Category: Sermon Notes

Transripts of weekly sermons

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Sermon Notes – March 5, 2023 – Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places?

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places?

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

March 4 – 5, 2023

Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9

The last part of the Gospel says that the devil went away. In another part of the Gospel, it says that the devil will wait for another occasion. And that’s true. When we resist his temptations, he goes away and waits for another opportunity. The devil did it to our Lord, and he will do it to us. However, with the Lord, we can be victorious over our sins. But the devil is cunning, powerful, and patient. He will wait for another opportunity, and it will come. The prime opportunity for the devil’s temptations is when we are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. During those times, we tend to make poor decisions. Our will is already weakened by original and repeated sin. So, he just waits for us. He also waits for pride. “Hey, I’m not like those little people. I’m very, very good. I don’t do that anymore.” Really?

We have to be careful during those times when we are most vulnerable. When we are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, our will and our body are weakened. You can set that to a country music song by Johnny Lee: “Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places” which includes people, places, and things. “Oh, Father, computers and phones are great!” Yeah. They are a source of temptation for me. You should hear the words I say in my office about my computer. I have a backup phone which I also had words with this morning. I have no idea how to use it. Basically, I have a phone anchor.

Do you know where the biggest potential for sin is located? It sits on our shoulders. You can avoid certain things, but everything is inside our brains. We tend to forget what we’ve been taught in school but can remember every bad joke we’ve heard and every bad picture we’ve seen. It’s all in our brains. What goes in stays forever like all those electronic messages we send. They exist forever. You may wipe them off your phone, but they are out there.

We have to remember how weak we are. The devil plays on our pride just as he played on the pride of Adam and Eve. We feel very good about ourselves when we can drive all day without using any Italian hand gestures to people or commenting on someone’s ancestry who is driving erratically on the highway. “I didn’t flip that idiot off even though he needed it.” “I’ve done really good. I’ve avoided this and I’ve avoided that.” When I was a young soldier, I saw a World War II Army training film. The film was about broken shoelaces. It’s not the big things that will get you killed. . . it’s the small things. We do okay with major calamities but it’s the small things that trip us up. It’s our broken weakness. “Oh, I’m too old to commit that sin.” There are other sins. Trust me. There are a lot of sins out there, and you’d be surprised about the sins and depravity of old people. As Saint Peter recorded in his epistle on admonition, “Keep sober and alert, because your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (Peter 5:8).

Our will and intellect have been weakened by original sin and sins committed since our baptism. However, the innocence we have lost can be regained, and that’s what we try to do every day and especially during this Lenten season. We can regain our innocence by fasting, abstinence, almsgiving, and prayer. What does almsgiving do? It covers a multitude of sins. Saint James said, “anyone who can bring back a sinner from his erring ways will be saving his soul from death and covering over many a sin” (James 5:20). Those are the things we are called to do. That’s how we grow in virtue and regain what we have lost through sin. Will our intellect be perfect again? No, not until Heaven. But we have to be vigilant about temptation because the devil is always out there and waiting. While you are pious by being here in church, he’s outside doing pushups and chin-ups. He’s waiting for us. Right now, he may be wondering when Father is going to shut up. And I agree with that. Sometimes I go on longer than usual.

Always be vigilant. And do not ever, ever think, “Oh my God! We are so unpowerful.” when we have the greatest Power in the world ready to help us. Remember, in the face of temptation, the first thing we should do is run away from it. Don’t walk into a mine field if you don’t have to. The second thing to do is retrace your steps and get the heck out of there. And the final and most important step is to pray.

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 facebook.com/ola.catholic.church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – February 26, 2023 – “Writing Checks Does Not Change Hearts”

“Writing Checks Does Not Change Hearts”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

February 25 – 26, 2023

Gospel:   Matthew 4:1-11

Remember when reading scripture, you must consider the culture.  Forty days and forty nights in Hebrew means a long time.  They used hyperbole.   Just last week a minister took Jesus at His word literally, and he fasted for forty days and forty nights.  He didn’t even come close to forty days before he died.   “Jesus will save me from having no food and no water.”   Not from being stupid He won’t.   Jesus prepared Himself for His public ministry by going a long time without food or water.   Forty days may not be accurate, but then again, He is God.  So, there is that to consider.  

The temptations of Christ all lead, in their own way, to what He came here to do . . . to suffer, die, and open the gates of Heaven for us if we imitate Him.  If we want to be with Him, we have to imitate Him.  The temptations of Christ are the same temptations we will face.   He endured everything as we do because He was true man but without sin.  We will have those same temptations.   “People are bad because they don’t have stuff.”   That’s not true.  How about that murderer in South Carolina.  He was a rich man and brilliant.  You can’t get through law school on your looks.   He had money, so what happened to him?  How many millionaires wind up in prison?  A lot.  If you do something stupid and get caught, that’s what happens.  “People need a computer.”   Not so much a computer anymore because that’s old school.  They need an iPhone, iPad, or whatever.  But it’s not a lack of stuff that makes us sinful.  It’s willfully turning our backs on Christ.   Is everyone at Felon University (a prison) there because they didn’t have access to an Android cell phone?  No.  They are there because they chose to be evil.  Being poor doesn’t cause you to be bad.  Not having the latest Android phone won’t cause you to rob a bank or inhale cocaine.  Those are self-inflicted wounds.   You are choosing something instead of Someone.  Our faith is centered around a Person and in a Person – Jesus Christ. 

Almsgiving covers a multitude of sins but after the almsgiving you must have Jesus.  You cannot make people better by simply writing checks.  Look at the Church which has become Church, Inc.  Recently, I received a nice brochure from the Office of Planned Giving.   It said, “Father, talk to your people.  Encourage them when they die to leave their estates to the Church and the Foundation of the Diocese in Charlotte.  Are you kidding me?   All this money we send them is for the magnificent buildings and tons of staff they have.  “Oh, we all work for the poor.”   Ah, have you been to Albemarle?  We are poor.   “Can you leave us some money for the DSA, priest retirement, and administrative expenses?”   Really?  I’d be better off working with Tony Soprano.  At least there I’d get some protection if I paid Tony 10%. 

The second temptation of Christ was to throw Himself down and have the angels support Him.  Religion is not a show.   “Give them a show and they will come.”   Remember Herod?   Jesus came to him and said, “Herod, what. . . no show?  Nothing?”  We want a show even at Mass.  “We come to Mass, and it’s the same boring stuff.”  How you can call Christ boring is beyond me and is kind of blasphemous. I was about to have Mass in Statesville when somebody came up to me and said, “Father, we can’t start Mass.  We don’t have a reader.”  It will be alright; I’ve been doing this a long time.  “But we need someone.”   I’ve got this.  It’s not a big problem.  “Father, we have no music.”   That’s alright . . .they didn’t have a band at the Last Supper either.   And I’m pretty sure there also wasn’t one at Calvary.  You’ve got me and the elements.  That’s all we need.  If you go to other churches, they sing six verses of songs.  I believe that’s sinful because Church Law says that music should not interfere with the progress of the Mass.  I offer Mass at Felon University (the prison), hospitals, and nursing homes and there is no music, and nobody sings.   Although at the hospital I get some pretty odd reactions.   I was saying Mass one day and this one guy said, “Father, so-and-so said I could be a priest.”   Another said, “I’m a saint.”  Well, not yet but you are headed toward it.  The first step to sainthood is death.  When I say Mass in nursing homes, they fall asleep . . . just like you.   So, I’m used to it.

We all want a show.   Instead of focusing on the Blessed Sacrament, we focus on the process and who does what.  Some of the guidance I’ve received is silly.   “People must take their proper role at the Mass.”  Well, we have people, and we have Christ.  Perfect.  That’s all we need.  There is nothing else.  We cannot give greater meaning to Christ.  Whether it is holding your hands up during the Our Father (a priestly gesture and should not be done) or joining hands, it is all made up stuff.    It doesn’t make anything more meaningful.  You cannot put more meaning into Christ.  We can only receive Him with greater love through the Sacraments, prayer, and mortification.  The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not a show – it’s an act of love.            

We need to talk to everyone and be part of the political system.”  No, you don’t.   Everything can become political fodder.  For example, I’m curious about why the Vatican has a representative at the United Nations, and I’d like to ask a few questions.  “Excuse me.  How much does that cost?  Who pays for that?”   If you are so concerned for the poor, knock it off.  I don’t know if you have heard about it, but these days we have something called email.  So, I think we can get the message out.  We don’t need someone physically present in a dress to talk to people who don’t care for them.  How many converts are you getting there, Bishop?  Are you getting as many as Saint Theresa by tending to lepers in their disgusting condition?  They don’t smell like they do on television.  Ask any nurse.  There’s not enough Lysol to cover that smell. 

“We are called to be holy.  By being holy, we can change things.  We don’t change people by creating more laws.  We have more laws than we know what to do with.  It’s not that we have bad laws.  We have laws we cannot enforce.  I love reading the sheriff’s blog in the newspaper.  “Felon caught with a gun.”  Don’t you think they know they’re not supposed to have a gun?   I don’t think they bought it legally at Walmart.  Shocking!   Don’t you think they know that possession with intent and a laundry list of other crimes is bad?  “Oh!  I didn’t know selling heroin was bad.”   Public schools!   We don’t change laws – we change hearts.  We change hearts by Christ and not by someone with a badge and a gun.   

It’s not about a show.  It’s not about political power.  It’s about the power of Christ.  You do not change society by changing laws.  We have more laws than we can possibly enforce and too many for lawyers to remember.  But we can change society by first changing our hearts and then changing the hearts of others.  True power in this world is not gained by holding a political office.  It comes by having Christ in our souls and being holy.  Then we can change things because we are changed.  We bring that agent of change which is Christ to others.  When our own hearts are changed, then we can influence others.   We change hearts that way and not by changing laws.  It can be very difficult when we try to do the right thing, and sometimes people won’t appreciate us.  That’s okay.  They didn’t appreciate Christ either.  But you are “worthy to suffer for the name.”   And just as they tempted Christ, they will tempt us.  When you are tempted, say, “Hey, I must be doing okay because I’m being tempted like Christ was.  Jesus came to change hearts.  He did not create one piece of legislation.  He did not call for conferences or senates.  He called us to holiness and communion with Him.  To walk with Him, to be one with Him and, especially during this season of Lent, to be one with Him on the Cross. 

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 facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – February 19, 2023 – “Did I Say I Hate Fish?”

“Did I Say I Hate Fish?”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

February 18 – 19, 2023

Gospel:   Matthew 5:38-48

On Wednesday, we begin the season of Lent.  Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation.  It’s a “good to do” and not a “must do.”  Ashes will be given only at 8:30 am and 6:30 pm.  There will be no “drive-thru” ashes or “ashes to go” given.   Also, you cannot drive into the parking lot, beep the horn, and expect to receive ashes.  There are some places that actually do that.  It’s a Sacramental just like Holy Water and not mandatory.  We’d love for you to come to Mass to begin the season of Lent.  On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday there is a “black fast” for those younger than 59 (I’m 69) which means you cannot eat between meals, and you can have only one full meal for the day considering your medical circumstances of course.  Nobody can eat meat on Ash Wednesday and on Holy Fridays during Lent.  You don’t have to eat fish although I do.  Did I tell you I that I hate fish?  On Fridays, we will have Lenten dinners which will be followed by Stations of the Cross. 

Lent is a season of penance, and we are supposed to do works of penance or self-punishment to atone for our sins and the sins of others.  The season of Lent is not a “self-help” season.  “Oh, I resolve to eat better.”  You are supposed to eat well.  It falls under the Fifth Commandment, so it is not a penance.  You are doing your body a favor.  We are supposed to do something that disciplines the will, restrains our pride, and rids ourselves of the obsession of self so that we can love better.  There must be a sacrifice.  For me, that would be eating fish because I hate fish!   Get the theme here?  I hate fish!  There has to be some kind of degradation.  When we sin, we tell God, “No.  I’m not going to do that. No! No! No!”   So, we step away from God.  When we do penance, we are taking a step back toward God.  Some of us may be over-achievers, like those of us who were at Fort Bragg, and have taken multiple steps away from God.  Come see me.   If you say, “I’m going to spend extra time in prayer.”   Extra prayers take time away from our other activities.  And so we begin that walk back towards God. 

Now, you don’t have to say, “I’m going to give up a kidney.”  The penance doesn’t have to be huge.  What’s important is how much love you give it with.   It’s not the size of the gift but the love with which it is given.  Doing a little bit of penance with great love is very effective.  What are we doing when we do penance?  We are decreasing our love and fascination with ourselves, even as wonderful as I think I am, and increasing our love for God.  When we love ourselves – and I especially love me – it’s hard to love others.   We need to decrease self-love so that we can increase our love of God.  We must love God first and then we will be able to love others.  We cannot give what we do not have.  Saint John the Baptist said, “He must increase, and I must decrease.”   That’s exactly how we grow in the love of God.  It’s awfully difficult sometimes.  When I drive past a Hardee’s, I just tear up because there’s just something about the smell of bacon.  Last night I had a small discomfort, but for me every discomfort is HUGE because it’s me.  If you buy your lunch at work, don’t.  Deprive yourself of a small meal and give that money to the poor. 

This season of penance is the perfect time for us to make a good Confession.  According to Church law, we are supposed to confess once a year.  It’s also a good time to reach out to others who may have fallen by the wayside and bring them back to the Sacraments and to the Church to rejoin in God’s love.  How do you call someone back to the Church?  I’ll give you a story.  This week I was doing my rounds in the Emergency Department at the VA hospital.  I’m just there for the scare.  When I walk by someone who is on an EKG, the machine goes crazy.  Nervous?  Anyway, I saw two veterans, and one of the guys was very talkative.  He was coming off drugs, and he wanted to get clean.  So, I talked to him for a long time.  The other guy was coming off booze, but he didn’t want much to do with me.  The next couple of days are not going to be pleasant at all for them.  As I was talking to the nurses, I learned that the guy who was coming off the sauce has a behavioral problem.  I said, “Well, he’ll get that fixed here.”   The ER nurses at the VA could top any WWE steel cage match.  Don’t mess with them.  They don’t wear a camera; however, whatever they break the doctors can fix.  So don’t worry about that. 

Anyway, I was talking to the one guy, and he was upset and ashamed.  One of the phrases we use in the military, not those phrases, but a good one that we use is, “We don’t shoot our wounded.”  You are sick and we will take care of you until you are not.  That’s exactly what we tell sinners.   We don’t shoot our wounded here.  The Church wants to reclaim people for Christ and keep them close to the Cross.  The guy was upset so I said to him, “Here is my card.  If you need someone to talk to, give me a call.   A lot of counselors have not been where we’ve been.”  When counselors are working with someone who has PTSD, they’ll say, “Oh, I know it must have been hard over there.”   They don’t have a freaking clue because they weren’t there.  But if a counselor has been there, the veterans will talk to them. 

In the ten years I’ve been handing out my cards, nobody has ever called me.  I’m not upset, but it’s important for me to do that.  It gives people something to hang on to and to give them hope that somebody cares.   We can tell people how great God has been to us and that we do not shoot our wounded although the Catholic Church tends to shoot theirs.  But we will take care of you until you no longer need us.  That’s what we tell people especially those who have fallen away from God because they feel guilty.  Some of the guilt they feel is expressed as anger.  “I don’t need this!”  Then why are you so angry?     

It is important for all of us to go out and search for stray and lost sheep.  What are the signs of sin?  Guilt, shame, fear, and remorse.   The one that keeps people away is fear.  Tell them that we don’t shoot our wounded.  The sad part about the two veterans I met in the ER that day is that I don’t know if either of them will get clean or sober.  Because they feel better for a few days, a lot of people check themselves out against medical advice and try the drugs or booze again.  That’s why we must stay close and remember our frailties.  As Saint Therese of Lisieux said, “When I am small, I am safe.”   Instead, we think, “I’m the smartest bear in Jellystone Park.  I can do this all by myself.  I’m good.”   However, our Lord said to be perfect.  Good is not good enough. 

Lent is a wonderful time for us to help ourselves to love even more.  When we love more, we will be happier.  Remember the apostles who had the you-know-what beat out of them in prison?  They left prison and rejoiced for they were found worthy to suffer for the name.  So, when we give up these small things in our lives, we should be happier.  I still hate fish. . .did I tell you that?   But I’m happy because I eat it for Christ and the love of others.  As Saint Paul says, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for Your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24).

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 facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – February 12, 2023 – “Maximizing the Minimum”

“Maximizing the Minimum”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

February 11 – 12, 2023

Gospel:   Matthew 5:17-37

I have known you all for a long time, and I am willing to bet that I could ask anyone in this congregation to stand and recite all Ten Commandments.  I believe you could do that.  However, memorizing them is easy but keeping them is quite another matter.  The Ten Commandments are like the “I will obeys.”  But they are more than just ten sentences.  As our Lord tells us in the Gospels, they go a little deeper than that.  If you look at the Baltimore Catechism which is the one I used growing up in Catholic school, the Commandments are more than “Thou shall not” do this and “Thou shall not” do that.  Our Lord expanded on this in the Gospels.  There are things you shouldn’t do but there are also things you should do.  We use the Commandments as a yardstick to measure our sanctity and how close we are drawing to our Lord.  And that’s a very good beginning.  But it’s not the end in the walk of sanctity. 

Ash Wednesday is next week.  If you say, “I’m going to eat better,” well eating better is not a penance . . . except for me, but anyway.  It’s actually part of the Fifth Commandment.  If something is covered by a Commandment, it’s not a penance.  Sometimes we think those are the standards we have to live by.   A priest who I’m familiar with said, “I said the Divine Office and also the Rosary.  Oh my God, I’ve done so much!”  Really Father?  You need a break and a raise!  Come down from the cross, Father; we need the wood.  Priests have been given much and therefore are responsible for more.  You’ve done what you were supposed to do.  “Father, I’ve been a good Catholic – I haven’t robbed a bank.”  You are not supposed to!  I didn’t see that anywhere in the Commandments!  We tend to maximize the minimum.   We say, “Hey, I’m a good person.”  By the way, that statement is not found in Scripture.  “I keep the Commandments.”  What does scripture tell us?  Saint Luke’s Gospel, Chapter 17, Verse 10 says: “I am a useless servant.  I have only done what I’ve been told to do.”   We are no better than the servants because we’ve done only what we’ve been told to do. 

This is not to denigrate the Commandments.  The Commandments are good because they are directions from our Lord.  They teach us how to love.  They are like the New Jersey barriers on the highway.  Jesus said that they are not works of justice.   People get upset and say, “Oh, the Commandments are about judgement!”   No, they’re not.  What’s wrong with you?  What have you done?  When people start yelling at the Church, I always wonder what they have done.  If you’ve done something really wrong and your conscience is hurting, come see me.  I can fix that.  Keeping the Commandments are works of love.  That’s what our Lord said: “If you love Me, keep my Commandments.” Don’t rewrite them.  And don’t say they need to be updated.   “Keep My Commandments through works of love.  Renounce your very self and follow Me in whatever way I need you, in whatever vocation I need you, in whatever path I need you, and in whatever cross I ask you to carry.  Resign yourself to My will and become with Me a co-redeemer for the salvation of souls”. 

Our Lord said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  There are more than ten by the way.  They not only teach us but help us to prepare our souls to go further in God’s love.  Remember our Lord and the rich young man?   He approached the Lord and asked, “Lord, what must I do to inherit everlasting life?”   Our Lord said, “Keep My Commandments.”  The young man said, “I have kept Commandments since my youth.”  And our Lord looked at him with great love and said, “Sell everything you have or give it to the poor and follow Me.”  The young man went away saddened because he had many possessions.  The greatest possession he had and was unwilling to give was himself.  

That’s what the Commandments train us to do.   They ask us to renounce ourselves.  So that, as Saint Paul says, “we can become co-redemptorists for the salvation of souls.”  To accept from His hand, lovingly and not always happily, whatever vocation He has asked to us to do in a time or place.  To accept any cross He asks us to carry for ourselves or those others have imposed upon us.  To be like Him for the salvation of souls.  This is what the Commandments train us to do.  The works of love He asks us to do lead us to the renunciation of self.   “You know better what is good for my salvation, the salvation of those I love, and the salvation of the world, so I resign myself to You.”  When you resign yourself to the good Lord, a couple of things are important to know.  First, you don’t have to understand everything.  Who knows the mind of the Lord or His counsellor?   We don’t know.  And the most important part for us because of our fallen intellect and will is that we don’t have to like it.  When I was sick that month with Covid, I tried to come over to the church to walk while saying my prayers.  That didn’t work out so well.  I may have made it around the church once or twice and decided to sit down for a while.  I felt worse than I looked.  When I finally went back to work at the VA, one of the nurses in hospice said, “Father, you don’t look good.”  You ought to be inside!   Some friends of mine wouldn’t bring the drug cart down when I needed it.  Come on!  I’m hurting here!  Did I like the suffering I was going through?  No.  Did I enjoy it?  No.  Did anyone around me enjoy it?  Heck no!   I was only spreading the joy.  Did I accept it for the suffering of souls?  Yes.  I offered it up to Christ for my sins and for the salvation of souls.  I did not like it but it was necessary.  It was a good lesson in the virtue of humility. 

Keeping the Commandments is only the first phase of love, but they lead us to the last one which is renunciation of self.  Know what the hardest thing to do in the religious life of priests?  “The vow of poverty?”  No, not really.  That’s nothing.  It is doing the will of another rather than your own.  The hardest vow I took at ordination is obedience.  And that’s true not only for me but for all of us.  Anyone who has been in the service will tell you that we put people through arduous tasks.  “I cannot do it First Sergeant!”   You will with proper boot therapy.  Boot or Kiwi therapy is a great motivator.  We know you can do it.  Our doctors are not stupid.  You don’t want to do it.  We are just checking your heart. 

The only thing hard about the spiritual life is what sits on top of our shoulders.  It’s the greatest source for temptation.  Our Lord does not give us impossible tasks.   He checks our hearts for how much we love Him.  That’s what He asks: ”How much do you love Me?”   Say to any hero or heroine, “You did great!”   And they will say, “No.  I’m just one of the herd. This is what I do.”   They do it out of love.  That is what our Lord is asking from us.  Keep the Commandments.  Keep these works of love.  They are guides and training aids so that we may come to fuller and greater love, renounce ourselves, and accept our crosses and our ordinations.  They help us become what we were meant to become . . . co-redeemers with Christ.  And when God asks us to do something, if we love Him we will say, “Whatever Your will Lord.  Let Your will be done rather than mine.”

Father’s Reflections . . .

A part of my past life comes back to haunt me from time to time.  When you are listening to newscasters and so-called experts about international events like our latest balloon festival…I don’t believe them.  The military commentators should begin with “Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away.”  I went to the same charm school as the military commentators.  They tell you nothing because they can’t.  Everything they would tell you is classified, and classifications have at least a 50-year life span.  So, everything you hear is basically fertilizer.  They aren’t telling you anything that’s not public knowledge.

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 facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – February 5, 2023 – “We Are in Combat”

“We Are in Combat”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

February 4 – 5, 2023

Gospel:   Matthew 5:13-16

13 ‘You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people’s feet.  14 ‘You are light for the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden.  15 No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house.  16 In the same way your light must shine in people’s sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven.

When I was overseas, every day felt like Ground Hog Day.   I was the Catholic priest for the Logistical Command and the area around it.  It was a large area.  We were in the rear with the gear.  A couple of times a w eek, I would do a daytrip up to the war front.  I had to drive up there, do my thing, and drive back.  So don’t complain to me about your commute to Charlotte.  Anyway, I was in my office and a soldier walked in.  He was rather filthy as most soldiers are.  The soldier said, “I was told to report to the chaplain.”  Well, you found him.  Good for you!  Come on in and let’s have a chat.  So, he was telling me about what had happened.  He was infantry, and he and his friends had to take care of business up in the north.  He was upset that he had been sent back to be a convoy guard.  He wanted to stay with his buddies.   I told him that I would feel the same way.  But they want one of the best to be one of their guards.  They are driving around and trying to avoid IED’s and all sorts of other nasty stuff on the road.  They want one of the best to keep an eye out for them so that they can go home too when this is all over.   The soldier said, “Yeah, okay . . . sir.”   I asked him how long he would be here, and he said three days.   Okay . . .for the next three days, I want you to sleep, get some ice cream and pizza, see a movie, and go to the pool.  And those are not suggestions.  “Yes sir.”  Before you leave come back to see me.  Three days later, the soldier came back to see me, and he looked totally different. . .so much better.  I asked him if he was ready to go back, and he said, “Yes, sir.”  I told him he had done a good job and to keep his eyes open so we could all make it home.  The soldiers said, “Yes, sir” and thanked me for talking to him.  The change in him was phenomenal.  A smart officer where he had been saw that this soldier had combat stress or fatigue and sent him back to the rear.   A classic way to deal with combat stress is to take three days of rest and refresh (R & R) and go back.   He would have less problems in theater, be able to keep his mind in the game, and have less problems when he returned home.   The Army would take soldiers out of the field so that they could rest.  No matter how hard we trained them, they had to come out of the game to rest. 

We are all in combat.  We are fighting the devil constantly.  We all need to take time out for our ourselves and to pray.  That’s the most important thing.   Jesus took His disciples aside and said, “Come away and pray.”  We all need time to be alone with our Lord.  We pray to refresh.  The priest who preached at my first Mass said, “You will spend more time on your toes like a boxer, if you spend more time on your knees.”  You cannot give what you do not have.”   Mother Teresa’s sisters, who I had the pleasure of working with in Guantanimo Bay, spent at least two hours a day in prayer plus Mass.   That’s how you keep your Savior near.   It’s how people will see Christ in you.  “Well, I work on Sundays.”  “If I do a good deed on Sunday, do i still have to go to Mass?”   If you are on your way to Mass and get called to an emergency, you have an excuse.  But you cannot use that excuse every week.  And I’m sure that people don’t have a health crisis every Saturday at 5:00 and Sunday at 9:30 and 12:15.  No.  “Well, I watch Mass on television.”  Well, I watch cooking shows on television and I’m still hungry.  I watch golf shows on television and I still stink at the game.  

During marriage preparation, I give couples the key to a happy marriage.  “What’s that, Father?”  Pray the Rosary together each night before you go to bed.  I didn’t get that on my own. . .I’m not that holy or bright.  I got it from Bishop Sheen.   I also advise couples to practice their faith.  When couples come to me with marital problems, the first question I ask is, “Do you pray together?”   “Do you go to church together?”   Yeah, that’s the same reaction I get.  You are carrying a cross that is heavy, and you can become weary.   We think we are a lot tougher than we really are.    

All of us have our crosses, and we all get weary.  We need to spend time in prayer. . .lots and lots of time.  Your work is not your prayer.  Believe it or not, I have a degree in Philosophy.   I learned in Philosophy 101 that work is not a prayer.  Know why?  They are different words with different letters.  Work is not prayer.   Work is a vocation.  Work can be part of your prayer life, but prayer is different.  Prayer is an act of love.  Work is an act of love too, but it’s different.   I know a priest who once said, “My work is my prayer.”   Well, say goodbye to your vocation.  I cannot give what I do not have, so I need to spend a lot of time in prayer. 

We look for comfort in things that are not of God.  Maybe it’s in a bottle, a pill, people, places, or things.   It is important to spend time in prayer.   I don’t care how busy we think we are or how important.  One day I’m going to be heavy into real estate in a tiny house and another priest will be here.  I won’t be cold in my grave, and another priest will be here to take my place. 

Husbands, wives, mothers, and fathers take the crosses of everyone upon them besides their own.  It’s called transference.  In Scripture, when our Lord healed what did He do?  He sighed and groaned as He took their pain upon Himself.  You see the pain of everyone and their sins there on the Cross.  You do that with your family and friends.  You do that with the crosses people place upon you.  This is why prayer is so necessary.  It’s why the Sacraments are so necessary.  We cannot do it by ourselves.  We will fall and we will destroy ourselves.   You must take the time, and that time is the best investment in yourself and those you love.  It’s how you keep your edge.  It’s how people will see Christ’s light in you.  And by taking that time out, you will keep the flame alive.   

We are the salt of the earth, and we can lose our Savior very quickly.  Sometimes it happens slowly and more quickly at other times.  That time away in prayer is so important.  Never minimize it.  Never say, “I have to go to work.”   If you pray and become holy, your work will go much better and faster.  So, tune out all the distractions to pray and to be alone with God.

Father’s Reflections. . .

I heard from reliable sources, and I have authenticated the message, that next Sunday is the Super Bowl.  I’m thrilled about it. . . actually, I don’t care.  I don’t want to watch millionaires play for millions of dollars.  That really doesn’t excite me.  “These guys are great!  They are stars!”  Really?  If you were not at Terri Campbell’s funeral yesterday and you didn’t talk to the family, you wouldn’t know that Terri’s brother-in-law was a hero in the true sense of the word.  Now you probably wouldn’t give this guy a second look.  He has white hair and is beginning to get a stoop.  But he was an F-4 fighter pilot in Vietnam.  That alone is quite impressive.  However, he was shot down over Vietnam and spent six years in the Hanoi Hilton.  There is a real hero. 

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 facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – January 29, 2023 – You May Be Canceled

“You May Be Canceled”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 28-29, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 5:1-12

1 Seeing the crowds, He went onto the mountain. And when He was seated His disciples came to Him.  2 Then He began to speak. This is what He taught them:  3 How blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 4 Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth as inheritance. 5 Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness: they shall have their fill. 7 Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be recognised as children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11 ‘Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account.  12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.

I love our good Lord’s Sermon on the Mount.  The interesting part for priests is that our Lord spoke eight sentences and only seven from the Cross.  Multitudes heard Him from the mountain side.  He didn’t have a microphone, but He sat down and talked to them in eight sentences.  It’s a textbook for preaching.  Our Lord gave the fruits of holiness.  If you live a holy life, you will be blessed, and the Kingdom of Heaven will be yours. 

Our Lord spoke about virtues, and if you have these virtues, you are blessed.  There are two kinds of virtues:  acquired or habitual and infused virtues.  Acquired virtues you receive by doing.  There are three types of infused virtues:  faith, hope, and charity.  They are infused because you receive them in the Sacraments.   Infused virtues become operative when you cooperate with them.  It’s just like some of the medicine we take.  I have a pill that I take 30 minutes before I eat.  But if I don’t wait 30 minutes and eat right after taking the pill, the medicine doesn’t work and does me no good.  I have to cooperate with the medicine in order to benefit from its good effects.   It’s the same thing with the grace in your soul.  You have to cooperate by doing the right thing, staying away from sin, and doing acts of virtue.  When you do acts of virtue by prayer, mortification, and corporal/spiritual works of mercy, you acquire these virtues as long as you don’t lose them by sinning.  The virtues come with a blessing. . .a promise of divine favor.  And that’s pretty wonderful.  “Hey, this is cool. . . I’ve got a road map, and I’m going to make it.”  Well, yes and no.  Yes, you will make it.  But one of the blessings we receive is not really one that we want.  What is one of the blessings we will receive?  We will be crucified with Him because this world does not accept a life of virtue.  As much as the world doesn’t want to hear His message, they don’t want to hear ours. 

We are in a gradual degradation of Christianity, and it’s called the “woke” culture.  “How do you identify, Mr. Fitzgibbons?”  Really?  My father isn’t here, but you can call me “Father.”  That’s how I identify.  My personal pronouns are “Father,” but “Monsignor” is my personal favorite.   If the “woke” culture doesn’t like you, they will try to cancel you.  It’s all threats.  It’s all evil.  And they aren’t very good at it.  They will try to intimidate you.  The people I used to work with went to places where we almost had our birth certificates canceled.  That’s very different from getting your feelings hurt.  Do you know why the woke culture is evil?  “Oh, it’s justice!”  No, it’s not. . .it’s evil because of the belligerence.  It’s like a drunk:   “I only drink because you treat me terribly!”   No, you drink because you want to; don’t give me that line.  They put the blame on somebody else because they know deep down inside that they are living against moral law.  That’s why they are so belligerent, evil, and mean to everyone.   “You all have to conform.  If everybody would just conform, they would be happy.”   That’s not true.  They will crucify you in the name of goodness, righteousness, and justice.  It has been the same since the beginning.  Look at our Lord’s cousin, John the Baptist.  What happened to him?   He was beheaded because he told Herod, “You cannot live with your brother’s wife.”  

The world does not like truth.  What is truth?  Truth is not a “what.”  Truth is a “Who.”   Truth is Jesus.  Pilot looked at our good Lord and asked, “What is truth?”  He got it wrong.  “Who is truth” would have been a better question.  The Truth was right in front of him.  The Truth resides in the Most Blessed Sacrament and in our souls when we partake of the Sacraments and as long as we don’t commit mortal sin or repeated venial sin. 

We try to live a life of holiness because of God’s promised rewards.   One of the rewards is to suffer with Him.  He cried over Jerusalem because they did not accept Him.  Remember Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa)?   Everybody loved her because she took care of the sick.   So what?  Bad people are good to the sick.  The Nazis took care of their own sick during World War II.   But Saint Teresa did it with Christ’s love, and she taught the Catholic message.  You cannot call it “Christian Ministries” anymore, because with 50,000 branches of Christianity, they all have different moral standards.  I still remember that day on television when Mother Teresa came to the United States and met with the most powerful man in the world, President Bill Clinton, his wife, and Vice-President Al Gore and his wife.  What a nice, cute photo op with Mother Teresa wearing her habit.  But this 4-foot-nothing woman started lecturing them about abortion and wagging her finger.   Now, every man knows when that finger starts wagging, nothing good happens after that.   Mother Teresa said, “If you don’t want your babies, give them to me.”  You never hear that incident talked about anymore, do you?  The “woke” culture canceled her.  She was a cute little woman, and that’s all the world remembers. 

When you try to live a life of virtue in your ordinary vocations, it will be obvious to others.  And you will be persecuted just like Christ was.  “They don’t like me on Facebook!”  You know what?  I’m not on Facebook, and I sleep very well at night.  Social media is a disease.  If you are so dependent on electronics to make you feel good, you need to see someone professionally.  The one Person you need to make feel good is the One who resides in the Blessed Sacrament.  That’s the only Person who needs to feel good.  With Him, we can stand anything.  So be stout-hearted.  Do not be afraid of a life of virtue.  It’s far easier than you think.  The devil always tempts us by saying that the virtuous life is hard and no fun; both of which are lies.  Remember when you are suffering by following a virtuous life, your suffering is with Christ.  Be glad and rejoice.  Your reward in Heaven is kept safe with Him.

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 facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – January 22, 2023 – “God’s Rottweiler”

“God’s Rottweiler”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 21-22, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 4:12-23

This past week we had the funeral of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.  He was a great teacher even though he was highly educated.  He was a wonderful scholar – not because he earned advanced degrees – but because he could pass along his knowledge and, more importantly, he could share the Faith.   Many educated people cannot take what is in their heads and share it effectively.  They were educated beyond their abilities.

One of the things I really loved about Pope Benedict was his great humility.  He didn’t want to be pope.  He would have been happy to remain a priest and scholar.   I recommend any of his books to you.  You don’t need graduate or post-graduate degrees to understand his writings.  You don’t have to sit there with Google – I would say the dictionary, but that’s so passé – to understand what he said.   My evil twin had two doctorates. . .show-off!  He wrote a textbook on wastewater management.  Now, I’m not a total idiot; I did go to school.  So, I decided to take a look at the textbook.  I couldn’t get past the introduction and first paragraph.  Well, that was fun!  I’m done. 

One of the names given to Pope Benedict when he was a cardinal and Prefect of Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was God’s Rottweiler.  He didn’t like the name, but I do because I love dogs.  His Holiness was a Rottweiler in the very best sense of the word.  He protected those he loved.  He protected them by teaching them what was true and how to achieve salvation.  He also protected them by pointing out the mine fields.  “Don’t listen to that person. . .their words sound believable but are not.”   “I have a map, and this is a mine field so don’t step there.”  People called him a doctor of the Faith because he gave people correction.   I don’t like being corrected.  You know who you’re talking to?  I know a guy.  But as any parent knows, they correct their children because they love them. 

Why did God give us dogs?  To love and protect us. . . and to fertilize our neighbors’ lawns.   That is their mission.  I was in hospice one day, and the nurses set me up.  They said a patient had a dog in room 7 and that I should go see it.   So, I knocked on the door and was greeted by the head of a Rottweiler.   When you see something like that, you think this is not going to end well.   But the patient said, “Oh, he’s friendly. He likes people.”  Yeah, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!   But I let him smell my hand and petted him on the head.  Then it was kissy time.  He was a big baby. 

Pope Benedict was a priest, bishop, cardinal, and pope.  A pastor protects the sheep entrusted to his flock.  Jesus said, “When I leave, vicious wolves will come in among you.”  He forecasted it.  Wolves are in the flock.  There are both interior and exterior assaults.  Like those of Father James Martin of the society of Jesus – which is no longer a society of Jesus – no offense.  He says that gay marriage is a Sacrament.  Really?  I wonder what’s going to happen to him – probably nothing. 

Protecting the faith from attacks from the inside and the outside are works of love that aren’t against anybody.  They are corrections to help us achieve our salvation and to protect the Deposit of Faith. . . that precious gift from Christ Himself so that we and generations after us may have it.  Sometimes, when we receive a correction, we get very upset.  That is pride.  “My way is right!  You don’t know what you’re doing!”  Yeah.  Don’t step on that mine field.  James Martin ignored the warning.  “I know what I’m doing!”  Famous last words.  Corrections are to protect and to call back the strays.  Go out and seek what was lost.   First tell them what they need to do to come back to the Truth.  And then help them come back. 

Some people throw around the so-called penalties of the Church.  “Oh, I’m excommunicated.”   No.  Excommunication is only by a formal decree of the Church or by latae sententiae or “automatic” excommunication.  Do the act, and you’re excommunicated.   That form of excommunication can be forgiven through the Sacrament of Penance.  The formal one must go to Rome.  I had a priest tell me once, “Oh, they suspended me.”  I said, “No, they didn’t.  Did you get a letter?”  No.  Then you aren’t suspended.   Another penalty the Church uses is “administrative leave.”   All these penalties are supposed to be medicinal remedies and meant to bring people back.  I was actually awake during Canon Law class.  God is not a punisher.   He is a holy God, and He calls people back.   When the woman was accused of adultery – did He berate her?  No.  Did He berate Peter who denied Him three times?  No.  All the corrections are intended to bring people back to the Sacred Heart and to make His joy and our joy complete.  Why?  Because He is God.   

What Pope Benedict did came at a great cost.  Bishop Sheen said this about Saint Pope Paul XI, “Every night he goes to bed with a crown of thorns because of all the hate mail he receives.”  I am sure this was true for Pope Benedict as well.  His Holiness Pope Benedict sacrificed his life for the love of God and to bring that love to others.  It’s very sad to hear all the ungratefulness and venom coming from people.  What a cross he carried.  You didn’t see the crown of thorns on his head.  You only saw the white skull cap.  You are offering people salvation, and they tell you to stuff it because you don’t know what you’re talking about.  Parents, you know the feeling. 

At the age of 85, Pope Benedict knew it was time to give it up because of his health problems.  He was head of the Church and State, and he just couldn’t keep it up physically.  So, he retired.  Some say, “Well he should have stayed until he died.”   That sounds a lot like civilians . . .their guts and our blood.  I don’t see them volunteering for the job. 

This is why we pray for Pope Benedict.  He suffered so much.  We are never aware of another person’s sufferings.  Only God is aware of them.  Pope Benedict has all the crowns and thorns about his head.  People complain and complain and complain.  “You don’t love me.”  “You have to change this.”  “You have to change that.”  He wore a heavy crown, but he protected his Faith which was his job as a priest, bishop, and especially as supreme confidant.  His job was to care for his flock both from the wolves that seek to savage the flock from the outside and especially the deviants from within.  It is a heavy cross that he wore.   It was a crown of thorns that he never took it off even after he retired. 

This is why we pray for His Holiness.  He was a man who responded to God’s will.  He didn’t want to be pope, but he was.  So, pray for the repose of his soul.  The greater the responsibilities a person has the greater the culpability there is for the sins from within.  So, pray for his soul and ask him to pray for us.

How will you apply this message to your life? ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com 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 facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – January 15, 2023 – “Peace is a Who”

“Peace is a Who”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 14-15, 2023

Gospel:  John 1:29-34

29 The next day, he saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.  30 It was of Him that I said, “Behind me comes one who has passed ahead of me because He existed before me.”  31 I did not know Him myself, and yet my purpose in coming to baptise with water was so that He might be revealed to Israel.’   32 And John declared, ‘I saw the Spirit come down on Him like a dove from  heaven and rest on Him.  33 I did not know Him myself, but He who sent me to baptise with water had said to me,   “The Man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is to baptise with the Holy Spirit.”  34 I have seen and I testify that He is the Chosen One of God.’

This happened to me several times while I was overseas.  The Army had some “guests” we were keeping.  Apparently, they didn’t like our hospitality and began to riot.  So, we sent in the Quick Reaction Force (QRF), and the riot ended rather quickly.  That’s all I can tell you about that.  But peace reigned again.  I like that.  But that’s not the peace our good Lord was talking about.  He didn’t mean sending angels down to do a quick and brutal beat down on people.   He was talking about the peace in our soul.   Peace is not a “what”.  Peace is a “Who.”  Jesus is our peace, and He is a “Who.”  If we want peace, we must have that “Who” inside of us.   This gift of peace is one that the world cannot take away.  “We want peace on Earth!”  Great.  I’m all for that.  I was in an organization that enforced peace, but I’d much rather see people convert to Christ than receive an American bullet. 

If you want peace, let Christ into your souls.  Then you will have peace and a lot of happiness.  That happiness will be deep and abiding.  It will change over time and become deeper.  It will be different, but different is not always bad.  The true way to peace is Christ.  It is not a negotiation.  Negotiations involve conflict and don’t get to the root cause.  The root cause of evil in the world is sin.   “Nobody ever says that!”   Shocking!    The way to peace is Christ. 

In every 12-Step Program, what is the basis for maintaining sobriety or abstinence?   Do participants just “white knuckle” it?   In these programs, there is a phase in which people have a spiritual awakening.  They have something far better.  They have God in their souls, and they no longer want the booze or drugs.  It’s in the literature…check it.  The same is true for us.   Having Christ in our souls is how we get peace. 

Recently, we had a Spanish quinceañera for a 15-year-old girl, and I gave her the secret to happiness.  You all know what the secret to happiness is don’t you?  It is to be holy.  I haven’t done my job in over 18 years if you don’t know that by now.  It is to be holy – that’s what Jesus said, and I tend to remember my boss’ words.  You will have a peace that nobody can take from you.  Look it up.  It’s in the black part of the Book.   He said, “You will have a peace that no one can take from you.”   Our happiness lies in a Person and not in things.  Even rich people get upset – did you know that?   I was the curate at the richest parish in the diocese, and we had people who would get upset even though they had boo-koo cha-ching.  The secret to happiness is having peace in your soul.  And that peace comes with Christ. 

That inner peace – that place where Christ resides in our souls – cannot be removed by any outward occurrence, be it spiritual or temporal.  It can only be removed by us through neglect or unrepentant venial sin and directly by committing mortal sin and throwing Christ out of our souls.  The only thing that can take our peace away is us.  People may challenge our peace, and bad things may happen to us.  We may get Covid.  We may have our cars scratched.  We may get cut off in traffic.  People may give us the one finger salute.   I’ve been here for 18 years, and I haven’t been made a Monsignor yet.  And I’m very hurt.  Saint Teresa of Avila said, “If this is how you treat your friends, Lord, no wonder you have so few.”   Granted, sometimes our peace may be threatened, and we’ll be upset.  But that is  just normal. 

Two by-products of having Christ in our souls is that it gets better and better the closer you grow to Christ.  Your situations will be different that’s true.  You’ll be older, maybe not as good looking, and you may not have as much hair.   Nowadays at the barber shop, I try to convince myself that “I’m too sexy for my hair.”  But whether it’s by scissor or by time, I’m losing mine.   Your happiness will increase as your love for Christ and His presence in your soul increases.  You will find that you will have more energy because you won’t be distracted by fighting all those other things. 

The second by-product of having Christ in your soul is that you will have more friends.  You’ll have more people who want to be around you and not because of the things you bake or cook although I appreciate that as your pastor.  People will like being around you.  They may not be able to define it, but there is something about you that they like being around.  They feel wonderful while they are with you and as they leave.  You will bring Christ to them.  Look at Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Saint John Paul II.   People wanted to be around them – not to ask questions or ask for favors – but just to be with them.  Why?  Because of He who was inside their souls.  And He who was inside them can also be inside us.  This is the peace our Lord has come to offer us.  Whether we take it or not is up to 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” then “Menu” and then “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church Facebook page at facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – January 8, 2023 – “The Little Church”

“The Little Church”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 7-8, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 3:13-17

13 Then Jesus appeared: He came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John.  14 John tried to dissuade Him, with the words, ‘It is I who need baptism from You, and yet You come to me!’ 15 But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that uprightness demands.’ Then John gave in to Him.  16 And when Jesus had been baptised He at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and He saw the Spirit of God  descending like a dove and coming down on Him.  17 And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on Him.’

Today is the Epiphany which is a Greek word that means manifestation and revelation.  There are many of them in Scripture.  Next week we will commemorate another epiphany – the baptism of our Good Lord.   Today is also called the “Little Christmas” because this is when gifts were given to Christ.  It is also a day in which people start taking down their Christmas decorations although some people probably have already taken them down.  The Sacristans will soon remove the Manger, but the poinsettias will stay for a while until they start dropping petals which really drives me nuts.  But it’s sad when they take all that stuff away, especially the Manger or the creche because it calls to mind a lot of things.   However, the highest act of love did not happen on Christmas.  It happened at His Passion, death, and resurrection.  And that is why He came. 

Church is a “what” but it is also a “Who.”   Remember in the Book of Acts, Christ said, “Paul, why are you persecuting Me?”   He didn’t say, “Paul, why are you persecuting the people who tithe and who helped build the buildings.”   He said, “Why are you persecuting Me?”   The Church is Christ.   Therefore, the Manger is the “Little Church.”   By the way, according to Scripture, the family lived in a house. They were not poor – they had a house.  The Manger scene is visible scripture and visible theology.  Because Christ is present, it is Christology (the study of Who Christ is).   Because the Manger is the Little Church, it is also Ecclesiology (the study of what the Church is).  It teaches us about the Church. 

More is revealed through the gifts given by the Magi (the wise men and kings from the East).  They gave Him gold because He is king.  They gave Him frankincense because He is God.  Remember the Jews used incense at the altar in the temple.  In Revelation, incense is present before the throne of God.  So, using incense is scriptural.  I use it sparingly and not like in a military gas chamber.  But if you have a cold, get near the incense and it will clear you right up.  Incense portrays that our Lord is visibly present.  And finally, the Magi gave our Lord myrrh, a burial spice, because of why He came. 

Who do you find around Jesus?  They were all gathered around and looking at Jesus.  They weren’t talking about the latest political scandals.  They prostrated themselves…they didn’t stand and pray… they prostrated themselves as you do before God.  Their faces were in the dirt.  But who was there?  You find the pure – the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph who are pure of heart.  You find the simple – the shepherds who knew they were ignorant and knew nothing.  They were humble and followed God’s directions like Saint Joseph did.  And you find the wise men who were astrologers and kings from the East.  They were truly educated.  What is the best fruit of an education?  Is it having a bunch of initials after your name?  Is it having a Mensa card in your wallet?  The best fruit of an education is realizing that you don’t know everything.  Even with everything you have learned in the past, there is so much more to learn.   You have just scratched the surface.  The more you learn the more you realize how ignorant you are.   The wise men realized how ignorant they were, and that’s why they came.  They came to be in the presence of Christ.  And that is who you will always find around Christ – the holy, the simple, and the wise.

The Manger is the Church, and it is a beautiful thing to have in your home. Everything is right there in the Manger and very teachable.  So, as you put the Manger scene away for the next 48 weeks or so, remember that you have a beautiful library stashed away.   It is a beautiful meditation on what our Faith is.

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 facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – January 1, 2023 – “Take Care of My Mother, I Remember Your Name”

“Take Care of My Mother, I Remember Your Name”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 1, 2023

Gospel:  Luke 2:16-21

16 So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.  17 When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, 18 and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them. 19 As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.  20 And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.  21 When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

In a few moments we will recite the Nicene Creed which is one of the statements of belief in the Church.  We have many creeds including the Apostles Creed and the Athanasian Creed.   The Nicene Creed was formulated by the Council Fathers, the Bishops, under the leadership of the Pope at the Council of Nicea in the fourth century.  The Nicene Creed was a response to heresy by a priest named Arius who challenged our beliefs.  Arius thought he was brighter than the average bear and that he had knowledge that nobody else had.  So, he, in his exalted wisdom, sought to redefine who Christ is.  He denied the true nature of Christ.  This caused a bloody revolt within the empire.  The Church went through great strife., and there was martyrdom all over the world.  It was terrible.  But that is what evil does.  So, the bishops of the Church gathered in council along with the Holy Father and made a declaration about who Christ is and where He came from.   

Remember, Christ is a person.  He is a “Who.”  He is not an “it” or a “what.”   And that is affirmed in the Nicene Creed.  In philosophy, you learn that a person is a “Who.”  Inside that “who” is a “what” which is their nature.  We have a human nature…some of us just barely.  Animals have an animal nature.  Christ is a “Who” with two “what’s”.   He has a divine nature which is Himself, and He had the human nature He took from the Blessed Mother.   If you watch closely during the Mass, you see that I put one drop of water into the chalice of wine.  The amount of wine and water in the chalice cannot be equal parts.  The drop of water is not to cut the effect of the wine.   It is to symbolize the human nature assumed and lost within the divinity.  And unless I put that drop of water into the chalice of wine, the Mass is invalid because no Precious Blood has been consecrated.  The mixture of wine and water in the chalice must be very precise because it is expressing the theological and ontological real meaning of who Christ is. 

The Blessed Mother is fittingly called the mother of God so that each year God is made visible.  Why is she called the mother of God?  Because that is what scripture said.  The Council Fathers declared that Mary, the Blessed Mother, was the mother of God.  To some, this was a novel idea, but it really wasn’t because members of the Council knew scripture.  And scripture said that Mary was the mother of God.  Mary had just conceived when she went to visit Elizabeth, her kinswoman.  And when Elizabeth said, “Who am I that the mother of our Lord should come unto me,” she was saying that Mary is the mother of God.   Remember, when you read scripture, you have to read it as a First Century Jew coming from a Jewish culture.  “Oh, I studied under so-and-so.”  Do you know how to study the Old Testament?  Study it under a rabbi.  I did.  Then you discover what things really mean.  “Oh, that’s what that means.”  Bingo!  You have to consider the culture. 

First Century Jews would never use our word for “God.”  Even now, the Orthodox leave letters out and use hyphens.  They don’t use the word “God.”   When Mary greeted Elizabeth, the baby, John, leapt in her womb.  Again, you have to read scripture in the original language.  John didn’t “leap in the womb.”  The original word was “danced.”  It’s the same word that David used to describe what King David did before the Arc of the Covenant as the Arc was coming into Jerusalem.   John the Baptist danced before the Arc of the New Covenant.  Mary is referred to as the mother of our Lord throughout scripture.   Mariology is a subset of Christology because if you study Christ, you have to study Mary.  This is why, as Catholics, we have a great devotion to our Lady.  “Oh, but we don’t want to neglect Christ.”  I’m the wrong ethnicity, I’m French Canadian, but there’s a great Italian phrase that I love to repeat, “Hey Father, you take care of my mother, I remember your name.”

In praising the mother of God, aren’t you also praising Him who is the source and author of all virtue?   However, it was not enough for Mary to be the mother of Christ.  She also had a secondary vocation.  Read the scriptures.  When some people read them, they become like jailhouse lawyers …they read stuff and say, “Oh yeah!  It says this.”   Well, not quite.  Mary is also our mother.   At the wedding in Cana at Galilee, she said, “Son, they have no more wine.”   Any man knows that when a woman says that it’s an implied task and you better get to work and fix it.  She stated the problem and now it’s your problem.  Fix it.  Yes, Mom.  Yes, Dear.  What did Christ say?   The English translation is not a good one.  He didn’t call her “mother.”  He said, “Woman what are thee to me?”   This sounds very harsh.  Say that to your mother and let me know how it works for you.   Not well I bet.   Even saying that to Bea Morton would result in a less than optimal outcome.  There would be a lot of tears and crying on your part.   But that was the beginning of Mary’s second vocation as our Lord began His ministry which was fulfilled three years later at the foot of the Cross.   “Son, behold your mother. Woman, behold your son.”   He said “woman” and not “mother.”  She was to be the spiritual mother of all men.    Christ works through her.  Christ works through her to become present in this world.  He works through her to open the gates of Heaven and help us with our salvation.   Remember the words of Saint Bernard:

Remember, Oh gracious Sweet Virgin Mary, never has it been heard that you left unaided anyone who ran to you for protection, implored your help or sought for your intercessions.  With this inspired confidence I fly to you my mother, Oh Sweet virgin of virgins, I come to you and before you I stand sinful and sorrowful.  Oh Mother of The Word Incarnate, do not despise my petitions but listen, hear and answer them with your utmost love. Amen

Now is that a great prayer?  Darn right.  I say it every morning.  Does it always work?  Um, yes.  However, I’m not a monsignor.  The forecast looks really bleak on that front.  But my prayers are never denied.  I always receive strength, consolation, and affirmation.  It always comes because Mom knows best.  We use that phrase in our physical life how much more so is it true in our spiritual life?  We know the mother of God.  As Teresa Cuthrone might say, “Hey, I know a girl.”

When we pray the Rosary, we pray scripture.   There is nothing contrary or adverse to Christ in that.    Otherwise, she would have dropped out of scripture like Joseph.   She is our mother too and wants to take care of us.  She wants us to be with her Son.  So always ask for help.  Nobody has been sent to hell for asking for intercession.

Father’s Reflections… I had an appointment with my cardiologist on Wednesday.  He said I was fine.   Okay.  But because I’m a cautious man, I kept the receipt. 

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”