Category: Sermon Notes

Transripts of weekly sermons

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Sermon Notes – November 20, 2022 – “You Can Create Your Own Chapter in the ‘Lives of the Saints’”

“You Can Create Your Own Chapter in the ‘Lives of the Saints’”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 November 19-20, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 23:35-43

35 The people stayed there watching. As for the leaders, they jeered at Him with the words, ‘He saved others, let Him save himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’  36 The soldiers mocked Him too, coming up to Him, offering Him vinegar, 37 and saying, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’  38 Above Him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews’.  39 One of the criminals hanging there abused Him: ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well.’  40 But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as He did, 41 but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this Man has done nothing wrong.’ 42 Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’  43 He answered him, ‘In truth I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.’


One of my favorite things to read about is the lives of the saints because it gives me great hope.  The saints cover a wide range and multitude of vocations, lifestyles, and difficulties.  That gives me hope that someday I also might be a saint.   I was reading about one this week.  During World War II, a bomber pilot was flying a mission over Italy and was about to release his bomb when he saw a flying monk – not the flying nun – at 17,000 feet in the air.  The monk was pointing at something.  The boom window opened, and the bombs dropped but not where they were supposed to drop.  Later, when the pilot did his after-action report, he told the commanding general what happened.  The general said, “That’s nice.”  The pilot was put in the Army’s “nut hut” for a while.  He’d been on one too many flights.  But other pilots kept seeing the same thing and also missing the target for their bombs.  Finally, an Italian general, an ally, saw the flying monk.  After the war, he went to that tiny Italian town and while he was there looking around, he saw the monk that he had seen while flying at 17,000 feet.  You know who that was?  Padre Pio.  The general, who was Protestant, became Catholic.  Padre Pio was given the gift of bilocation (the ability to be present in more than one place at the same time).   Padre Pio promised his people that the allies would not bomb the town . . . and they didn’t.  Saint Martin de Porres, a Dominican brother from South America, was also given the gift of bilocation.   I had the gift of bilocation, a twin, but that usually just got us into trouble.  Before I’d go home, I would ask my twin brother, Paul, if he had ticked anybody off.  I was getting too old to smack people around.  But there have been all sorts of saints.  They had extraordinary gifts given to them.  Saint Teresa of Avila levitated while in prayer.  Saint Junípero Serra was known as the flying priest.  Saint Therese de Lisieux and Saint Francis of Assisi both saw their guardian angels.  These great gifts were given to the saints, and they are wonderful.  The temptation of the devil is for you to think, “Oh, I can’t be like them.”   Yes, you can.  We have the same means they had to achieve what they did.  They were given all these great graces – the ability to levitate, bilocate, and to fly at 17,000 feet – but they were given to them for the good of others and not as a reward or an “atta boy.”    So how did they achieve those graces that they would bring to others?  Through a life of prayer. 

One of the greatest gifts we have is our gift of suffering.  Our sufferings can be our greatest prayer.  Suffering can be transformative and be conduit of God’s gifts to others like the saints.  And as we gain the gift of old age, we have even more sufferings.  Our minds write checks that our bodies cannot cash. I was talking to a marine the other day was sick and in the hospital.  He didn’t want to ask for help because he believed that demonstrated weakness.  I told him, “No it takes courage to ask for help when you need it.”   When I had Covid, I told myself, “I’m going to say my prayers and say the Rosary while I walk.  I’m going to walk at night in the church and walk before Mass.  That didn’t work well.  It hurt, and I almost passed out several times.  But I rubbed the 101st patch and was determined to do it.  No.  It is not a sign of weakness to accept help.  Covid was my prayer.  Did I sit in my office every day?  No.  I couldn’t concentrate because I hadn’t been sleeping.  That suffering became my prayer. 

The saints suffered too.  They spent a lot of time in prayer.  They experienced a great deal of suffering which, again, can be transformative.  Look at the Good Thief on the cross.  He had a bad life and was sentenced to capital punishment.  Remember, later they broke his legs…not a fun way to go.  Yet he still went to Heaven through his sufferings.  Heaven was once stolen, and it can be stolen again.  God gave the saints great gifts – for others and not for themselves … because God’s love is in us not only to transform us but for the salvation of other souls. . .to transform them to be with Him and to cooperate with Him. 

I miss all the fun I had in the military. . . all the travel, the strange, exotic lands, all the excitement.  There’s nothing like being in 136 degrees and a sandstorm wearing a flak vest and helmet.  Those were the days!  It was very slimming.  But that experience now helps me with my work with veterans because they can talk to me.  I can help them understand.  There is no other priest in the diocese who can do that.  Although they are holy, veterans won’t talk to them unless they have the credentials.  So, your suffering is a good way to open up other souls to you and bring them to God.  No other person can talk to an alcoholic other than a recovering alcoholic, or to a drug addict by a former drug addict.  And the only one who can talk to sinners is a recovered sinner. . .one who is recovering each day by taking up their cross.

The most important thing we can do is to cooperate with God’s Will and allow God to use us through our sufferings, our talents, and our abilities to show His love so that others may come to know our Good Lord working in us.  Whatever field or time of life we may be in, this is our mission.  And it is how we create our own chapter in the lives of the saints.

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”

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Sermon Notes – November 13, 2022 – “You Visit My Mother, I Remember Your Name”

“You Visit My Mother, I Remember Your Name”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 November 12 – 13, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 21:5-19

5 When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, He said, 6 ‘All these things you are staring at now — the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another; everything will be destroyed.’  7 And they put to Him this question, ‘Master,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that it is about to take place?’  8 But He said, ‘Take care not to be deceived, because many will come using My name and saying, “I am the one” and “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them.  9 And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified, for this is something that must happen first, but the end will not come at once.’  10 Then He said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  11 There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines in various places; there will be terrifying events and great signs from Heaven.  12 ‘But before all this happens, you will be seized and persecuted; you will be handed over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and brought before kings and governors for the sake of My name 13 -and that will be your opportunity to bear witness.  14 Make up your minds not to prepare your defense, 15 because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict.  16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death.  17 You will be hated universally on account of My name, 18 but not a hair of your head will be lost.  19 Your perseverance will win you your lives.

I had a baptism on Saturday, and it was interesting because for the Spanish, the Godmother holds the baby.  And this baby was not happy with the godmother.  The baby was crying and pitching a fit and finally the mother had had enough and took the baby.  It was like a light switch and the crying stopped.  Everyone needs their mother. 

When you study scripture, you realize that it does not include a lot of information.  Scripture only includes that which is essential.  It is very concise in the essential information it provides.  It leaves out a lot of great and interesting information that inquiring minds want to know.  But information that is not essential for salvation is left out.   For instance, the last time we hear anything about Saint Joseph is when they found Jesus in the Temple when they were taking Him back to Nazareth.   After that, Saint Joseph disappears from scripture, because he is not essential for the rest of the salvation story.  We didn’t hear about who cleaned up after the Last Supper.  Just like men….make a mess and leave.  When Jesus fed the 5,000, who took the leftover fish?  That is not important in the history of salvation, so it is left out of scripture. What is important are the words of Christ.  They are there for our edification, our example, and our teaching. 

We all have mothers, some of them better than others depending on your perspective.  God, in His loving wisdom, gave us our spiritual mother at the foot of the Cross.  “Son, behold your mother.  Mother, behold your son.”  He gave her to us all.  The importance of the Blessed Mother is reflected in scripture.  “Well, that’s not very ecumenical.”   If you don’t know about the Blessed Mother, you don’t know scripture.   If you have no love for the Blessed Mother, you don’t know scripture.   Where did Saint Luke get the Gospel of Luke?  He wasn’t there when the angel Gabriel showed up now was he?  No.  He had to hear it from Mary.  Those were her words.  In scripture, she is the only human being an archangel called “full of grace.”  Later on in the Gospel of Luke, in her Magnificat, Mary proclaims that “all generations shall call me blessed.”   That’s not a suggestion.  For all those who have been in the military, that is a tasking.   Call her blessed.  In scripture, who interceded for the first miracle?  

Now, people ask me for my prayers, and I do pray for them before and during Mass.  I appreciate your having trust and faith in me as a priest to do that.  But I am a very simple man.  I’m an idiot – just ask the staff.  But who better to intercede for you than the Mother of God?   When I was a young priest, I met this older Italian gentleman up north who said, “Hey, Father you visit my mother, I remember your name.”   Okay.  When you visit a museum and look at a beautiful sunset in a work of art do you think, “Oh, God will get upset because I’m enjoying the beauty of His handiwork.  I am taking away from the glory of God.”  That’s not true.  You are praising God Himself because He is made manifest in His works.  The Blessed Mother was one of His works.  We cannot create our own mother, but God did.   Mothers always watch over you.   When I came back from the Gulf War and was on my way to Korea, I took leave at home.   One day, my mother asked me if I was going out, and I said that I was going to visit some friends from college.  My mother said, “Okay.  Wear your jacket.”    Mom, I’m over 40 and I’m a combat veteran!  But I said, “Yes, Mom.”  Mothers always watch over us, but how much more so than our spiritual mother?  She always wants the best for us.  And what is the best for us?  To be with her Son.  Her last words in scripture are wonderful spiritual direction.  “Do whatever He tells you.”  You can’t get more concise than that now can you.  That is not an implied tasking.  That is an order.   Many of you have probably prayed the great prayer by Saint Bernard:  “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.”   Even though many of us have prayed that prayer, most of us probably didn’t get the answer we wanted.  I’m not a monsignor.  What are we seeking in that prayer?  We want consolation.  Somehow, mom can make everything alright.  I was called out to a house one night to give Last Rites to this woman.  I gave her the Sacrament, and she said, “Father, I have my Rosary right here.”   I said, “That’s great.  Pray it as much as you can.”  Because when the time comes for you to leave this world, Our Lady will come and take you by the hand and lead you to her Son.

How will you apply this message to your life? ______________________________________

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Sermon Notes – October 30, 2022 – “If They Can Do It, So Can We”

“If They Can Do It, So Can We”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 October 29 – 30, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 19:1-10

1 He entered Jericho and was going through the town 2 and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man.  3 He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see Him for the crowd; 4 so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot He looked up and spoke to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.’ 6 And he hurried down and welcomed Him joyfully.  7 They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house,’ they said.  8 But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’  9 And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

This week we are celebrating All Saints Day and All Souls Day.  They are feasts of the Church because they fall within the science of the Church called Ecclesiology. . .a sacred science.   Ecclesiology falls under what?  Christology, because the Church is not a “what” or an “it”.  “Itt” was the member of the Adams Family who had a lot of hair.  The Church is a Who.  As scripture tells us, it is the Body of Christ.  And we do not refer to a body as an “it.”  Calling the Church an “it” is blasphemy.  Making a mockery of things that are holy or sacred is blasphemy and a sin.  There are three parts of the Church.  We are the Church Militant because we are still working on our salvation.  This week we are mindful of the other two parts of the Church:  the Church Triumphant (souls in Heaven) and the Church Suffering (souls in Purgatory).

On All Saints Day, we call to mind all of those who have used the means of faith to reach their goal of salvation.   They leave behind for us an example and a map of the mine field to follow.  “This is how I got through the mine field.  Walk where I walked, and if you don’t see a footprint, do not step there.  Follow in my footsteps, and you will be fine.”  The saints leave us with that, so we have the same means and opportunities as they had.  Time is insignificant to God.  So, when we read about the lives of the saints, we are encouraged because they suffered so much, and we can see our sufferings in theirs.   And if they can do it, we can too. 

On All Souls Day, we pray for all souls that are not in a perfect state of grace and cannot yet enter Heaven because nothing imperfect can reside with the Perfect.  “Well, that’s unfair.”  No, not really.  Would you like a little bit of listeria (a bacterial infection) in your salad?  How about a bit of botulism?  Maybe some Covid?  How about a smidgen of the norovirus (vomiting virus)?   No?  The Feast of All Souls gives us consolation.  It is a feast of God’s love because it is a feast of God’s mercy.  You have to be judged before you can receive mercy.  You cannot just walk down to the courthouse and say, “I’m throwing myself on the mercy of the court.”  The judge will say, “Great.  I appreciate that.  What have you done?” You have to be guilty of something before you can receive mercy.  Mercy is a manifestation of God’s love after death.  So, while those in Purgatory are cleaning their baptismal robes, we can help them enter Heaven sooner by our prayers and sacrifices.  Going back to the courthouse story, if you are found to be guilty, the judge will say, “Sorry, you are guilty.  You have to pay $1,000 or do 30 days of eating bologna sandwiches in jail.”   You say, “I don’t have a $1,000, so I guess I’ll take the bologna special.”   But then the judge says, “Here is $1,000 bucks, you can go.”  Thank you!  Would you be grateful that you wouldn’t have to spend 30 days in jail eating bologna sandwiches or the square fish at Felon University (FU)?   Oh yeah!  That is how the souls can be helped, because in Heaven our love is not only purified but it is expanded to all, not just our friends and family but to the entire Church.  We don’t realize it, but we have countless intercessors in Heaven.  They are always praying, 24/7 and 365, before the Father on our behalf for our temporal welfare, but most importantly, for our spiritual welfare – that where they are we shall also be.  

Perhaps, especially on All Saints Day, we can say “thank you.”  Saying “thank you” is one of the greatest things about prayer that is neglected.  Thanksgiving is one of the five points of the Mass, but is often neglected because it is the last part of the Mass.  As soon as the Communion is finished, there is a race to the door to leave.  And I ask Doc or Stump if I gave them permission to leave.  No!  What is happening in Albemarle that people are in such a hurry to leave?  I know it is legal now to walk around town with booze. . . just what this town really needed.  What’s the draw?  Where’s the “thank you”?  If someone came to your house and got dessert but left while you were getting the coffee, you would be hurt, wouldn’t you? So, stay a few more minutes to say, “thank you, God.”  Even in your prayers, stop to say, “thank you.”  When you get up in the morning, thank God for another day.  Thank Him for not letting you have a heart attack, get sick, or commit a mortal sin.   Say simple prayers just like that.  On All Saints Day, we could offer our prayers of thanks and just be aware of how many people love us. . .billions upon billions of those in Heaven are expressing their love.  In the words of Saint Therese de Lisieux, “I will spend my eternity in Heaven doing good on Earth.”

Father’s Reflections. . .
It’s Halloween, and I had this spooky thought.  I remembered about a time when I was overseas in the first Gulf War and Desert Storm which turned into Desert Shield.  The XO, the second in command of the battalion, ordered everyone in the battalion to fill out their death certificate.  We completed the form except for our date of death.  We kept that form in our wallets in case we had the whack put on us.  Thank you, sir!  I’ve gone to bed with happier thoughts.  I still have that form.  When we were being deployed to the Middle East, my assistant saw me take one of the two dog tags I wore around my neck and put it inside my boot.  He asked me, “Sir, why are you doing that?”   Well, in case one part of my body gets separated from the other part there will be something to send home to my parents.  He said, “Oh.”  Do you know what we do for a living here?  We work in a very dangerous neighborhood!

How will you apply this message to your life? ______________________________________

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Sermon Notes – October 16, 2022 – God is Not a ‘Snowflake’

“God is Not a ‘Snowflake’”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 October 15 – 16, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 18:1-8

1 Then He told them a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart.  2 ‘There was a judge in a certain town,’ He said, ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for anyone.  3 In the same town there was also a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!”  4 For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Even though I have neither fear of God nor respect for any human person,  5 I must give this widow her just rights since she keeps pestering me, or she will come and slap me in the face.” ‘  6 And the Lord said, ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to His elect if they keep calling to Him day and night even though He still delays to help them?  8 I promise you, He will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will He find any faith on earth?’

I’m going to save you some time and money.  There’s no need to go to a conference or buy a book to learn how to pray.  So, what is the secret to prayer?  The secret to prayer is praying.   You have to do it.  That’s it.  That’s the whole thing.  What is prayer?  It is “cor ad cor loquitor” or heart speaking to heart.  That’s what your prayer is.  I’ve been in some interesting places, and I have prayed that He get me the heck out of wherever I was.  Your prayers don’t have to be Shakespearean, but they have to be from the heart.   Sometimes during prayer, our minds drift off. . .”Oh!  Look, squirrel.”  Just bring your mind back.  Prayer is an act of love.  Prayer is an act of faith because you believe that Someone who loves you will hear you.   Prayer is an act of hope because you believe that Someone who loves you will give you what you ask.  So, you are exercising three theological virtues when you pray. 

I remember talking to this one lady who was praying in one specific way.  She was going to claim it, she was going to pray in the right name, and she was going to do this and that.  I said, “Really?”  Do you think that all the parents waiting outside the children’s hospitals in Charlotte and Concord didn’t pray correctly, and therefore God killed their kids?  Do you think, “Oh, you didn’t mention the correct name.  Your kid is going to die because you screwed up.”  Do you really think so?  Love is over time.  God is not a cosmic gum-ball machine in which you can flip in a quarter and “Boom” get whatever you want anytime you ask.   That’s called “name it and claim it, love it and grab it.”  Now, we may not have gotten what we wanted, but lots of times we get something far better.  That’s what our Lord does.  So never feel defeated or disconsolate by prayer.  If you are thinking, “It’s all the same and I’m talking to a wall,” that’s a temptation from satan.  God always hears our prayers.  God always answers our prayers in His own time and in His own way. 

Prayers do not change God. . .prayer changes us.  It makes us more receptive to the Will of God.  Maybe we are asking for something too small.  Sometimes though, we have to take “no” for an answer.  Now, I have been ordained for 38 ½ years, and I’m still not a Monsignor.  I think I’m going to stop asking and move on to more important things other than my personal prestige.  But prayer changes us and draws us closer to God.  By the way, if you happen to get very upset with God and use some very earthly, Anglo-Saxon words in your prayers, it’s okay.  God is not a “snowflake.”  He does not take offense; rather, He adores your passion.  You can only get mad at people you love because you expect better.  As Saint Teresa of Avila said, “Lord, if this is how you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few.”  The secret to prayer is what?  Doing it.

How will you apply this message to your life? ________________________________

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Sermon Notes – October 9, 2022 – “His Gifts Can Have Many Forms”

“His Gifts Can Have Many Forms”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 October 8 – 9, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 17:11-19

11 Now it happened that on the way to Jerusalem He was travelling in the borderlands of Samaria and Galilee.  12 As He entered one of the villages, ten men suffering from a virulent skin-disease came to meet Him. They stood some way off 13 and called to Him, ‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ 14 When He saw them He said, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now as they were going away they were cleansed.  15 Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice 16 and threw himself prostrate at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him. The man was a Samaritan. 17 This led Jesus to say, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they?  18 It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’  19 And He said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’

 
Do you know why the Good Lord gave the gift of healing to the ten lepers?  Because they asked for it and because He loved them.   He made them out of love and sustained them out of love.  When they asked for the gift of that love to cure them, He didn’t ask if they had tithed, given to the Priest Retirement Fund, or volunteered at the church.  He gave it to them freely because He loved them and He wanted to show His love.  One of the lepers was a foreigner. . .a Samaritan who the Jews hated.   But love gives without regard.  Love gives outside of itself never seeking reward.  Our Lord blesses us with so many gifts when we ask for them and even when we don’t.  Some of those gifts are very good and some are even better.  In some, you recognize the good and in others not so much. 

Do you remember Bishop Fulton Sheen?  He was that very handsome man on television with grey hair.  Bishop Sheen was very photogenic . . . the camera loved him.  He had a series on television, he was a wonderful speaker, and he was very talented.  He had two doctorates – I mean the guy was a genius!  He was really blessed.   But do you know what his diet consisted of?  He lived on boiled chicken, milk, and soggy graham crackers.  That was his diet because his stomach was so bad that was all he could keep down.  That was all he could eat, but you would never know it.  That was one of God’s gifts to him, and it was a blessing because it kept him small.  Indeed, some of our crosses are our greatest blessings.   It kept Bishop Sheen humble and relying on God.  I say that because he’s about to be canonized as a saint. 

The same thing is true with all the gifts God gives us.  There are so many gifts beyond counting.  While you are saying your nightly prayers and the Act of Contrition, it is a good spiritual habit to think of at least five or ten gifts God has given you.  And the next night, think of new ones.  Also think of the gifts that are your crosses and infirmities.  He gives us those so that we can share in His Passion and become more reliant on Him than on ourselves.  They are a great blessing because they keep us humble and small.  They may seem like a punishment for our sins. . . and they could be.   I’m not God, and I don’t know why God allows it, but He does.  It’s also a chance for us to give gifts of love to others and to God.  We can offer them for sacrifices and penance for our sins and those of others.   Through our sufferings we can reach out to others who are suffering and give them the same hope we have.  As Saint Paul said, “I make up with my body what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.”  We join our sufferings with Him on the Cross.  Those sufferings can be His greatest gift to us.  Our sufferings can be not only physical ailments but also mental and spiritual sufferings.  We all have them.  Usually, the most gifted people have the most crosses so that God can keep them humble. 

God does not give us gifts because we have earned them.  Do your children have to earn your love?  You still love the ones who have gone off the reservation.  It happens in every family.  You don’t give your children gifts because they’ve earned them.  You give them gifts because you love them.  That’s what God does for us.  God loves us and He will never stop.  He hopes that these gifts of love will cause people to turn their hearts back to Him.  That’s what God does.  He will always give us blessings, but His blessings can have many forms.

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”

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Sermon Notes:  October 1 – 2, 2022 – “Would You Rather Have a Colonoscopy?”

“Would You Rather Have a Colonoscopy?”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 October 1 – 2, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 17:5-10

5 The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’  6 The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith like a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.  7 ‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal at once”?  8 Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper ready; fasten your belt and wait on me while I eat and drink. You yourself can eat and drink afterwards”?  9 Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told?  10 So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are useless servants: we have done no more than our duty.” ‘

As a priest I hear a lot of things, and some are more interesting than others.  I’ve heard this many times when I ask people why they don’t go to church: “When I was young, I went to church all the time.  I prayed all the time.  I even ate fish on Fridays.”   Eating fish on Fridays was not mandatory.  You couldn’t eat meat on Fridays, but fish was not mandatory.  “Well, I’ve paid my dues, and now I don’t have to go.”   And I say, “Really?  You know, when I was young, I took a lot of showers and brushed my teeth a lot.  Does that mean I don’t have to do it now?”   That’s the attitude of some people.  They will give you a laundry list of all the things they’ve done for the church and how great they are.  But there is no love there.  It’s like you’ve done this huge favor for our Lord by responding to the invitation to Mass and showing up.   But where is the “thank you” for the many gifts, God has given us?   Where is the gratitude for all the bad things God has prevented from happening to us?  I shouldn’t be here.  I should be dead.  My business locations were interesting, so I should not be here.  

The way we talk about religious acts, “I’ve got to go to Mass.”  It’s like saying, “I’ve got to get a colonoscopy.”   Participating in the Mass is a great act of love for our Savior.  Are you really in love with our Lord or are you here so you won’t have to worry about eternal hell fire?  Love does not keep track of what it does for the Beloved.   Love only regrets it could not have done more.

Father’s Reflections. . .

Some of you have asked how my vacation was and if I had fun.  My vacation caused me to have some deep thoughts.  I wondered whether I’m getting old or if I’m just getting good at what I do because I didn’t need bail money while I was gone.  But my vacations are always…interesting.  I’ll give you one story besides the one about the woman who threw up in the aircraft on the flight back – we had a flight and a show, so what the heck – we got it all.   It really wasn’t a bad flight.  If you have ever flown on a military aircraft there is what’s called a “map of the earth,” and it’s a lot of fun.  It’s like riding in an airplane on a roll-a-coaster.  You learn to keep whatever you’ve eaten down…or not.  Anyway, one morning I was eating breakfast at the diner like usual and I was talking a lady I know, Cindy, who is a paranormal or ghosthunter.  She told me about a very old cemetery across the street which dated back to the Revolutionary War.  But she was scared to go there.  She was once at this cemetery in the daytime, and she heard a voice say, “Get out!”  She felt a presence, so she picked up her dog and ran out of the cemetery.  I said, “Really!  I’ve been all over that cemetery and haven’t encountered anything.”  She asked me if I was afraid.  I said, “Do you know Who I work for?  Are you talking to me?  I know a Guy.”  She asked me if my sister-in-law and I would go there with her so she could show us the spot.  So, we went to the cemetery and she took us to a spot and said, “Right here.  This         is where it happened.”  So I walked behind the gravestone and found another one that was flat and black.  I looked down and it was the grave of a young guy who was a member of a biker club.  I said, “It might be him.  He probably left the planet a little unhappy.  It could be him, but who knows.”  This is some of the fun that I have.  What do you do for fun while on vacation?  Something you probably wouldn’t do, but that is just me.

How will you apply this message to your life? _______________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” then “Menu” and then “Categories”

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Sermon Notes – September 18, 2022 – “You are Rich Beyond Measure”

“You are Rich Beyond Measure”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 September 17 – 18, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 16:10-13

Jesus said to His disciples: “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?  If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?  No servant can serve two masters.  He will either hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

In all 12 step programs, the same steps are used from the original 12 Step Program for how to get sober.  The fourth step is to take a fearless, moral inventory of ourselves.  That is the fourth step in every 12 Step Program, and you must do it to get sober, clean, or recover from whatever the addiction.  When people take a moral inventory, it’s usually an immoral inventory.  The next step is to tell someone, and I’ve heard a number of them recount all the bad things they’ve done.  And that’s good so they don’t have to use whatever they are addicted to kill their conscience. 

So, where did this idea originate?  They got it from the Catholic Church.  We make an examination of conscience before going to Confession.  I was taught in Catholic school to make an examination of conscience at the end of each day.  In our nightly prayers, we said the Act of Contrition.  And that’s so important to do.   Also, make a moral inventory.   Why are you are saying that you are sorry?   Because of the great gift that you have, the gift of Catholic Faith that was given to you by God.  Perhaps because of the auspices of your parents, family, others who came later, or free will, you have the gift of God.  You have the beautiful gift of the Catholic Faith that brings hope and joy to this life.  This is the reason for rejoicing.  He gives you joy, and no matter how much you have in your bank account, you are rich beyond all imagination. 

The gifts offered to you can bring happiness and peace.   It’s not found in a bottle.  It’s not
found in a big bank account.  It’s found in a Person.  If I had a big bank account, I would know where to shop.  I know where the Bentley dealer is. . .it’s over in High Point.  I know a good real estate agent and if I were rich, I could buy a house in Martha’s Vineyard for about $4.5 million.  But that doesn’t buy happiness.  Once you have a Bentley, you worry about keeping people away from your car.  If you have a house at the beach, you’ve got to take care of it and pay taxes on it.  Then there are the relatives who want to come stay with you.  It ain’t worth it!  The happiness you have is the hope in following the precise steps for how to get to Heaven.  You come here to participate and to offer yourselves in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  And if you are able, to receive the Most Precious Body of our Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion by the hand of Christ which is the priest. 

What did we do to deserve that?  When we fall from the weight of our crosses, due to our imprecision in following the steps of Christ, what do we have?  We have the Sacrament of Penance in which He forgives and forgets all our sins.   We have the Sacrament of Confirmation which strengthens us in carrying our cross and fulfilling our primary vocation which is to become saints.  Did you know that?  I have given the Last Rites twice in the last two days.  When we are raised up onto our final cross to endure our own Passion and death with Christ – during the last three hours or so of our lives – Christ’s consoling love, strength, and forgiveness is granted to us.  The Apostolic Pardon is a full pardon for all of your sins and a plenary indulgence that wipes it all away and gives you a totally clean slate.  I hope you get it.  There are things in my 201 file that may be a little sketchy.  But we have hope.  Plus, we have the gift of faith, and we are never alone. 

People ask me to pray for them, and I do.  But you have to realize that the whole Catholic Church is praying for you 24/7.  That’s over one billion people.  Listen to the words of the Mass.  They are always in the plural.  The whole Church is praying for you during the Sacrifice of the Mass.  Not only the entire Church on Earth, but the entire Church in Heaven, which is countless, is always praying for you.  You belong to the Body of Christ which is present throughout the world.  This is not just some little church or faith community.  You belong to the Body of Christ present throughout the world.  If you wanted to get married at the Vatican in Rome, and you have the money and the time, I could give you the paperwork to do that.  That is your church.  It belongs to you.  Italians in white robes are just caretakers of it for you. You are not alone.  By the gift of Catholic Faith, you are united with all God’s people who are praying for you. 

Such are the great treasures we have, and too often we forget to say, “thank you.”  We reduce them to something almost like play-acting in church.  This is not playacting.   We have lost the sense of wonder and awe.  This great prayer you have come to offer is one in which you come to offer yourselves in the sacrifice of Christ.  How wonderful is our Faith.  That is the greatest gift.  People ask for forgiveness of their sins, and that’s what we should do.  But we should also say, “thank you.”  Thanksgiving is one of the ends of the Mass.  So, realize how rich you are.  You are rich beyond your wildest dreams.  Embrace that richness, as clear as your bank account, and everything else will find its proper place.

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”

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Sermon Notes – September 11, 2022 – “God Loves Them More Than You Do”

“God Loves Them More Than You Do”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 September 10 – 11, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 15: 1-32

The other day I was making my rounds at the VA hospital, and one of the nurses told me that there was a new addition to Hospice.  I said “Okay” and I went in to the patient’s room.  He didn’t look good at all and won’t make it through the weekend Although they gave him two years in the original diagnosis, his doctors helped him get six years beyond that.  He got eight years when he was supposed to have two.  That shows you how well medicine works.  But now he was on his way to see the Savior.  I was talking to his wife and his sister-in-law was also there.  Very nice and sweet people.  I told them that I needed to ask them some questions because I have to do a Chaplain’s Spiritual Assessment for every patient who comes in.  Mostly, it’s creative writing on my part.  One of the questions is “Do you have any end-of-life issues?”   So how long have you had this chaplain gig?  End-of-life issue means end of life.  Yeah, I’ve got a real issue with that!  Are you crazy?   But they want something in the file, so I create a narrative of what’s happening with the patient to make the hospital happy.  If they don’t see it, they get a little antsy.   So, I asked his wife if he had any particular religion.  She said no.   Did he go to church when he was able?”   No.  He was a very interesting man, and I wish I had met him before he became so ill.  I may have crossed paths with him in the first Gulf War.  His job was explosive ordinance disposal and he disassembled mines and bombs.  He wasn’t exactly the nervous type before that – maybe afterward – but not before.  He was pretty good at his job because he survived it.  And he was blessed because he got a disease – none of us know when we will contract one – and he lived well beyond the original diagnosis.  You never know.  I told him and his family that I would come back to visit on my afternoon rounds.   So, I continued my rounds, visiting other patients.  I ran into the nurse practitioner for Hospice, and she asked me if I had seen the new Hospice patient and given him Last Rites.  I said, “No, he’s not Catholic.  His wife said he is Christian.”    She said, “Well, according to our records, he’s Catholic.”   Okay.  So, after lunch I went on my afternoon rounds, and the wife and sister-in-law were not in the room.  I looked around to make sure the coast was clear and gave the man the Last Rites.  And just as I was finishing, his wife and sister-in-law walked in.  Whew!  I snuck that one in!  I accomplished the mission. . .by any means necessary.  I told the nurse manager what I did, but it was never written down because we didn’t want to cause any more problems.  I’m a real certified weasel, but I’m a weasel for Christ.   

This is how much God loves us.  I have people come up to me all the time, and rightly so, asking for prayers for family members, loved one, needs, worries, fears, and all sorts of troubles we are prone to.  I’m happy to pray for them, but I try to tell them, if I remember, that no matter how much you love this person, God loves him or her much more.  That’s why God created them in His image and likeness.  That’s why He suffered and died for them.  That’s why He is constantly running after them to beg them to embrace Him and His love.  God never gives up.  Read the “Hounds of Heaven,” a poem by Francis Thompson.  God is always running after us, so much is His great love, that even at the moment of death if we say we are sorry for our sins just because we are afraid of dying and the eternal fires of hell and not because we are particularly sorry for them, God forgives us.  That is sufficient and God will forgive us.  Remember the 6th prayer from the Cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  One of the greatest experiences of God’s love is His mercy.

Saint John Vianney, known as the Curé d’Ars, is the patron saint for parish priests.  God’s gift to him was that he could read souls.  One day, he was walking along a road in France in an area where his parish was located.  A woman approached him and said, “Curé, you know my husband died.”  Father Vianney said, “Yes.” The woman said, “He fell off a bridge and drowned.  He’s in hell, isn’t he?”  Saint Vianney said, “I don’t know.”   The woman yelled, “You can read souls!  Why don’t you know?  He beat me, he drank, he gambled. . .“  She had a whole laundry list of how bad her husband had been.  “So, he’s in hell, isn’t he?”  Saint Vianney replied, “I don’t know.  There’s a long time from when he left the bridge and when he hit the water.”

Even in that short span of time, he could have said, “I’m sorry,” and that would have been sufficient.  Perfect contrition is if you say “I’m sorry” because you love God.   Imperfect contrition is if you said it because you don’t want to go to hell.  Even so, that is sufficient to receive God’s forgiveness.  So much does He love us.   He sees all our trials, worries, and concerns about those who are near and dear to us.  But remember, God loves them more than you do, and He will never, ever give up on them as long as they have a breath in them.

Father’s Afterthoughts. . .
My day is never dull.  There is always something interesting going on here.  Today, I had a wedding, and the bride came up in a carriage drawn by horses.  I got to pet the horses.  I love horses!  I’m still six years old.  Quoting Sir Winston Churchill, Doctor Eddins, a local physician, said, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

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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”

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Sermon Notes – September 4, 2022 – “Three Points”

“Three Points”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 September 3 – 4, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 14:25-33

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and He turned and addressed them, “If anyone
comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.  Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.  Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?  Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’  Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?  But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.  In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be My disciple.”

In our preaching course at seminary, we were told that we should have at least three major points in our sermons, or what they call “homilies” these days.  My first point is that if a man cannot renounce all of his possession, he cannot be Christ’s disciple.  What is our greatest possession?  Ourselves.  When we renounce ourselves, instead of just living for self, we live for God.  Our greatest purpose is to live in this world and to love and serve Him and reign with Him in the next.  So, all of this “stuff” we have from our hard work, efforts, and studies, we can enjoy because it is a principle of self-ownership and fulfillment. We are supposed to enjoy our possessions especially on Sunday according to Church tradition.   But we should use the stuff that God has given us for our own work.  What work?  The works of justice.  First of all, providing for ourselves, providing for our families, and providing for those in need.  We have an obligation to give to others that which is above and beyond our needs.

The second point is that this past week the Church marked the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist.  Saint Bede the Venerable wrote about the martyrdom and said that Herod did not want John to deny Christ.  He just wanted John to stop talking about the reign of God which would have been the same as denying Christ.   Now, if you haven’t noticed, the World wants us to do that too.  It does not want the Church to proclaim the truth.  Some may say, “Well it’s  not the most loving thing to do.”  Well, it is because our Savior said it.  Are you saying that our Savior didn’t tell us what the most loving thing to do is?   We are to proclaim the truth and live the truth.  We cannot stop proclaiming the truth, otherwise we would be denying our Faith.   

Remember, last week I told you last about Saint Francis who said to preach the Gospel, whether in-season or out-of-season, convenient or inconvenient, and to use words if necessary.  You are constantly preaching by your good works because people will see them.  And as Peter said, He will see your good works and give praise and thanks to the Father.  This is the evangelization we are all called to do.   Sometimes when we do, we will get a rather harsh reaction from people.  This has happened to me several times.   People will say, “Are you a Catholic priest?”  Yeah. . . I’m not Johnny Cash with a funny collar.  Others say, “I used to be Catholic.”  Really?  They don’t know how insulting that is.  In response, I’ll say, “Well, I still am.. . what happened to you?”  I don’t take that garbage from anybody.  Apparently, they don’t know my background.  My next question to them is one that I’m not expecting an answer to because they aren’t going to give me one.  But I ask them, “What have you done or what has been done to you?”  They hurt from their sins or what has been done to them.    

When I’m sick, eventually I will go to the doctor.  Or the people around me will make me go to the doctor like what happened when I got Covid.  But people are angry at and afraid of the source of all healing, and they rebel against it.   They run from the One who can bring peace to their soul which is Jesus Christ.  It is not a bad thing if we have sinned. . .yes, it’s not the best thing, and we’d rather not have sin, but the worse thing is to stay away from the Savior who can heal it.  He will heal and fulfill our souls and give us peace no matter what we have done or what has been done to us.  He can bring peace to a troubled soul.  Usually, people are happy to hear the message – even non-Catholics because they can see that scandal is from the sins they have committed and the sins of others committed against them.  But if Catholics are poor teachers, they may drive them away from the source of all love and healing.

The third and final point is that I heard this week about mothers taking their kids to school and leading them by the hand.  Some of the kids were going very much against their will, because school is strange and disturbing to them, and they would rather be at home.   It made me think of another situation in which a woman was hastening to another place.  One night I was at the house of a woman who had cancer and who was rapidly leaving this world.  I gave her the Last Rites, and she said, “Father, I say my rosary all the time.”  And I said to her, “That’s wonderful.  Keep it up as long as you can.  And you know what will happen?  Soon, the Blessed Mother will come take you by the hand and lead you to her Son.”

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”

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Sermon Notes – August 28, 2022 – “The Most Loving Thing”

“The Most Loving Thing”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 August 27 – 28, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 14:1, 7-14

1 Now it happened that on a Sabbath day He had gone to share a meal in the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched Him closely.  7 He then told the guests a parable, because He had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, 8 ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, 9 and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you will have to go and take the lowest place.  10 No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, you’re your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.”  Then, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured.  11 For everyone who raises himself up will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be raised up.’  12 Then He said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relations or rich neighbours, in case they invite you back and so repay you.  13 No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; 14 then you will be blessed, for they have no means to repay you and so you will be repaid when the upright rise again.’

What is the most loving thing we can do for those we love and those we meet?  To tell them the truth.  And what is the truth?  Okay, that was kind of a trick question.  The truth is not an “it”.  It’s a “Who.”  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”  When we tell people the truth, we tell them about the Lord.  The fullness of His message is found in the Catholic Church because the Catholic Church is our Lord as Paul discovered in the Book of Acts.  We teach people the Faith.  We show them His message which will sometimes infuriate them, but it will bring us peace, and that is exactly what our soul needs.  The message to that person is one that will heal their soul and fulfill it. One day they will be united with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven if they have been faithful.   So, how do we pass on His message?   Saint Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel always, whether convenient or inconvenient, and if necessary, use words.”   You may talk about our Good Lord, and you may have a fine religious education, but the best teaching is one of action out of love and forgiveness. 

An odd thing happened a while ago, and one that I may have already told you about – I’m old and I repeat my stories – I’m near the end of my priesthood, and I don’t have many stories left to tell.  Anyway, I was on duty at hospice, and we had a patient come in on a stretcher.  The ambulance drivers came in and asked where we wanted him.  All the nurses were busy, so I told the guys that we are going to put him in room 3.  There were only two of them, and it takes three people to move a patient.  One guy was at the head and shoulders, the other took the sheet, I took his legs, and 1-2-3 BOOM.  Because I hadn’t been gloved and touched the man’s bare skin, I went over to the sink and washed my hands.  One of the ambulance drivers came up to me and said, “thank you, Father.”   And just by that…a small act of kindness.  Done day in and day out, we are teaching about our Good Lord. 

Do not be dissuaded by loud people, people who are drinking, people who walk away, people who text that our church is wrong and that the teachings of Christ are outdated.  Why?  Because the devil is always very loud, and everything he tells you is a lie.   I know a priest at one of the hospitals in the VA system.  He is the chief chaplain, so he has to go to all these meetings.  I’d rather have a colonoscopy.  There was this one meeting he had with the social worker.  The social worker lectured this priest on the proper use of personal pronouns.   The priest said, “We cannot as Catholics acknowledge that because it denies God’s creation and His creative Will.”  Male and female is all there is.  Christ said that marriage is between a male and female.  We cannot undo God’s creative Will.  It is obvious, and it would be denying our faith.  If you deny an article of faith, you deny it all.  So, this priest looked at the adjectives in which people are identified.  To the social worker, He said, “May I ask you a question?  Why don’t you call me by my own personal pronoun?  By the way, it’s “Father.”   And the social worker couldn’t answer him.  That tells you it’s from satan. 

Do not be discouraged by teaching the truth.  Persevere.  By doing so, the apostles said it will save your immortal souls.  Do not cower to loud voices.   Their voices are like little children whistling past the cemetery.  I go into cemeteries at night…I don’t care.  I know who I work for.  Am I afraid?  No, I’m not.  Are you kidding me?  Bring it!   They are just like little children afraid of the dark.  If you scream long enough and loud enough, you will believe all the evil propaganda the world has ever had. 

So, do not be disheartened.  Preach the truth.  The truth is a Person and the fullness we have in the Catholic Church.  I was reading the newspaper recently about the movie on the life of Saint Padre Pio.  Know what happened to the actor who is portraying Saint Pio?  Even though this actor had a colorful past, he became Catholic.  What happened to the head of the Gestapo in Rome, Italy during WWII?  A priest came to visit him, and he became Catholic.  So do not be discouraged.  Continue to proclaim the Gospel by words and actions. Proclaim your faith.  That is the most loving thing to do.

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”