joseph was too. That has not been defined by Holy Mother Church. We don’t know that as a matter of faith, but Saint Alphonsus Liguori talks about that in his book, “The Glories of Saint Joseph.” So how is it that they were without sin? Because they never said “no” to God. They always said “yes.” Some of the things God asked them to do seemed incredibly odd. Mary was told, “By the way, you are going to conceive a son without a husband, bear Him, and He will become the king of Israel. How does that work for you?” Back then, that could have been a death sentence. Great. Thanks! Saint Joseph was told that his fiancé was pregnant by the power of God, and he was going to marry her anyway. Are you okay with that? I’m sure that went over well with Joseph, but he said “yes.” His mind was not clouded by sin and the effects of sin.

Saying “yes” to God was not always easy. God told Joseph to take Mary and go to Jerusalem. So, using the Shoe Leather Express, they walked to Jerusalem. There was not a Stanly County transportation system or SCUSA back then. Nope. They had to walk. God said, “By the way, Joseph, Herod is going to try to kill the Baby. So, take the Child and go to Egypt.” So, they again took the Shoe Leather Express and walked to Egypt. Scripture never quotes Joseph. He never said, “God, I’ve got a better way.” He never said anything, but he always immediately did what our Lord asked him to do. So did Mary, and she treasured all these things in her heart (Luke 2:19). So, he took Mary and the Child and walked to Egypt. A couple of years later, they walked back to Nazareth. Joseph had strong legs and a good heart. He always said “yes,” never questioning what our Lord asked him to do. Mary also never questioned Him. The difference between them and us is that when God asked Joseph and Mary to do something they always said “yes.” But when He asks us to love Him and to keep His Commandments, we try to negotiate: “Uh . . . What do you mean by ‘all the Commandments?’ How about 7 out of 10 . . . does that work for You?” “Do You grade on a curve?”

God made male and female (Genesis 1:27). Geniuses think they can read Scripture. “Well, what does that really mean?” It means what it says. “But we are trying to improve things.” We always want to change things. That’s why Mary and Joseph were holy. They did what our Lord asked, and it wasn’t always easy. The Catholic opera laments, “Oh! It’s so hard to go to church! Oh my goodness, I might miss a sale at Walmart!” Really? You have a nice clean car to come to church. Joseph and Mary used the Shoe Leather Express to go to the synagogue. Joseph was a carpenter and a skilled artisan but that was before the era of Black and Decker power tools. It was bull work. We have running water while Mary had to go get the water. Have you ever pulled a full bucket of water up 30 feet? Do you know how much a gallon of water weighs? Yeah, that’s some upper-body work. There was no refrigerator and no air conditioning. It’s very warm in Palestine, trust me, it is very hot there. So, it was not easy. Saying “yes” was difficult. But Joseph and Mary renounced their will for the sake of God. And that’s how we become holy, by renouncing our will for the sake of God and saying “yes.” Even with our modern conveniences, it is difficult. We need to silence the thoughts in the back of our minds, “Yeah, I’ll be obedient, but I’m doing it anyway.” Joseph and Mary always had Christ in them, with them, around them, and at the center of their lives. Their focus was always on our Lord. You may be thinking, “Well, He was there physically with them.” Yes. He is also physically here with us. He is there in the Tabernacle. That’s why we genuflect and talk in hushed tones here in the church. He is physically here and in you when you receive the Sacraments.

Always bring something home, either the messenger or the mess. It’s your choice. It’s our choice. We are so careful about Covid, the flu, and RSV, however, but we need to be more careful about sin. If you want to be holy imitate the example of holiness. “Well, Father, Joseph and Mary were without original sin, so it was easy for them.” Yes and no. Remember, the reason our first parents, Adam and Eve, were kicked out of paradise was because they wanted what they wanted and not what God wanted. Even though they saw God, walked with God, and talked with God, they still faltered. They said “no.” They had only one thing to do, and they said “no.” Joseph and Mary dealt with the same temptations as Adam and Eve. But everything they did was for God and the welfare of the other. Joseph for Mary and Mary for Joseph. It may be harder for us because of the effects of original sin and our sins committed after baptism, but God affords us greater grace when we say “yes.” I was reading last night about the head of the Dominican Order of Priests in Portugal. He said that when a child is afraid, the child runs to his mother; but when a child is in danger the mother runs to her child.

So be holy by having Him at the center and focus of your life. When the mother of Saint Teresa of Lisieux came back from receiving Communion, Saint Teresa who was not old enough to receive it, would lay her head on her mother’s lap. Her mother asked Teresa why she was doing that, and Saint Teresa said, “Because Jesus is inside you.”

How will you apply this message to your life?________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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 – December 25, 2023 – “He Did Not Leave“

“He Did Not Leave“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 24 – 25, 2023

Gospel: John 1:1-18

 I thought we would have a bit of scriptural study today.  Joseph “had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus” (Matthew 1:25).  You might think, “Joseph could have had relations with her afterward.”  But you are presuming facts not in evidence.   Just because it didn’t happen before the birth doesn’t mean it happened afterward.  You are reading into scripture to prove a point. 

What is love?  Love is our Savior in the manger.  It is also our Lord’s presence in the Tabernacle.  But the greatest act of love happened on the Cross.  These are the three greatest acts of love by God.  About Christmas Day, Bishop Sheen said, “On this day, a man no longer has to look up to Heaven to see God.  He can look down at the manger to see Him.”  The Wise Men and shepherds came so that they could look down at God.   You could today, and every day you come to church, replace their faces with a picture of yours because you come here to be in the presence of God Himself. 

Now, you keen observers in the parish may have noticed that we have new figurines for our crèche (manger scene).  The idea of a crèche was created by Saint Francis over 800 years ago.  Here’s a fun thing you can do when you see non-Catholics with a crèche.   You can say, “Oh, I see that you are Catholic.”  “I’m not Catholic!”  “Well, that’s a Catholic symbol.  Saint Francis of Assisi is the guy who came up with the idea.  You know – the guy who liked birds.”  Oops!  So, what is a crèche?  It is visible scripture. When Saint Francis came up with the idea, many people couldn’t read but they could see.  In our creche, we have beautiful, hand-carved wood figurines.  Notice that everyone has their attention on the Savior.  A short distance away, we have the three Wise Men.   They aren’t at the manger yet but will finally arrive in a few weeks to see the infant Jesus.  Have you ever noticed that a lot of people are late for church?  

Who do you find around our Lord whether it’s at the manger or the foot of the Cross?  You find the very holy – the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph.  You also find those who know that they don’t know anything.   The Wise Men were very educated and had achieved the fruits of their education.  What are the fruits of an education?  You discover that you don’t know everything.  The Wise Men had learned that.  The shepherds already knew that they knew nothing.  Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been in pastures walking around sheep dung in the middle of a Palestinian night.  I’ve been there, and it is very, very cold.  You don’t want to be out there.  It’s 40 degrees, but when the temperature drops from 80 to 40 in a couple of hours, you freeze.  So that’s who you will always find around our Lord.  And when you come here to be with our Lord, you have a choice of which to be…educated or uneducated.  But either way, we come to adore our good Lord.

Christ is coming into the world and made manifest to us all.  But Christ has never left the world.  “Father, didn’t He ascend to Heaven?”   Well, His human nature which He took from the Blessed Mother and with which He taught, healed, suffered, and rose from the dead went to Heaven.  But He has always been in the world.  He is there in the Blessed Sacrament.  His divine nature in the form of consecrated bread and wine is in the Tabernacle.  He did not leave.

At Christmas, Jesus is made manifest to the world in human form.  He was already in the world nine months before that in the womb of His mother.  Now He is made manifest to the world so that all can come see the beginning of the greatest gift of all.  This is the beginning and not the end.  That comes 33 years later which shows the fullness of His love.   I am sure that I will be meditating today on all the gifts my parents gave me.  I’ll meditate about their love, patience, and all the wonderful things they did as parents by God’s grace.  This may be why I became a priest. 

Catholics can celebrate Christmas all year long.  Every day is your Christmas.  Every day you are the shepherds and the Wise Men who came to be in the presence of our Lord.  When you are here, you take their place.  Our Lord shows the greatness of His love, not by taking a human nature upon Himself, but by suffering at the hands of His own creatures and being put to death by His own ungrateful creatures on the Cross.  Mary Magdalene, Mary of Clopas, Saint John, and the Blessed Mother stood at the foot of the Cross.  You take their place at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by being with Christ during the Mass.  As they were there during His original suffering which is always before the Father and made present during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, you take their place.  So, when you come to Mass, when you come into the presence of our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, you are a part of that. 

God is with us and not just in the spiritual sense.  He is physically here.  But it was not enough for Him to come into the world; what He wants most is to come into our souls.   We can experience His incarnation.  Today, if you catch me in a good mood, I’ll hear your confession so that Christ can come into your soul and remove your sins.  By the way, I’m running a 3 Hail Mary Special from now until New Year’s Day. 

I hope you all have a crèche at home.  If not, we have them in the bookstore.  Put your family’s faces over the faces of the shepherds and Wise Men.  That’s what we are called to be and what we will be in Heaven.  

Father’s Reflections . . . I was thinking back on the Christmases that I’ve enjoyed.  Some of those overseas, I wouldn’t want to repeat, but that’s the roll of the dice you take.  The gift of love that was given is still unfolding.  I’m still a young man – Hah! –  and I’m still working to understand the gifts of love that were given.  They all have a deeper meaning, not only on a human level that includes your family and friends but also on a spiritual level. 

“Father, we should have a Mass at dawn.”  Really?  I want to see the guy who can get up to do the Mass at dawn after doing the Vigil Mass at 5 p.m. and then the Midnight Mass.  That ain’t me.  I’m getting too old for that.  We have priests in the diocese who are in their 80’s, and I don’t see them celebrating Masses at midnight.  My days are getting shorter on that too.  But like any real man, my mind writes checks my body can’t cash.  I still think I’m 18 with a big red “S” on my chest and able to bend steel with my bare hands.  Uh no. 

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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 – December 17, 2023 – “Christmas is NOT the Season for Giving“

“Christmas is NOT the Season for Giving“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 16 – 17, 2023

Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-28

 A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So, they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”  And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?”  He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’” as Isaiah the prophet said.” Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is One among you whom you do not recognize, the One who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Do you know what the two kinds of people in church are?  Well, there are saints and sinners – we are all sinners, so that’s us.   Some are ordained and not ordained.  There is no second class.   In Rome, they are saying, “Oh, we make the decisions.”  “Women need the power to make great decisions.”  Really?  Did you grow up in a hole?  Women always make decisions.  Are you kidding me?  There is also chatter in the Church about who wants to lead or who wants power.  How about John the Baptist?   He said, “I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of His sandals” (John 1:7).   In those times, do you know who unstrapped people’s sandals and washed their feet?   Slaves.  John said he was beneath the slaves.  Know what Jesus said about John the Baptist?  He said, “Among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11).  So even as great a man as John was, he was not worthy to untie the sandals of our Savior.  We have to remember our state.  Even as a priest, I must remember my state.   I was given this gift for you and not for myself.  I am a better priest when I am more humble as I try to be holy.  So whatever gifts we have been given are for others. 

Have you ever heard that Christmas is the season for giving?   Do you know where that phrase originated?  Walmart and all the stores before them.  Christmas is NOT the season for giving.  Christmas is the season for receiving.  What is Christmas?  It is the reception of Christ coming into our world.  The first Christmas was when we received our dear Savior in a stable in Bethlehem.  We received Him into this world so that He could fulfill His promise to come, suffer, die, open the doors of Heaven, and give us the means to achieve our salvation.   Christmas is the season for receiving.  We are called to prepare ourselves for the reception of Christ not only at the anniversary of His birth in this world but also for that time when we experience our perfect Christmas which is when we get to see Him and enter Heaven. 

Holy Mother Church stresses that we should prepare our souls to celebrate His coming.  He is our true peace and happiness.   We are called to prepare ourselves for all the little Christmas we experience when we receive Him in Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Penance.  We can receive Christ every day.  How often can you receive Holy Communion?  Do you know?  Once a day?  Actually, more than once a day.  Twice if you receive Holy Communion at a daily Mass and then go to a wedding or a funeral.    You can go to Confession once a day too.  Popes and the great saints went every day to receive the grace of our Lord in the Sacraments. 

So, Christmas is the season of receiving.  When we receive, we can give.  Only by the reception of our Lord and welcoming Him into our souls and our lives are we able to give that love to others.  You cannot give what you do not have.  We cannot give love if we do not have the Author of love inside our souls.  We just can’t.  So, this is the season to prepare ourselves to receive our Savior not only on the anniversary of His birth into this world but before every Mass and every time we receive the Sacrament of Penance which could be every day . . .  just trying to drum up business.   When you receive Holy Communion, you receive Him spiritually and physically into your body.  So, for Catholics, every day can be Christmas. 

This is the season for receiving.  I am not telling you to skip giving gifts to your family and friends.  Don’t do that.  I don’t want to make your life harder than it needs to be.  But all that is just an expression of what should be inside.  If it’s not there, you need to receive our Lord a lot more often. 

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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 – December 10, 2023 – “Oh, the Sorrows I’ve Seen!“

“ Oh, the Sorrows I’ve Seen! “

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 9 – 10, 2023

Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending My messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths.” John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of His sandals. I have baptized you with water; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Here’s a little quiz from the Gospel: What do grasshoppers taste like? Chicken? No. They taste like grasshoppers, and the best dipping sauce is honey mustard. Just putting that out there for you. I’m hearing eye-rolls out there.

In the second reading of the Divine Office, there are writings from Saint Charles Borromeo who wrote that Holy Mother Church prepares the faithful for Christmas and the coming of Christ through hymns, readings, and liturgies. And that’s true. They all focus on the great mystery of His love.

During the Christmas season, we think about our past Christmases. Some were really good, and some were maybe not so good. We wish we could have Christmases like in years past. But all of those are temporary, although very teachable moments. The fulfillment of the joy of Christmas will come later. This is just a taste. All of those that disappointed us with all that pain, sorrow, and regret will be gone and transformed by the love of Christ. Christ is love Himself.

Some people ask me what my best Christmas was. I don’t know. I’ve had a lot of nice ones. Growing up, I had a great family despite me. One not so good Christmas happened when I was overseas, and I ran out of Spaghetti’Os. Oh, the sorrows I’ve seen! “Father, how about when you came home from overseas?” Well, it was quieter; I’ll give you that. It was also nice to have fresh plumbing; I’ll give you that too. “But don’t you have a favorite Christmas?” Well, I haven’t had it yet. My favorite Christmas will be when Christ comes to take me from this world and, hopefully, I will be found worthy to be possessed by Him. That will be my favorite Christmas. All the other Christmases are a foretaste, an encouragement, and mere teaching moments. So, keep your eyes fixed on the last Christmas to come.

Father’s Reflections . . . The Christmas parade yesterday was very nice. It was a long one, lasting over an hour, and continued during the Mass. People from our parish were volunteers. They did a fantastic job, and I want to thank them for that.

How will you apply this message to your life? ______________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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 – December 3, 2023 – “ Are You Ready for What May Come? “

“Are You Ready for What May Come?“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 2 – 3, 2023

Gospel:  Mark 13:33-37

 Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be watchful! Be alert!
You do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man traveling abroad.
He leaves home and places his servants in charge,
each with his own work,
and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”

This week there is a Holy Day of Obligation.  We will be observing the Feast Day for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Friday at 8:30 a.m.  There will be a Vigil Mass on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.  Also, Christmas falls on a Monday this year which means the faithful are obligated to participate in the Mass once for the Sunday and once on the holy day.   Believe it or not, I have already heard the Catholic angst.  “Oh, my goodness!  I have to go to two Masses in three days!”  Really?  Are you starting your own opera here?  That’s a lot of drama over nothing.  If you don’t like the Mass, you won’t like Heaven.  The same Lord appears in both places.  You’ll be fine.  In fact, you’ll be better than fine; you’ll be fantastic.  So, please come. 

Just like Lent, Advent is a season for penance.  Because it is a penitential season, I’m wearing violet – not purple – violet.  Because this is a season of penance, we will not be saying the Gloria during the Mass.  Advent is a time for reflection and preparing our souls for the coming of our Lord in the flesh.  When He comes again it will be to take us to Heaven. 

On Friday I was visiting a man in hospice.  I asked him how he was doing, and he said, “ho hum.”  At least he didn’t say “fine.”  I hate it when they do that.  So, we were talking, and I asked him how old he was.  I found out that he had been in the Army, and I asked if he had been in Vietnam.  He said, “No.  My brother took an extra tour there so I wouldn’t have to go.”  We kept talking, and I asked him if he was ready for what may happen.  When I’m talking to hospice patients, I never use the “D” word.  If they want to talk about it, they will bring it up.  But I don’t take away that crutch from people until they are ready.  Some patients have stabilized, gone home, and lived a lot longer.   You don’t know where people are on that spectrum.  Some people never reach the acceptance stage and need that crutch.   So, I asked him, “Are you ready for whatever might come?”  He said, “Yeah.”   I said “Okay,” and we talked a bit more. 

In one of his letters, Saint Paul said, “I don’t know if I wish to stay in the body or be at home with Christ” (Philippians 1:21-22).  He wasn’t sure if he should stay in his body to continue the work of the Church or go be with Christ.  Paul was torn but he was ready for anything.  During this penitential season, perhaps that can be a good meditation for us all, as in my question to that sick man: “Are you ready for what may happen?”  Or as in Saint Paul’s statement:  I do not know whether it would be better to stay in my body to build up the Church on Earth or go to Heaven.  Are we ready for whatever may come?

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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 – November 26, 2023 – “I Believe in Good Health but I Really Love Bacon“

“I Believe in Good Health but I Really Love Bacon“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 25 – 26, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus said to His disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit upon His glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before Him. And He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.  Then the king will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, a stranger and you welcomed Me, naked and you clothed Me, ill and you cared for Me, in prison and you visited Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe You? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit You?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, a stranger and you gave Me no welcome, naked and you gave Me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for Me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to Your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for Me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

This week I barged in on a family’s Thanksgiving dinner, and I had a thought while I was there.  Why don’t they make turkey parmesan?  Turkey and chicken are both poultry.  So, why not?  I’m just thinking outside the coop.  I mentioned this to the Godmother . . . she was not amused, so I won’t be asking that question again. 

I was good friends with a chaplain I served with several times while in the military.  You never say “goodbye” to your friends in the military; you say, “I’ll see you at the next assignment.”  If you stick around long enough, eventually you will see everybody again.  She was a wonderful chaplain, but she said, “I don’t understand you Catholics.”  Why not?  “Well, you believe in this works righteousness thing.”  Now I’m probably not the most attentive student – look squirrel – but I think I would have heard of that before.  We would have gone over it once or twice in seminary and tested on it.  I never learned that because there is no such thing.  All the good works we do flow from Whom?  From God.  What is God’s essence?  His essence is love.  He is love itself.  Why did He make us?  Remember your Catechism.  He made us because He loves us.  Love is always generative, and it produces fruit outside of itself.  When we produce fruit outside of ourselves, we have proof of God’s love.  Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  That love now becomes external.  Keeping His commandments is fruit outside of ourselves.   Our Lord wants more than just lip service.  If you want to be like Christ, you must do what He did.  Doing the proper works of mercy as described in the Gospel are works outside of ourselves.  They are works just like God’s.  They are external signs of an internal reality of possessing and being possessed by our good Lord.   We produce fruits as God does. 

God gives His gifts to both the good and the bad.  When emergency vehicles come screaming down the highway after you call 911, do they ask if you have been naughty or nice?  Do they ask if you are worthy of them risking their lives to come save you?  No.  Regardless, they come flying down the highway to save us.  That’s how God’s love is.  We produce fruit for both the good and bad.  Sometimes that isn’t easy because we tend to be highly sensitive people.  When somebody doesn’t thank us, we get a little upset.  Sometimes people are just not nice, and it’s unpleasant to be around them.  But we do these works of love because we love God, and it is He who gives us the strength to do them.  Working with the sick can also be unpleasant.  I walked into hospice the other day, and someone was having a procedure done.  Whoa!  There’s not enough Lysol in the world to cover up that smell.   But we still must do our job.  It’s not about us.  Love is always generative.  Even if there is work involved, the work itself is love as Saint Augustine reminds us. 

I’m ticked off at my cousins.  They called to torment me by telling me about all the delicious food they had for Thanksgiving Dinner.  They had mashed turnips and carrots, which I love.  It’s a New England thing.  They also had stuffing like my mother made.  Oh my gosh!  Turkey always tastes better cold, so I always go for the fixings.  The little things like the way the table is set up, the presentation, and all the other things that go into preparing Thanksgiving dinner are all fruits of love.  It’s not just filling the trough as my mother would say.  They are all signs of love scattered about which come from what’s in the soul.  This is how God knows that we love Him because He knows us by our fruit.  Some people say, “I believe in God, but I don’t go to church.”  Well, I believe in good health, but I really love bacon.  Others say, “Well, I love God.  I go to church, and I participate in the Sacraments.  God knows that I love Him.”  No, He doesn’t.  Well, actually He does because He’s God.  But you’re kinda rewriting scripture.  If you love Him, then do something about it.  Love makes itself external, and this is how He knows we love Him.  If you say you love someone, but you never want to be with them, do you really love them?  All these good things we do, we do because we are loved by God, and we love Him.  These are external acts of an internal reality, and we cannot help but do them.  You can tell how much the Just in the Gospel were in love with Him because of all the things they did.  They weren’t doing it for something in return.  They did it because it was the right thing, and they didn’t even think about it.  It was a natural kind of spiritual muscle memory because of Who they possessed and Who possessed them.

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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 – November 19, 2023 – “Mom Always Liked My Evil Twin Brother Best!”

“Mom Always Liked My Evil Twin Brother Best!”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 18 – 19, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 25:14-30

In your charity, please pray for the repose of the soul of Reverend Father Brian Cook.  Father Cook was a retired priest in our diocese, and he passed away this morning.  In the past two weeks, we have had two retired priests die which tells me I shouldn’t retire.   This retirement thing can get really dangerous!

The weather was nice the other day, so I took a walk and actually found my way back. . . shocking!  I went by Will’s Place, and they were having their grand opening that night.  Before the renovation, the building was in such rough shape that it needed a match.  It was a horrible place.  But they did a wonderful job with the renovation, and now it is a beautiful, beautiful place.  There is a treatment area for substance abuse including alcohol and drugs.  It is a place where those who suffer and carry that cross can get help carrying it.   I was given a tour, and they even have a puppy there. 

I was thinking about the Knights of Columbus and the help they provide to the Pregnancy Resource Center.  That’s what I like about our parish.  I won’t tell you how to spend your money whether it’s on Catholic Social Services or the Campaign for Human Development and all that stuff.  Because when your money leaves the parish, everybody takes a cut here and a cut there for shipping and handling, know what I mean?  Buy this product for just $20.95 plus $35.00 shipping and handling.  Yeah right!  The good news is you get a lot of packing material in a box from Amazon.  Everything we do here goes to our friends, families, and neighbors.  There are so many organizations in Stanly County that help people in need.  The Stanly Foundation at the hospital provides free mammograms to those who cannot afford them.  Stanly County Christian Ministries has a Clothing Closet, a Food Pantry, and a Community Table that the Knights of Columbus help.   There is also the Pregnancy Resource Center and Will’s Place.  There are all sorts of wonderful organizations to help people.  We take care of our own, and that’s what is so wonderful.  We take care of our poor and sick.  So, I want to thank you all for that. 

My undergraduate degree is in Philosophy.  One of the best courses I ever took was Philosophy 101.  I even loved the final exam although it took me three hours to complete it.  But it was a fun course because it taught us how to argue, create positions, and defend them properly.   We learned how to pick out words and throw the “BS” flag.  One idea that has crept into theology, which should never have happened, is “We have to be inclusive.”   You hear that in the synod of synodality which is an oxymoron term.  One thing about the synod of synodality is that people have positions, and they speak using big fancy words.  “Wow! You are really educated.”  No, because the words they are using don’t make sense.  “The Church needs to be more inclusive.”  That sounds like a really great bumper sticker.  The trouble with that statement is that on its face, it is blasphemy, and if you really believe the statement is true, it is heresy.  “The Church must do this.”  Well, what is the Church?  Good answer.  You’ve learned well.  The Church is not a “what;” it’s a “Who.”  What does Paul say in the Book of Acts?  The Church is the body of Christ.  Our Lord said, “Paul, Paul, why do you persecute Me?” (Acts 9:4).   So, if the Church is Christ, are you telling me that Christ is not inclusive?  Does He have conditions?  Yes, He has conditions.  So, you are trying to tell Christ what He should be.  Good luck with that.  Some people are educated way beyond their abilities, and our Lord talks about them in the Parable of the Talents.

Christ called everyone.  “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).   However, He did set some ground rules: “Take up your Cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).  Turn your back on your mother and father (Genesis 2:24-25).  Sell your possessions, theologically speaking (Matthew 19:21).  Eat My flesh and drink My blood (John 6:54).  One man and one wife, male and female . . . He made us, so He knows what He is talking about (Matthew 19:9).  Anybody who says, “The Church must be more inclusive” is trying to change the Deposit of Faith, a gift from God Himself and our means of salvation.

I was supposed to go to the Bishop’s Advent dinner, but I had other plans that precluded my going to Charlotte for the dinner.  It’s distressing for me personally to see all these priests who are so talented, and I think, “My God, how talented they are!  I’m not.”  One priest, who is about to retire, speaks five languages and has two Ph.D.’s.  Show-off!  I speak five languages at the Spanish Mass.  I can’t tell you which ones they are because they are all mixed into one language.  Another priest has built two churches, one was a missionary, and another was a professor at seminary.  I don’t visit other priests very often because I hate Charlotte almost as much as I hate fish.  When I go there for my dental appointments, I wish I had a few of my friends in the back seat locked and loaded.  Albemarle Road is terrible.  We left pieces of Iraq in better shape after we bombed the you-know-what out of it.                 

My mother loved seafood, but it was difficult to persuade her to go all the way to Newport for dinner.  Rhode Island has only 1045 miles of land mass, and if you take away the islands, it has even less.  Going to Newport is like going to Charlotte, so it’s not a big deal.  “Mom, do we need to pack a lunch?”  That is small New England village mentality.  We wanted to get some lobster for my mom, so my evil twin brother, who was a scuba diver, went diving in the bay and brought her fresh-from-the-sea lobster.  You can’t get fresher than that, especially for the price.  He also had two Ph.D.’s.  Show off!   Mom always liked him best anyway.  Although I dislike administrative work intensely, the one talent I have is that I can do hospital work very well.  When I go to the hospital with some of my fellow priests and they see and smell the sights and sounds of a trauma center, they gag.  Want to grab lunch later?  “No!”  What’s wrong?  I’m buying.  Wanna play ball scarecrow?  It’s hilarious.

There is no need to be jealous of the talents and abilities other people have which is something I keep telling myself, and I hope to do better.  All those talents and abilities are meant to be used for one thing . . . to share with others.  The one talent we all share, and the most important one, is the gift of faith.  You all have it because you are here.  Faith is the most important talent and the one in which our Lord will judge us.  How do we bring that gift of faith to others?  By our words and example.  How do we keep it alive?  By the Sacraments and penance.  How do we bring it to others?  By word and deed or corporal and spiritual works of mercy.  All of our other talents are based on that.  Otherwise, they will never develop the way they should and be used for their proper purpose which is for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.  Every talent is given to us for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.  The people in our parish, I will say with all humility, are blessed with an abundance of talents and abilities.  We are better than any other parish in the diocese regarding the talents and abilities we have here.  But the most important talent or ability, and the one that provides focus on them all, giving them meaning, purpose, a goal, and a reason to exist is the gift of faith.

So, use your talents.  As I grow older, getting up from a chair can be difficult.  My mind writes checks my body can’t cash.  That’s a talent, you know why?  Because I can offer up my suffering for the salvation of souls, the glory of God, an act of penance for myself, and an act of humility which I really need.   We all have talents, but the best talent of all is the gift of faith.  He won’t ask me if I built churches or if I can speak five languages.  I can barely speak English.   However, He does ask me to be a conduit of His love to other people.  That’s how God will judge us . . . how we brought His gift to others.

How will you apply this message to your life?  _______________________________________


You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” 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.”