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Transcripts of weekly sermons in English

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Sermon Notes – August 6, 2023 – Busy is Not Your Friend

Busy is Not Your Friend

 Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 5 – 6, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 17:1-9

In today’s Gospel, the transfiguration happened about 10 days before our Lord’s Passion.   The Lord gave Peter, James, and John this great gift to show them His power so that they would be strengthened and fortified for the scandal of the Cross . . . the Passion.  He showed them who He was. . .  true God and true Man.  Our Lord lowered the veil of His humanity to show them His divinity.   His face became like the sun.  The three apostles had a foretaste of Heaven.  They saw Moses and Elijah there.  And it begs the question . . . How did they know it was Moses and Elijah?   This happened thousands of years before Facebook, and there were no pictures.  So, how the heck did they know?   Their minds were enlightened in the presence of God.  Moses, Elijah, and others were discussing with our Lord events that were still to come so we will have knowledge of the future.  Remember, Heaven is outside of time.  There is no time in Heaven.  Everything is in the present at once because God is.  They heard the voice of God the Father call out, a theophany or the manifestation of God.  “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him.”   Peter offered to build three shelters – one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for the Lord.  Peter said he wanted that moment to go on forever, but it didn’t.    Do you know what is interesting?  If you go back to the Old Testament, Moses disobeyed God when he struck the rock two times.  And the Lord said, “You are not entering the Promised Land.”   And where was Moses that day?  He was in the Promised Land which means there is forgiveness after death.  So, Moses made it to the Promised Land. 

The great spiritual consolations our God gives us are never lasting even though we want them to be.  They only last in Heaven.   Now this is a grave thing about the spiritual life or spiritual direction.  I was thinking about laypeople who say, “I’m a Spiritual Director.”  Uh-huh.  I’m Doctor House because I have watched every show.  That qualifies me, right?  If you say this prayer and do this, you will always be happy.  Really?  Check with a qualified medical professional about adjusting your meds.   We are never always happy.  Remember in the Book of Acts, the apostles were thrown into prison.  Prisons back then were very different.  One, they didn’t have cameras; and two, guess what happened to them . . . they got what we call “an attitude adjustment.”   They had the living you know what beat out of them.  But they rejoiced because they were found worthy to suffer for the Lord.   Our Lord said, “You will suffer for Me.”  He prophesied that we would have many trials and tribulations.  Look at Saint Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.   He was shipwrecked three times, stoned, and scourged.  “Hey God, if this is the way you treat your friends, it’s no wonder you have so few!”   He did not have an easy time of it, but he kept going. 

There is a great temptation when our time to suffer comes and everything seems to go bad.  We don’t feel our prayers, we aren’t being listened to, and it’s the same darn thing day after day.  So, the spiritual life is not always marvelous.  It is more like “Oh, if only I could see God.”   How many of the apostles were in the Garden of Gethsemane?   Only one was at the foot of the Cross.  Yet, in three years they saw all the miracles – at least three risen from the dead.   Think about all the miracles our Lord did.  “Oh, if I had just one big spiritual moment, I’d never doubt again.”  That’s not true.  We are no better than the apostles.  Our good Lord’s consolations to us, His appearances to us, and His gifts to us come not when we want them, but when our Lord decides we need them or as a free act of love to let us know He is always there.  But we tend to forget.  We get wrapped up in our daily lives and events, and the crushing work of staring at the coffee pot and microwave willing them to work faster.    Sometimes, we are so busy that we overlook the obvious.  “I didn’t see the police officer sitting there.”   It’s a big black car marked “State Police.”  How could you miss it?   We have tunnel vision while driving.  Father Adrian van Kaam reminds us in his book that many times we are too busy and tend to overlook our Lord’s consolations.  Our Lord reminds us of His presence and His care in the ordinary, mundane, and trivial events in our lives.  That’s why it’s so important at the end of the day to do an examination of conscience.  Take some time to look back over the day, not to see what you did right or wrong, but to see what our Lord is trying to say.   “Hi.  I love you!  It’s Me.  I’m here.”  We overlook it all. 

A couple of years ago, I was going out to visit someone in the hospital.  As I was walking upstairs, a nurse was coming down them.  She asked, “Are you a priest?”   Yeah.   “I was just going to call you.”  Well, I saved you a dime.  “There is someone upstairs in ICU who is dying.”   I told the family that it was just by chance that I was in town and that I was in the stairwell when I met the nurse.  God loves this person who was passing so much that I just happened to be there to give them Last Rites.  It’s tiny little things like that which show how much God loves us, but we are so busy that we overlook them. 

God gives those moments to us because He knows how fragile we are.  The apostles were always filled with fear, and we are no different.  God always gives us reminders of His love.  Not huge ones because that would scare the you know what out of us, but tiny, little reminders and consolations that we often overlook.  Consoling moments sometimes just show up when we least expect them. God speaks to us about the most ordinary things.  Thank Him for them.  He is aware of our strengths, our pain, and our fear.  He has not left us. 

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 – July 30, 2023 – The Most Important Thing

The Most Important Thing

 Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 29 – 30, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 13:44-52

The last time I took a vacation up north, I was listening to the radio to catch up on the local news, and there was a news item about Taylor Swift.  I have no idea who she is, but apparently, she’s a performer and a good one.   One father bought tickets for his daughter to go see Taylor Swift for $2,500.  Really?  Haven’t people heard of a thing called “radio”?  How many CDs would that buy?  I’m just saying!   People are paying $2,500, and that’s just for tickets, but they also have to pay for parking and food.  People like to go to Carolina Panthers games, paying hundreds of dollars for the privilege, and that’s usually in the “nosebleed” section.   Hmmm.  How much does it cost to come to see the Second Person in the Blessed Trinity, Christ Incarnate, present here in the Tabernacle?  Let’s do a cost/benefit analysis on that one, shall we?   God, Himself, is here in the Tabernacle – for free – but not many people show up.  You get to look at God and God gets to look at you.   And it’s better for you.   Now, if you have the money and want to spend it, that’s up to you.  Enjoy yourself . . . that’s your right.  But don’t forget Who is most important.   If you lose Christ, that is a price beyond measure.   

I had a baptism, a wedding, and a wedding preparation session yesterday . . . all in a foreign language – Spanglish.  My Saturdays are never dull.  “Don’t worry, Father – your Spanish is very good.”  Spanish is my fourth language.  Actually, it’s my fifth language – I speak Army proficiently.  So, it’s my fifth language, although I’m not very good at my first.  People think I’m bright – but I’m not.  People want to come in and decorate the church and have a big rehearsal.  And that’s wonderful.   Priests say that they would prefer ten funerals to one wedding.  Funerals are easier to manage, but they are even beginning to get out of hand with the nonnegotiable demands of families.  The decorations in the church are important, although I wish the brides would wear more modest dresses.  I’m a hospital chaplain.  I’ve seen more body parts in 40 years than you will ever have.  Believe me . . . it’s not a thrill.  The most important thing that happens at a wedding is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass . . . the presentation of our Lord’s constant sacrifice before the Father in Heaven.  His greatest act of love which will continue until the end of time for our salvation.  

The second most beautiful thing in a wedding is a man and a woman responding to the love of God.  By saying their vows, they are saying “yes” to Almighty God, and they receive a new vocation.  Their love for God makes them confident enough to say “yes” to Him and to procreate according to the Law of Nature.  Then they are taken up into the Holy Sacrifice and offered to the Father.  That’s the most beautiful thing.  Uniting themselves to God gives meaning to everything.   By focusing on all the other stuff, you are missing what is truly beautiful – the Real Presence of Christ in the Tabernacle.  That’s the most beautiful thing and the one on which we should focus. 

There is a policy book on what to do and not to do regarding decorations in the church.   I had a wedding in a Quonset hut in Korea in the Demilitarized Zone with a broken-down organ.  The American soldier’s parents were there, and they looked worried.   Yeah, if something happens, we’re all dead.  Don’t worry about it.   When I arrived in Korea, I received a briefing from the base commander who said, “Gentlemen, our orders are to die in place.”   I have gone to bed with happier thoughts.   No female soldiers were allowed where we were.  One came by accident, and when it was discovered that the soldier was female, she was gone in less than an hour.  But I remember vividly that wedding and the couple exchanging their vows in a Quonset hut built by Marines in 1953.   Yet that moment was cosmic because the couple found the Pearl of Christ in their vocation . . . the vocation of God.  Everything else in life would take its proper place and have more meaning.  Their personal wants and desires were all sacrificed for one goal . . . building up the love between them by first building up the love of God. 

This is what I tell couples during marriage preparation, and it’s what I told the couple yesterday.  Pray together every day, especially the Rosary.  Bishop Sheen said that.  They didn’t teach that in seminary.  I went to seminary during a very bad time, but I also learned from the ancient masters.  Pray the Rosary every night out loud and not the way the French do.  They really need to take some Valium and slow down.  It’s French – not “mumble.”  Let God hear it.  Words have meaning. 

We are given the pearl of Christ at Baptism, and it can be disguised as all sorts of things we encounter in the world.   He becomes a part of us in Holy Communion and in all the Sacraments to give us purpose, to give us strength, to give us hope, and to give us consolation.  This is what He offers us.  Once our focus is on Him, everything else falls into line appropriately.  When the people we encounter, whether it’s on the highway or in the supermarket, aren’t exactly nice, we tend to go haywire.  “They don’t like me!  They were so mean to me!”  First, look at what Christ puts up with.  And second, those people who were mean to you may be having problems.  “I think everyone should be nice to me because I’m a really nice guy.  Oh wait, I’m supposed to forgive the faults of others out of love for Him.”  Right.  By the way, this lesson will be repeated over and over again.  Mother Teresa and the Sisters of Charity spend a minimum of two hours a day in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.  They get their strength through the Mass and prayer. 

The church is open every day.  God is waiting here for us.  I have plenty of room at Mass, and I am not overburdened with confessions.  I wish I were.  The pearl of Christ wants to come into your soul.

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 – July 16, 2023 – Hang Around a Barber Shop Long Enough and You’re Gonna Get a Haircut

Hang Around a Barber Shop Long Enough and You’re Gonna Get a Haircut

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 15 – 16, 2023

Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23

Our good Lord has given us the gift of life. With that gift of life, we are meant to serve Him in this world and reign with Him in the next. That is what the Catechism tells us. However, to reign with Him in the next life, we must take care of what we’ve been given – our souls. Our souls can become a beautiful garden of joy, peace, and tranquility. And if we take care of that garden, Christ will come dwell in it. But it is up to us to make sure that our garden is prepared for God and a place where the Word of God can get through.

Now, a garden takes a little work, because you first must prepare the soil by tilling and fertilizing it. After that, you need to get the soil ready for plants by removing all the rocks and weeds. It is not fun sometimes, especially in the North Carolina heat. As the Misfits will tell you, our gardens need constant weeding. One day everything can look great in the garden, and the next day it’s full of weeds. “Where the heck did those come from!” It is amazing how quickly Mother Nature will rebound, and those pesky weeds grow back. The bad stuff always seems to grow the quickest. It’s like good and bad habits. While good habits take longer to develop, bad habits develop quickly and, like weeds, are hard to get rid of.

We are called to tend to the garden of our souls so that when Christ comes, and we let Him in, He will find a place where He can grow into a thing of beauty which is Him. We must protect it by avoiding all provocations to sin, whether it is people, places, or things. Remember, if you hang around a barber shop long enough, you’re gonna get a haircut. Stay away from those provocations. You don’t have to go looking for satan; he will find you. We fertilize the garden of our soul with renunciation of self, prayer, penance, and mortification. Through prayer, sacrifice, and corporal and spiritual works of mercy, we prepare for God to come into and remain in our souls.

We must be ever vigilant so that when those sneaky, annoying weeds come back, we are ready for them. It is a never-ending task. No matter your vocation and no matter your age, it is a never-ending task. As Peter tells us, “The devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). And that’s true. So, do not tire of doing the daily activities which include prayer and mortification. A commander once told me, “Do the routine things routinely.” “But I’m not getting any benefit from it!” We are never good judges of ourselves. If you do the routine things, you will receive a benefit. You may not feel it, wherein lies the temptation. The last 60 years of spiritual “care” have people thinking more about their feelings. “I don’t feel. . .” and “I feel. . .” You all know my reaction to that – Shut up! I don’t care how you feel . . . I really don’t. I only care about what you do. Christ never asked that question in Scripture. Instead, He asked, “What do you think?” and the apostles got that wrong too. It has nothing to do with feelings and has everything to do with reality.

We must be vigilant and pay attention to our souls every day so that they remain in a state of grace. Do routine things routinely. Keep your garden nice, clean, and free of weeds. Water it with tears of penance for your sins and the sins of others. Fertilize it with acts of love. Do these things so that when our Lord comes and sows the seeds with His Word through the Sacraments, He will find a place where His love can take root and grow.

Father’s Afterthoughts . . .

As part of my continuing education, and so that I don’t forget the stuff learned in seminary, I do a lot of reading about theology, Christology, eschatology, and ecclesiology. With over 2,000 years of Church history, you can’t read or remember it all. So, I keep reading. And because of my work as a hospital chaplain, I read a lot of medical literature to keep up with what I might face in the hospital. I have been reading several articles lately, and I want to pass along what I have learned as a matter of perspective instead of waiting for the synod. The percentage of people who are afflicted with gender dysphoria or transgenderism is about 1.4% of the population. The percentage of people afflicted with same-sex attraction is about 2%. So, in total, we are talking about 4% of the population. Considered together, 40% of these people have additional psychological afflictions. That information comes straight from medical literature. None of those conditions are terminal in themselves. However, to put that into perspective, 10% of the population is afflicted with the disease of alcoholism which, if left untreated, is terminal. Untreated alcoholism is terminal not only for alcoholics, but also for the poor people who encounter them on the highway when they are driving drunk. The alcoholism death rate is astounding. I hope this provides some perspective on what is behind all the arguments.

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 Facebook page at ola.catholic.church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – July 9, 2023 – “Life is Tough. It’s Tougher When You’re Stupid”

Life is Tough – It’s Tougher When You’re Stupid

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 8 – 9, 2023

Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30

One of my favorite spiritual maxims that I try to follow, and I pass onto you, is that life is tough; it’s tougher when you’re stupid. And I think we can all agree on that. I really should have that translated into Latin because if I were to ever become a bishop, I’d have it placed on my Coat of Arms. Life has been tough, and we have struggled ever since our first parents ate us out of house and home in the Garden of Eden. Their sin and the sins we have committed since Baptism make life a lot tougher than it has to be because we don’t ask for spiritual help. Some famous last words are, “I’ve got this.” How are you feeling? “I’m fine!” Some people are always angry and upset. “Oh! The Church did this and did that!” When and where? “Well, it says this.” I’ve never been told that, and I think I would have gotten the message. Saying that “I’m going to do this my own way” is a sign of pride. Let me know how that works out for you. Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Not you and not me. If we do as He asks, life gets better. Our Lord promises us peace and a joy that nobody can take from us, which is Him. But we have to do first things first.

In counseling there is a book used in 12-Step programs called “Drop the Rock.” The story is about a guy who is swimming out to a boat, and he starts to drown. A guy on the boat says, “You can make it, but you have to drop the rock!” The guy who is drowning says, “No. I love rock too much. I love my lifestyle. I love the pain sooo much, and I don’t want to give it up!” We don’t want to give up the high price of low living. Are you doing well? Are you happy? “No, but it’s the only thing I know!” That’s true. We are afraid of the unknown. We get used to having the pebble in our shoe, so when it’s gone, we are frightened. We are used to having the pain, and when it’s gone, we think something is wrong. That’s why when people get clean or sober, they find it frightening. They’ve never been that way before, and they have to get used to a whole new style of living.

I tell people that the greatest freedom and happiness they can have in this life is to love Christ with all your body, with all your mind, and with all your soul. Who knows – you might dry out. “Oh, I don’t know if I can survive being sober.” Okay, I’ll give you a 12-month program. Go to Confession once a month, say the rosary every day, and go to Mass on Sundays – more often is better. And, if at the end of 12 months, you are not happier, your misery will be cheerfully refunded. So far, in my 39 years of priesthood, nobody has come back to me and said, “You were wrong.” Not one. You want a challenge? Here you go.

Our Lord promises us peace and happiness. Not happiness like sunshine and rainbows – oops, we can’t use that word anymore. “Oh, we are so happy and joyous!” Are you crazy? Do you know the stuff I carry around? Do you know my crosses? My goodness! Our Lord promised us inner peace when He dwells in our souls. And all the things that happen externally cannot disturb that peace. They may upset us and make us anxious, but that peace cannot be taken away. The only way it can be removed is by our driving Christ out of our souls through sin. But if we do as He asks, we will receive what He has promised, and we can have peace in our soul.

If you read the Gospel in its original translation, it says, “My yoke is sweet. My burden light.” Do you know what “sweet” means? Each yoke is carved for a specific animal and is not interchangeable because other animals are different. The Lord prescribes a yoke for us that is specifically for us. All our crosses are individual and not comparative. “My cross is worse than yours.” “No, mine is worse than yours!” Shut Up!! No, it’s not. God knows how much we can handle with His help. Each cross is sufficient to keep us humble and reliant on our good Lord. So, your cross cannot be compared to someone else’s. I’m willing to bet that no one has ever been kept awake with the thought that they will never be made Monsignor. Nobody has ever gotten worry lines like me while wondering when the next apple pie, peach cobbler, pineapple, or Jell-O will be coming. I don’t see any worry lines on your faces. No one has been as upset as me about having to give up bacon. You ain’t seen the troubles I’ve seen! “Oh, I’ve got worse crosses than that!” Well, it’s not a comparison, but our good Lord gives us the strength to carry them.

There have been a few saints during our lifetime you would know about and who had unbelievable crosses that were revealed only after their deaths. Padre Pio, the flying monk, intercepted B-17 bombers and prevented them from bombing his monastery. He was tempted by the devil a lot, yet he was full of gentleness, comfort, and hope. Saint Teresa of Calcutta, such a sweet woman, had amazing temptations. Saint John Paul II grew up in Nazi Poland. Try growing up there and let me know how much fun it is. Yet, he was the most gentle of the Holy Fathers. Bishop Sheen, who you may remember from television, had movie star looks. He had a sense of style and looked great on camera. Know what his diet consisted of? Boiled chicken, graham crackers and milk. That’s all his stomach could take. But you never knew it. We have examples right in front of us in our parents and friends who have lived through immense tragedies and kept their faith.

Our good Lord offers to help us with all our crosses. He begs us to take that yoke upon ourselves. Don’t make life harder than necessary. We can rid ourselves of the garbage in our souls at Confession. Remember my spiritual maxim: Life is tough. It’s tougher when you’re stupid. Don’t be stupid.

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 Facebook page at ola.catholic.church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – July 2, 2023 – Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places  


Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places  

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 1 – 2, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 10:37-42


When I prepare couples for marriage, I don’t ask them if they have learned how to talk to one another.  No . . . I’m not Doctor Phil.  I wanted to be Doctor House, but I’m definitely not Doctor Phil.  The whole basis of marriage, a vocation, is love of God.  Be holy and perfect and all things will be given to you.  Our Lord tells us being holy is first and foremost because you cannot give what you do not have.   When we are united with the Source of love, we can give that love to others.  All love comes from the Father because He is love itself.  And that is what I tell couples.  If you want to have a marriage that lasts and survives the rotten times, be holy.  However, good times can be rotten too, and you should be wary of them.   

I also tell couples to pray the Rosary together every night.  “Father, what if they are not Catholic?”  Well, the good news is that they are praying the Rosary.  The bad news is that it ain’t going to hurt a bit.  There is no downside.  If you pray the Rosary together, you can talk to each other about anything.  I got that from Bishop Sheen by the way.  I’m not that bright.  You need to be united to the Source of life.  “But Father, you are not married.”   I could not do that to a woman although my brother did, and he had a Mensa card.    

Each vocation is manifested in love to the Sacred Body of Christ – the Church.  In my 39 years of priesthood, I have seen so many priests and religious leave the vocation because they do not, and will not, give themselves totally to God.  “My work is my prayer.”   No, it’s not.   Those are two different words.  I know because I went to Catholic school.  They are spelled differently and mean different things.  Both can be acts of love, but you cannot give what you do not have.  So, you must return to and be united with the Source of love.  Remember, in Scripture, Christ said, “Come away and spend time with God.”   The religious and priests become disheartened, and they leave.  They go looking for love in all the wrong places.   They look for love in people, places, and things.   Some do come back, which is tough because they don’t want to admit their mistakes.  But that Love they once touched won’t give up and follows them.  The faithful are united with the source of God’s love and seek Him by immersing themselves in His love through the Sacraments.  This is where we get the strength to do what God asks of us – to do corporal and spiritual works of mercy. 

We always like it when people thank us for our good works, but most people don’t.   “Well, Father, you do good works.”  I hope so; I’m going to be judged on that.  “So, people must thank you a lot.”   No, not really.   I’ve performed a lot of funerals and weddings and did not even get a thank you note.  Doing weddings is like negotiating with terrorists.  They come in with a list of nonnegotiable demands.   This is my Church, and I appreciate your desire to have your wedding here, but we don’t do that here.  “Well, father so and so does it.”  That’s nice.  Here are the rules straight from the Church’s rulebook.   Many people don’t say “thank you.”   Although we do it for Christ, I would love to get a “thank you” especially for the staff here who work so hard.   

Our feelings get hurt when people don’t say “thank you” and appreciate the enormity of our stooping down from our greatness to help them.   However, we humbly do it for Christ, and people see Christ in our human natures.   It’s tough sometimes.  Because you are hurt, you really want to say some good old Anglo-Saxon words that shouldn’t be used in polite company.  But Christ says, “You gave a gift of love to Me, and I will repay you according to My nature.”   So do not worry about it.  Bring Me your sorrows.  Bring Me your rejections.  Bring Me your feelings of being unappreciated.   Bring them to Me and stay awhile.  You will learn how unappreciated I am for My gift of love.  I offer Myself to the world in the Blessed Sacraments and look at how few show up.  Look at how few say, “thank you.”   People haven’t finished singing my praises and they begin leaving the church.  Whoa!  Did I dismiss you?  No!  They can’t wait to leave even though there’s not much going on in Albemarle at 10:30 in the morning. 

Once I had a funeral here, and it was on a day like this.  After the funeral, we got into the car to drive to the cemetery.  We drove at a funeral pace, so we were not traveling very fast.  I had the robes on, and I was very thirsty.  But when you are in a hearse and in a funeral procession, you really can’t ask the driver to stop at a gas station so you can grab a Coke.  That would be in poor taste and really frowned upon.   I got to the church – and it was a beautiful church – if you don’t know where it is, you’ll never find it.  It’s up over a hill and back.  I got out of the hearse and began walking to the grave site.  And there was this big, old man in bib overalls coming toward me with a cup in his hand.  He said, “I thought you might like this.”   It was a cup of ice-cold water.   He is now resting with his family in the back of the church grounds.  It was such a great act of love.  How he knew that I would need it or if it was a simple act of courtesy and kindness, I don’t know.  He did not know me, and I did not know him.  As I talked to him, I realized that he was related to some of the parishioners here.  But such as that.  Always remember, when we do things for others, we are doing them for Christ. 

Father’s Reflections . . . I looked at the calendar today, and I was reminded that 21 years ago I received an interesting letter.  Know who it was from?  The AARP.  Know what made it so interesting?  They sent it to me while I was in Iraq.  So, we have geriatrics protecting our country.  Great!

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 Facebook page at ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – June 25, 2023 – The High Price of Low Living

The High Price of Low Living

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 24 – 25, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 10:26-33

Years ago, my older brother, John, went to the doctor.  The doctor told my brother that she had bad news for him.   John said, “What’s that?”  The doctor told him that he had Hepatitis C.  She also told John that he could probably be cured of it, but that he would have to stop drinking.   My brother thought about it and said, “I appreciate that doctor, but I like to drink.”  This was a guy who kept a bottle of vodka in his freezer.  Now, my brother was not a stupid man.  John and my twin brother both had Mensa cards, members of the Society of Geniuses.  John had a great doctor who offered all her talents and abilities to increase the odds of his survival.  Sometimes Hepatitis C can lie dormant forever, but it can also come and take you out.  My brother decided to play the odds and to continue drinking, but he lost the gamble.  The doctor had tried to help John, but he refused God’s gift.  I was there when he died.  He died a much more painful death than he should have.  It was not a pleasant way to go. 

I’ve been reading all these articles in Catholic newspapers about our needing to be a “welcoming Church.”  I have a question.  Remember “Welcome Back Kotter” and what happened when Horshack had a question?  OOOOHHH!  OOOOHHH!  OOOOHHH!  I have a question!   When were we not a welcoming Church?   My brother’s doctor used all her expertise trying to get him to change his mind.  But he was stuck on stupid.  You cannot fix stupid; you can only medicate it.   Saying that we are “not welcoming” is an insult to the people of God.  Look at all the Catholic hospitals, schools, and orphanages that took everybody.   A lot of times when the poor inquired about their bills, there were none.   How can we not be welcoming? 

Now, I’ve been a Catholic for 69 years and 40+ weeks.  I was very young when I was baptized, so I don’t remember the exact date.   My father was an usher, and I never saw him throw anyone out of church.  I have never seen Lori body slam anybody who came into the office.  That doesn’t mean she hasn’t wanted to, but she’s never done it.  I have been here for 20 years, and I have never observed anyone not welcome in this church.  Bea’s husband, Tommy, was an usher here for 55 years, and he was not Catholic until near the end of his life.  That’s an interesting story.  Tommy attended a Baptist church for 55 years.  When he was very sick, I went to his house to see him.   We watched Russian crash videos which I highly recommend by the way.  While I was there, Tommy said, “Father, how do I become Catholic?”   Well, I can hook a brother up tomorrow – no problem.  How can we not be welcoming?   Did Stump or Navy-boy Timmy ever check your baptismal certificates or bank statements?   No.  Did you ever hear me say, “If you are not Catholic, you are going to hell”?    No.  So, I get pretty indignant when people say that we are not welcoming.  What did Christ say?   “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28-30).   “Yeah baby!”   Not so fast.  He also said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.”   “Oh, so there are conditions?”   Yes.  You must give up the high price of low living.  “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mk 8:34).    Leave your father and mother; sell everything you have and give it to the poor; eat My body and drink My blood; one wife and one husband, marriage between male and female. . .  Do you think our Lord got it wrong? 

Our Lord has a lot of conditions, but they are not burdensome.  The Commandments are acts of love, and love is easy.  It is the mindset that comes from sin that tells us they are difficult.   Just like addicts we think, “You don’t care.  If you really cared for me, you’d give me my drugs or booze.”  Come up higher . . . You will feel much better when you stop doing that stupid stuff.  Aren’t you tired of hurting?   Come up higher.  Come enjoy the grace of God.  Come enjoy His peace in your soul and the full joy of not being bound by old habits and sin.   Is it always instantaneous?  No.  When people get sober, tell them it takes about two years to regain their marbles.  It takes about five years to learn how to play with them, because original sin diminishes the will and intellect.  Repeated sin does the same thing. 

We are always carrying our cross.  When we preach what Christ did, we are a welcoming Church.  We are not being hurtful or hateful.  I came to Albemarle 20 years ago, and I am responsible for the spiritual care of all people within 404 square miles.  Church law doesn’t say “all Catholic souls” – it simply says “all souls.”  By virtue of my office, I am supposed to be welcoming to all people.  So, I take the insult that we are “not welcoming” personally.  We are trying to help people.   When we carry our cross, we take his place.  The Pharisees said, “We will believe you if you come down from the cross.”   But Christ said, “Come up with me. Share My passion.  Then you will know true peace.”   

We are very welcoming of people here.  You should have been at the baptism I had yesterday.  They were Spanish, and I couldn’t pronounce their names.  Y’all know how great my Spanish skills are.  It was a lot fun and full of laughter as the Anglo struggled to speak Spanish.   When I was overseas, we had people from Bangladesh and Pakistan who wanted to come to Mass.  But they couldn’t when the Saudi Arabians were around.  The Ministry of Internal Security wouldn’t allow Catholic Mass, so they would sneak in with us, and they were all welcome.  They were afraid that the Saudi Arabians would bust in during Mass.  I told them that we had a couple hundred of heavily armed men who were not in a good mood.   I didn’t think anyone was going to bother us. 

We are all one in Christ.  We are all welcome.  Yes, Christ has certain rules, that’s true.  But by being here, we are all a testimony that those rules are not burdensome.   We welcome everybody.  Unfortunately, we have plenty of pew space.  I wish that more people were here.  I would even add another Mass if needed.   We are welcoming.  People will always be drawn to Him.  And in that welcoming, in that call from Up Higher, they will see Christ.

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 Facebook page at ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – June 18, 2023 – Stop Reinventing the Wheel


Stop Reinventing the Wheel

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 17 – 18, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 9:36-10:8

Today we hear about Jesus choosing the 12 apostles.  Now, if you look at their resumes, they are a bit thin.  Even though Jesus is supposed to know everything, He chose Judas who betrayed Him.  All of the apostles were cowards as was demonstrated in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He didn’t pick too well, did He.  One of my theology professors, Father Francis Conway who is now in Heaven, would often say, “How odd of God to choose the Jews.”  And that’s true.  Why would He pick the Jews to bring salvation to the world?   On the world stage, they were not even a footnote.   Did they have an empire for 2,000 years like the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans?   Nope.  So just who were the Jews?  They were nothing.  It’s true.  Then why did He pick them?  Because if they cooperated with His grace, they could become something. 

Look at Moses . . . he killed a man.   Yet Moses saw God face-to-face like one man talking to another.  He also received the Ten Commandments and was chosen to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land.   But it’s not about what Moses was; instead, it was about what God could do with him through His grace.   It was the same with the apostles and what they could become.  Spoiler alert – you will hear next week that the apostles came back and said to the Lord, “Oh wow.  We did all these things.  We did what you told us to do, and it worked!”  Well, yeah!  Do what you are told, and you will receive what you have been promised.  It’s not who we are . . . it’s who we can become if we cooperate with God’s grace.  Look at Saul.  He persecuted followers of our Lord.  Go through Church history, and you will see that there are a lot of stories like Saul’s. 

What matters is what we can become.  It’s not the letters in front of or after your name.  Becoming “Very Reverend” made my mother very happy.  It’s just an honorary title in my position.  It doesn’t mean I’m “very reverend.”  I wish I were.  And all the letters after my name just prove I can take tests and are not a measure of how much I learned.   It doesn’t make me more wonderful or smarter than anyone else.  It doesn’t make what I have done better than what anyone else has done.   But God can use it . . . He can use the worst of someone’s past to transform the world.  Think about this:  88 years ago, our Lord used two men.   One was a drunken stockbroker and the other was a drunken physician.  Do you know what God did with those two men?  They formed Alcoholics Anonymous and all the Twelve Step programs.  How many men, women, and children have they saved.  The drunken stockbroker and physician were two of what the world would call “losers,” and look at what God did with them. 

God chose all of us, not for what we are but for what we can become.  Each of us, because of our vocation in the Body of Christ, can go where others cannot.  You cannot go where I go, and I cannot go where you go to bring God’s message and to evangelize.   God has chosen you and chosen me, depending on our place in the Body of Christ, to be His apostles, to be His disciples, and to be His evangelists.  This is not a reward.  “Oh, you are such a good person.  You did very well in your studies.  I’m so proud of you!”  We are given this grace for the good of others and not for our own well-being.  It’s not an “Atta Boy.”   God has given us all our talents and abilities – or perhaps our lack of talents and abilities.  Remember what God said to Saint Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”  Even in our suffering, we can teach people how to suffer and how to love.  Chaplain students all want to fix people.  “Oh, we are going to talk, and I’ll get them into social welfare counseling.”  Oh really?  You have a very blessed job, and you may not realize it, but you are called to attend to those suffering in Christ.   Laying in that bed is to suffer in Christ.  Granted, they may be a royal real pain in the caboose.  Not all people – sick or healthy – are nice.   I’ve been cursed out a lot.  Granted, I may have deserved some of it . . . but I’ve been cursed out a lot!  When you try to do something nice for somebody and they do not appreciate it, they let you know in a lot of different ways and in no uncertain terms.  They are suffering in Christ, and your reaction – or hopefully your lack of reaction – is evangelistic. 

God chose us to be His apostles in the new Body of Christ.  The apostles are now long in Heaven.  They were all cowards, but look at what happened to them . . .  10 of the 11 died a martyr’s death.  Although Peter was a coward, he died a martyr’s death by being crucified upside down.  Crucifixion is not a fun way to go, but upside down is even worse.  Paul had his head chopped off by the Romans.   By the way, that was considered an honor because it was an easier death.   God chose all of us but not to try to recreate the wheel – “Oh, we have this new program, and it’s great!”   Really?   Let me see if I can find that in the Bible.  Nope, not there.   I wonder why it didn’t work.  But they all need your money.   Just do what Christ told you to do.  The apostles were surprised that everything Christ told them to do worked.   We may see that some of our actions produce fruit – probably not though.  So do not be surprised by a temptation from satan.  We do what we are told to do.  Obedience to God’s commands is a work of love.  Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep my Commandments.”   So, when we have done a work of love, let that work of love bear fruit even if it is later.

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 Facebook page at ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – June 11, 2023 – “I Can and I Did”


I Can and I Did

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 10 – 11, 2023

Gospel:  John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from Heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the world.”  The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will have life because of Me. This is the bread that came down from Heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

I have heard this many times, and you probably have too – “Father.”   Yes.  I can already hear the tone.  “Father.”  Oh God, here it comes.   “Got a minute, Father?”   Please, no!  “Can we talk?”   No – you want to talk while I listen.  “The Church has an awful lot of rules.”   Well, so does Christ.  I mean, I read the book, and He has a lot of rules.  Christ said, “If you love Me, keep My Commandments.”   Our rules are His rules.  “Well Father, why are there all those rules about Communion?”    Well, the rules about Communion are Scriptural.    Church laws are like Jersey barriers . . . they keep you on the road instead of driving over a cliff.   They help keep you safe.  Church law helps keep us on the right path . . . they keep us from becoming too liberal or too conservative. 

The central mystery of our Faith is transubstantiation.  At the Mass, Christ is present in the bread and wine, and He gives us His Most Precious Body and Blood just as He did in the Upper Room.  This is the central mystery of our Faith.  Only we and the Orthodox churches believe in transubstantiation.  All the other churches rejected the doctrine of Real Presence.  That’s why there’s no possibility of Communion, that, and the other moral things they have rejected.

The scriptural penance for receiving Communion unworthily is that you are guilty of Christ’s death.  That’s a rule that has been passed down by the apostles.  I can’t change that.   You may be willing to take the rap for it, but I’m not.   The central mystery of the Faith is that Christ is physically present in the Blessed Sacrament and made present on the altar.  This is our Faith.  This is His gift . . . the gift of Himself.    You receive the whole Christ no matter the form in which you receive Him.   You receive all of Christ, and it is blasphemy if you say, “Receiving both species is more meaningful.” 

Some people cannot receive both species.  I knew someone who was undergoing cancer therapy.  He could not chew or swallow.  So, one day at Mass, I took a syringe, filled it up, capped it, and put it underneath my sleeve.  After Mass, I gave him the Most Precious Blood of Christ through his      G-tube.  Did he receive the fullness of God?   Of course, he did.   I told this story to some priests, and they said, “Oh, you cannot do that!”   I can, and I did.   I said, “Guys, that was one day I stayed awake in class.  Look it up.”   To their credit, they later told me I was right.  No kidding.  I’m a hospitalist.  That’s what I do. 

This is the mystery . . . we receive Christ Himself.   Only a priest or a deacon is supposed to touch the Sacred Vessel.  The Sacred Vessel holds Christ.  Priests are consecrated by the bishop before ordination.  At the Ordination Mass, the Bishop ordains the priest and presents him with a chalice which is consecrated and filled with the Most Precious Blood.  The chalice is kept locked away.  I went to one church to do some vicar work so that I could maintain my big title.   In this church, they had displayed old chalices that other priests had left there.   Na–na-na-na – No!   “What do you mean?”  Did I stutter?  Chalices are not objects of art.  They are supposed to be preserved and under lock and key.   

Only a priest or deacon is supposed to give Holy Communion except under extraordinary circumstances.  Every Sunday is not an extraordinary circumstance – it comes 52 times a year, so you knew it was coming.  One of the exceptions happened at the Dachau Concentration Camp.  There was a whole area for priests.  The priests used to smuggle the Blessed Sacrament out under the wire so that laity could give it since the priests couldn’t.   That’s the type of extraordinary circumstance I’m talking about.  This is such a precious gift – the gift of Christ Himself.  You will be fed if you are able.  If not, come see me and we will work it out.  Just like the apostles, you will be fed Christ Himself by the priest in persona Christi.   And you can do that every day except on my day off or you can go to Concord.  Driving a few miles is a fair trade to receive the great gift of Christ Himself just like the apostles.  There’s no difference except for time and place.  “Well, Father that was over 2,000 years ago, and this is Albemarle not Jerusalem.”   God is everywhere and time is always in the present to Him.  When you say things like that, you are denying the nature of God.  But because of original sin and sins committed by us and to us after Baptism, we lose sight of Him.   

We experience the fruits of Christ’s redemption by receiving Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  The Real Presence is the greatest gift.  Are there rules?   Yes, there are rules.   However, the rules are aids for our salvation.  They keep us focused on the One who is truly here and Who wishes to give Himself to 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 Facebook page at ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – June 4, 2023 – The Trinitarian God


The Trinitarian God

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 3 – 4, 2023

Gospel:  John 3: 16 – 18

16 For this is how God loved the world: He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.  17 For God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through Him the world might be saved.  18 No one who believes in Him will be judged; but whoever does not believe is judged already, because that person does not believe in the Name of God’s only Son.

In life, there are two ways in which we are able to learn.  One is by instruction, and the other is by experience.  Notice that I said, “able to learn.”   That doesn’t mean we always learn – just that we are able to learn.  During instruction we are taught stuff that we have no possible way of knowing about.  We know it exists and that’s about all.  

Pope Leo XII said, “The most sublime of all the mysteries is the Trinity through which all the other mysteries flow.”   Indeed, we cannot know who God is unless He reveals Himself to us.   And He does.  Throughout Scripture, He has revealed who He is. . . one divine nature and three Persons.  He revealed His love on the Cross.  Beyond that we probably can’t comprehend who He is because we are able to comprehend so little.  However, we gain greater knowledge of Him through experience.  And that experience is gained by letting Him become a part of us . . . to become one with Him.   Unfortunately, some people don’t learn through experience.  Look at any drunk.  The first time they get sick from drinking too much most people say, “I’m not doing that again!”   On the other hand, the drunk says, “Hey, that was great!  Let’s do it again.”  They did not learn from the experience. 

 If we allow His nature into our sinful bodies, our souls, which have been disfigured by original sin and the sins committed after Baptism, are transformed into His own image and likeness.   The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest gift of all.  If you were a salesman and you had the greatest product in the world, you would approach people and say, “Hey, I’ve got the greatest product in the world, and you’re going to love it!  This is what it does for you.  Try it.”   It’s the same with me and bacon. . . if I have some, I want more and more.  So, people will try your product because it is the greatest thing, and they will want more and more of it because of the benefits.  

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest thing because we see the nature of God.   We see Heaven on the altar.   He is love itself, and He offered His Son on our behalf.  The most sublime act of love happened at Calgary before the Father and made present for us.  Through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, He gives us the fruits of that love which is the gift of Himself.  We receive the nature of God through the Seven Sacraments.  It becomes part of us if we let it.   But you have to cooperate. 

Now, through the Sacraments, we receive the whole God and not just parts of Him . . . the whole Trinitarian God becomes a part of us as long as we remain in a state of grace.   Do we understand it?  No, and we never will.  But we become one with God.  We have His nature inside of us.  By perfecting our human nature, we will grow ever more holy.  This is how we experience Trinitarian love through the Sacraments.  It is how we preach Trinitarian love . . . by having God within us and taking His love to the world by living Christian lives.  This is how we should evangelize. 

When you receive any of the Sacraments, you receive the whole God.  Some will say, “But at Confirmation, you receive the Holy Spirit.”   Yeah.  Each Sacrament contains a particular grace.  Another bad teaching is that Jesus Christ is received for the first time at Confirmation.  That’s not true.  You receive Jesus Christ for the first time at Baptism.   However, you receive the whole God in all of the Sacraments . . . not just pieces of Him.   Each of the Sacraments has a specific purpose in which a part of God’s love is more emphasized than in the others.  For example, the precious blood of Christ is given at the Sacrament of Penance; however, you receive the whole Trinitarian God. 

We become more aware of the nature of God as we conform our souls into His likeness which is brought about by the grace given to us.  God offers to share His very nature with us which is love.  This is the greatest gift of all.  He shares the Trinitarian God . . . the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  When we do good things as a response to the grace God has given us, those acts are Trinitarian because we do it out of love for the whole God.  And that is how we can bring God’s love to the world.

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 of the screen and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church Facebook page at ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – May 28, 2023 – Love is the Language of the Holy Spirit

Love is the Language of the Holy Spirit

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

May 27 – 28, 2023

Gospel:  John 20: 19-23

Remember last week I talked to you about the Ascension and how the human nature our good Lord took from the Blessed Mother was assumed into His divine nature.  It’s the same nature that He suffered with, healed with, died with, was resurrected with, and took to Heaven.  So, if Christ’s human nature is in Heaven, how does He continue to do His work in the world?  Fair question.  Well, He takes our human natures and uses them.  Through the Holy Spirt, He takes all our human natures and forms His new Body which is the Church.   With His new Body, He continues to teach, sanctify, heal, and bring His love to the world.  His new Body will continue for generations until the end of the world.   In the Book of Acts, our Lord says, “Paul, why are you persecuting Me?   He didn’t say, “the church” or “a Christian Group.”   He said, “Why are you persecuting Me?”   He said, “Me” personally because we are a part of His body.   

All those who are baptized are baptized in Christ.  You are part of His new body extended throughout the Ages.  That’s why it’s blasphemy when someone says, “Oh, I am reconciled to God but not His Church” or they say, “I love God but not the Church.”  Absolute blasphemy.  You love the head but not the body.  That makes no sense.  You cannot love one without the other.  It’s a whole Person . . . a package deal.  Christ takes our human natures which are offered by us or by our parents at our Baptism.  He assumes our human natures into His new Body to become whatever part of His Body that represents our vocation to bring God’s word to others, to heal, teach, and sanctify.  Whatever the vocation, Holy Orders, Religious, married life, or lay life – whatever part of His Body – we are called to build it up. 

Christ uses our human nature to reach out and to bring His love to the world . . . to speak the universal language   At Pentecost, Peter spoke to the crowd, and everyone heard him in their own language.  Everyone hears the language of Christ.   Now, I am not gifted in tongues.  If you have ever been to the 12:15 Mass, you know that I do not have that gift.  I speak Spanish with French accent.  French is my second language.  Believe it or not, I took Intermediate Conversational French in college, but my aunt who is 95 years old corrects my French.   I had to relearn French because my family was French Canadian and did not speak the French you learn in books which is Parisian.  While I cannot speak many languages, I know a priest who speaks five of them.  We are all called, and we are all able, to speak the most important language – a language nobody hears – and that’s the language of love and of Christ living in the world.  Whatever vocation and whatever circumstance in which you find yourself, bring Christ in.   Be the Good Samaritan.   Everybody sees that love.  Everybody can translate that language . . . . the universal language of Christ. 

I’ve told you this story before.  I don’t have that many years left as a priest, so I’ll share with you the stories I’ve got.  One day I was making my rounds in hospice at the VA, and two EMT’s wheeled in a patient.  They wanted to know which room the patient was going in.  The nurses were busy, so I told them and went down to the room with them.  To transfer a patient onto the bed, it really takes three people. One to grab the sheet, another to hold the head, and another to hold the feet.  Since there were only two EMT’s, I helped transfer the patient by holding his feet.  After we moved him, I went to the sink to wash my hands since I hadn’t used gloves.  One of the EMT’s who had been fairly rude to me earlier came over and said, “Thank you, Father.”   It was a big change from when they first came in even though I hadn’t done anything special.  One time a nurse asked me if I would help clean out a trachea tube which is not a real fun thing to do if you don’t have a strong stomach.  Sure.  “What did you do after that, Father?”  Lunch.  Cleaning the trachea tube didn’t bother me, and a man’s got to eat.  Anything you do to help someone, those acts of love, will be noticed.   They are things we do instinctively and perhaps with no forethought at all.  Something as simple as helping somebody with their shopping cart at Walmart by putting the cart back in its proper place so that it doesn’t go careening through the parking lot.  People will see those little acts of love.  It truly makes a difference because nowadays it’s so unusual.  But we are all called to do this as members of Christ’s Body. 

We are called to teach, evangelize, and to build up His Body which is His Church.  You were given the gift of tongue in Baptism because you were brought into the Body of Christ.  The gift of tongue is not a bunch of babbling.  Get some medicine, and you’ll be fine.   You don’t have to be a linguist . . . you have to be holy.  The gift of tongue is the gift of love by which we bring Christ’s love to the world.  God can work through even such a sinful creature as I am to bring Christ’s love and goodness to people.  You are no different than me – except better looking – God’s grace enables us to speak that one beautiful language of the Holy Spirit which is Christ and love.  And when people ask you how you can do that, you can tell them the reason is your Faith.  By the way, the reason is a Who and not a what.  So do those small acts of love; they always have an effect.  You never know.

Father’s Reflections . . . 

I learned from a highly placed, confidential source that things are crazy at Walmart.  It is Memorial Day weekend, and you can get great deals on all sorts of stuff like cars, mattresses, linens, appliances, and furniture.  It makes me so proud that I fought for our country!

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” then “Menu” and then “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church Facebook page at ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”