Category: Sermon Notes

Transripts of weekly sermons

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Sermon Notes – August 11, 2024 – “It’s Not About Us”

“It’s Not About Us”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 10 – 11, 2024


Gospel:  John 6:41-51


In the church, we have stained-glass windows and the Stations of the Cross which represent the bible in pictures.   The Rosetta window above the altar displays the 15 mysteries of the Rosary which is also Scripture.  Way, way back before the Protestant’s so-called Reformation, we had these things.  Why?  One reason is because a lot of people couldn’t read.  It wasn’t their fault; they were just trying to survive.  Also, people didn’t have enough money for books because they had to be written on parchment or sheepskin.  It was very tedious work for monks to do.  When people came to church, they could see Scripture with their eyes, and as the priests were preaching, they would point out the various mysteries of the faith. 

The whole point of Scripture is to bring attention to Christ especially Christ incarnate in the Tabernacle.  This brings up something funny; in the so-called Reformation, their attention was solely on Scripture.  So, what did Protestants do?  They got rid of visible Scripture in their churches.  The stained-glass windows and Stations of the Cross were all gone.  I thought you loved Scripture.  So why did you get rid of the visible Scripture?  No one has answered that question for me yet. 

Everything we do is directed at the Tabernacle. We have proved that our Lord is in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  We have seen the evidence.  When we take our Lord away and denigrate the Blessed Sacrament, people leave in droves.  We come to Mass for a Who not a “what.”  I read a ritual book that stated, “The liturgy is the work of the people.”  No, that makes it a high school play.  The liturgy, which is the Mass, is Christ.  It’s a Who not a “what.”  You got that wrong and you flunked Theology 101.  That phrase never shows up anywhere in Church history.  I may have been sick a day or two while in seminary, but we were never taught that.  And I guarantee you that Saint Thomas Aquinas never wrote that.  Nor did Saint Louis de Montfort or Saint John Vianney.  People said, “We have to focus on the liturgy.”  So, they moved the Tabernacle to another location in the church to a place where you would be lucky to find it with a native guide.  When I got here, I started putting things back where they belonged, and people said, “Vatican 2 said this, and we have to do that.”  I said, “Okay, fine.”  I don’t want to get in trouble with anybody.  I get into enough trouble with local law, so I don’t need the Church law after me too.  Oh, did I say that out loud?  Show me where the Church decreed that.  I had a professor who was at Vatican 2.   Abbot Walter was a counselor at Vatican 2, and he claims they never said that.  Does anybody want to give out Communion?  Come on up.  No!  Does anybody want to perform surgery?  Come on up; we’ll give you a knife.  Have a good time.   No!   Everything is placed with reverence for the Eucharist.  Nobody is supposed to go beyond the altar rail except for the priest and those who have business at the altar.  And as soon as they finish, they leave.  The Tabernacle is supposed to be in a pronounced location.  When Bishop Jugis came in, God bless his soul, he had everything put back where it belonged. 

Every couple of centuries or so the Church has to do some housecleaning.  If some is good, more is better.  That’s true for hundred-dollar bills and pizza.  Everything else, not so much.  “We need more statues.”  No.  Statues are nice, but it gets so cluttered you can’t find our good Lord.  So, the Church has to do a little housecleaning and say, “That’s all very nice, very sweet, but it has to go away” so we can focus on our Lord.  All the Gospels in the past couple of weeks have been focused on the good Lord.  “I am the Bread of Life.”  The focus is always on Him and not on you, not on me, and not on the worshipping community.  By the way, I have no idea what “worshipping community” means.  Granted, I’m not the brightest bulb in the circuit.  Just as an aside, I was poking around on the internet to see what my classmates are up to, and I discovered that one of my classmates at my old diocese is now a monsignor.  Suck up!  He was Roman anyway.  When you are Roman, it’s like having graduated from West Point in the Army.   “You are all equal.”  No, you’re not.

The only thing we should focus on is our good Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  “I am the Bread of Life.”  It’s not about what you sing or who brings the gifts to the altar.  It’s all about Who is in the Tabernacle.  That is our faith.  Everything points to our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament and our focus should be only on Him.

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – August 4, 2024 – “The Secret to Happiness”

“The Secret to Happiness”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 3 – 4, 2024

Gospel:  John 6:24-35


I’m going to tell you a secret that I do not want to take to the grave.  On my last day – my last hour – I don’t want to try to mumble something to someone who is fluffing a pillow over my face.  Do you know what the secret to happiness is?  Now this is free advice.  The secret to happiness is holiness.  It’s that simple.  It’s right there in scripture in the black part. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light” (Matthew 11:28-30).  Follow Jesus and you will have happiness, a happiness the world cannot take when Christ lives in our souls.  Now you may say, “Father, I try to be holy.”  You all do because you are all here.   But there are other things that happen that hurt us.  We have crosses, family crosses, and all sorts of things that weigh us down and make us sad.  For example, I’m 40 years a priest and still not a monsignor!  That’s a daily cross I must bear.  Nobody knows the pain I’ve gone through, okay?   Being holy doesn’t mean we won’t have difficulties, but that doesn’t take away the joy within us.  Only we can erase the joy and peace in our souls by sinning.  Christ doesn’t leave us – we toss Him out by committing mortal sin or having unrepentant venial sin.   We need to keep the life in our souls refreshed and strong so that we can meet the troubles of life and be able to carry our cross as well as help family and friends carry theirs.

We receive the Bread of Life in Holy Communion.  We see Christ, as Saint John Paul II said, in the Sacrament of Penance.  You cannot have one without the other.  People say, “I go to Communion all the time.”  But do you go to Confession?  “No.”  Well, you have to do both.  If you want to receive Holy Communion, Saint John Paul II said, “You have to go to Confession” to receive the Precious Blood of our Lord in our souls.  In the last two centuries of the Church, in the late 1890’s, Saint Pious X changed a few rules.  People received Holy Communion only on holy days, feast days, etc.  It was misplaced piety.  Saint Pious X said, “No, wrong answer.”  Also, Holy Communion was restricted until you were in your teens.   Saint Pious again said, “No, wrong answer.”  He brought the age to receive Communion down to the age of reason and encouraged receiving frequent Communion.  How can you keep your strength up if you don’t eat?  If you go 24 hours without food, you feel a little weak.  How can you keep the strength in your soul if you don’t receive Holy Communion often?  The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that we should receive Communion often if we are properly disposed.  Properly disposed means we have no mortal sin on our soul and no unrepentant venial sins.   But it’s an objective state.  We can say, “I feel great.  I’m pretty healthy.”  It’s not that I don’t believe you, but I would believe it more if Dr. Lil or Dr. Talbert signed off on it.  It’s not about what we think.  I think I’m good-looking and strong with a big red “S” on my chest.  Objectively, I don’t.   

Receiving Communion frequently helps keep us strong in the face of temptation and renews the happiness in our souls.  I don’t mean in an emotional way like Mary Tyler Moore, “I’m so happy!”  That’s not normal.   No, I’m talking about a sense of peace and a sense of strength.  You will have Christ in your soul, and nothing can take that away from you.  No amount of temptation can take it from you.  No matter how many sins are committed against you can take it away from you.  One of the other benefits of being holy, besides going to Heaven, which is the greatest benefit, is that we become more attractive.  Now maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but I will.  When I see other priests, they are very jealous of this parish because we have the best-looking people in the diocese.  I frequently get a thrashing for that, but I’m willing to take it for you.  But what does holiness do?  Having Christ in our souls makes us attractive to other people.  They see the beauty and goodness within us – it is not us, it is us who allow Christ to radiate in our souls. 

Remember Mother Theresa of Calcutta, who is now a saint?   Let’s face it – she did not look good.  But everyone wanted to be around her because she had Christ in her soul.  No one knew the depth of her suffering.  Bishop Fulton Sheen had movie-star looks and was very charismatic.   You would never know that all he could eat was milk, graham crackers, and boiled chicken because his stomach was so bad.  No one knew how much he suffered.  But he had Christ in him and that’s why people wanted to be around him.  Saint John Paul II had Parkinsons. When he was shot, he received a blood transfusion, and an Air Force doctor proved that Saint John Paul had received the Parkinson’s virus from the transfusion.  During his last days, as he spent his time on the cross, he wasn’t the most attractive person there ever was.  He was bloated because of the steroids he had to take.  He drooled and shook, but everybody wanted to be around him because he had Christ in him.  The Pope was a fan of classical music.  Personally, I’m more of a classic AC/DC fan.  But I remember watching this concert where a world-famous conductor and his orchestra came to play for the Pope at the Vatican. They played one of his favorite compositions, and afterward, this world-famous conductor nervously looked at the Pope to see if he had enjoyed the concert.  He was thrilled when the Holy Father gave him a thumbs up because he was playing for Christ. 

Did Saint Theresa, Bishop Sheen, and Pope John Paul enjoy their suffering?  I presume not, but they endured it for the salvation of souls.  They showed us what is possible when Christ lives in our souls. 

Father’s Reflections . . .
When the Old Testament lesson was being read, the Israelites said, “We’ve never seen this food before.”  I swear my first thought was, may God have mercy on my soul, “It tastes like chicken.”  No.  Monkey tastes like monkey.   Quail tastes like chicken.

How will you apply this message to your life?  ______________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – July 28, 2024 – “You Cannot Eat Your Way to Jesus”

“You Cannot Eat Your Way to Jesus”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 27 – 28, 2024

Gospel:  John 6:1-15


Our good Lord gave people an Introduction to the Eucharist course, but they sort of flunked it.  They realized Jesus had the power to do what He said, and He did it out of love. They flunked the course because when they saw what He could do, they wanted to make Him a bread king.  We do not have a bread king . . . We have a King of love, and He gives Himself to us.  But the people thought He would give them everything they needed, which would be the perfect social welfare system.   “If we make Him a king, everybody will get free bread, free housing, and a free computer.”  They flunked the lesson terribly.  They said He was a prophet.  They got that wrong too.  He was the Son of God.  They were asking for the wrong thing from our Lord. 

He came so that they might have life and have it to the fullest.  He came to fill the hole in the soul.  He gave them the means for salvation and peace in their souls.  But they all wanted something less than what He was.  And that happens in the Church.  “If we have a gym, people will come. If we have a youth ministry, people will come.  If we buy them pizza, they will come.”  In the Army, we had a program called “Eat Your Way to Jesus.”  They would buy pizza for these bible studies they held.  The soldiers would come, eat the pizza, and leave.  You couldn’t keep them there.  They ate the free food, and they were outta there.  “Well, if we had pools, saunas, and entertainment we could compete.”  No.  We can give them what we have which is the best . . . we give them God.  It’s not what we give them but Who we give them. 

People call or come by the church all the time to ask for money, and they come up with some incredible stories about why they need money.  We know it’s all fertilizer.  Their power is about to be shut off or they need money for a mortgage payment.  Some of them show up at night, which is why the cops recommended that I have a handgun.  So, if you need to stop by the rectory at night, call beforehand to let me know.  When I answer the door at night, I always have a gun behind my back because there are a lot of not-so-nice people around after dark.   “Oh, I was just released from the hospital, and I need money for medicine.”  Now, I’ve been a hospital chaplain for 40 years, and that doesn’t fly at all.   Sometimes they bring their babies and claim they need money for baby formula. 

We hear some amazing stories, but they always ask for much less than they could receive.  I can give them Christ the way the Apostles received Him at the Last Supper.  They can receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion.  With the Sacrament of Penance, I, acting in the Person of Christ, can wash away their sins with His Most Precious Blood and anoint their soul.  I can give them peace at the end of their lives with the Sacrament of Last Rites so that they can go joyfully to meet God.   You’d be surprised, but a lot of people don’t want that.

I had this patient in hospice who was new to the unit, so I looked at his chart.  He had lots of problems, and his prognosis was not great.  I went in to visit him, and we talked for about ten minutes.  I asked him if he would like to receive the Sacrament of the Sick.  I don’t call it Last Rites; otherwise, the nurses would have to clean the bed sheets again, and I don’t want to get in trouble with them.  But the patient said, “Oh no, no.  I’m getting better!”  I leaned over and said, “You know you’re in hospice, right?”   I just wanted to make sure he was aware of where he was.  He may be getting out in a couple of weeks, but probably not the way he thought.  Now, my military background tells me I must complete the mission, so I went to Plan B, which I have used many times.  I wait until the medication cart goes by and the patient gets a bunch of happy pills or shots.  Then I have a cup of coffee while I wait for them to get bombed.  After about 10 minutes, I go back into the patient’s room and ask, “Would you like to receive Last Rites now?  I’ll take that as a yes.”   Mission completed.    

We always ask for too little while God offers us so much. Every day, we can come into God’s very presence. The church is open if either Lori or I are here.  It beats watching Soap Operas or listening to Dan Bongino.  Our Lord is in the Tabernacle, and He wants to feed our souls to give us peace and rest.  He wants to give us strength to carry our crosses so that can rejoice with Him for all eternity.  God wants to give us His very self while we settle for so much less.

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – July 21, 2024 – “The Greatest Sermon is One People Can See”

“The Greatest Sermon is One People Can See”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 20 – 21, 2024

Gospel:  Mark 6:30-34

Why did so many people come to hear Jesus?  Because He told them about God’s love, and He told the Apostles to go out and do the same.  They performed acts of God’s love.  People heard about the love of God, and they saw the love of God in action when He healed the sick and exorcised demons.  When people saw the love of God, they wanted it because only He could heal the hole in the soul.  That’s what attracted so many people, and that’s how we can bring people into the Church.  We don’t have to be smarter than the average bear.  Saint Paul tried that and it didn’t turn out so well.  So, he began to preach about Christ crucified which is God’s love.  After that, he began to attract a lot of people.  That is also how we should preach to others . . . by talking about the love of God.

I get these emails from the diocese: “You have to preach on stewardship and tithing.”  Have I, in 22 years, ever preached about money?  No, and I never will.   An old Monsignor once told me, “Be a good priest and you won’t have to worry about money.”  When you preach about God’s love, nowhere should there be anything about tithing or a stewardship campaign.  Instead, we should preach about the goodness and love of God.  The Apostles didn’t have a church where someone played Mitch Miller music.  No.  They talked about the love of God.  How do we do that?  The greatest expression of God’s love is His mercy, and we experience His mercy through the Sacraments.  To preach about the love of God, which is manifested in His forgiveness, we have to experience it in the Sacrament of Penance.  We also need to experience His great love in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.  God freely gives Himself to us so that we may have life and have it to the fullest.  It is God’s great love that enables us to receive that gift. 

Now I love the folks who evangelize outside the courthouse.  They are well-intentioned, and I appreciate their zeal.  But I have to wonder if they are taking their meds.  “You’re going to hell!!”  Really?  “If you don’t follow my particular brand of Christianity, you aren’t going to Heaven.”  Really?  How do you know?  If you really knew, you could pick winning lottery numbers, and I don’t see you riding around in a Bentley.  God sees what man doesn’t.  Only God sees the heart, and He judges accordingly.  So, you have no idea.  To say you do is a sin against charity and slanderous.  Never mind that our Lord said, “Judge not lest ye be judged” (Matthew 7:1).  The Curé d’Ars (the parish priest of Ars, France) was talking to a woman whose husband fell off a bridge and drowned.  The woman said, “You can see everything, Father.”  The priest said, “Yes.  God sometimes gives me that gift.”  The woman said, “My husband was a bad man.  He beat me and he was a drunk.  He drowned, so he’s in hell, isn’t he?”  The priest said, “I don’t know.  There was a long time from when he fell from the bridge and hit the water.”  That’s enough time (to express sorrow) for imperfect contrition and to save his soul.  We don’t know, so we entrust everyone to the mercy of God. 

Mother Teresa preached the Gospel by taking care of lepers.  Those people saw God’s love in action.   While I was in Cuba, I had the privilege of offering Mass to Mother Theresa’s Sisters.  Besides Mass, they spent two hours a day in prayer in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.  That’s where they got the strength to do the kind of work that would make most people want to retch.  Have you ever smelled leprosy?  It is not pleasant.  By the way, the Sisters did not wear masks, but they bathed the lepers and helped them with their bodily functions because they couldn’t.  The Sisters showed God’s love by taking care of the very sick and dying.  There was no money exchanged; the Sisters did it out of love for God. 

We preach the love of God by our works of mercy.  The greatest sermon is one that people can see.  Saint Francis said, “Preach the Gospel at all times; use words when necessary.”

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – July 14, 2024 – “That’s All I can Stands, I can Stands No More”

“That’s All I can Stands, I can Stands No More”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 13 – 14, 2024

Gospel:  Mark 6:7-13


On Thursdays, if I remember, I go to the IDT (Inter-disciplinary Team) meetings.  Doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, physical therapists, dieticians, and chaplains attend this meeting to discuss Hospice patients.   We were discussing this one patient who is 47 years old and who is refusing treatment.  With treatment, he could be cured, so his doctor wasn’t sure what to do.  To complicate matters, this patient is also schizophrenic.  He was trying alternative holistic medicine, such as crystals, which was not working, and he was getting progressively worse.  The staff was trying to get him to talk to the oncologist.  I asked the psychologist, “Do you think that perhaps he is afraid?”  Nobody hears anything after doctors say “cancer.”  They shut down, and the conversation is over.  Although it could be stage 1, after they hear the “C” word, they stop listening.  That is especially true if you have another condition like schizophrenia.   He was afraid and stopped taking his medicine.  He could only control what he could control.  When you are a patient in the hospital, everything is out of your control, and privacy is a joke.  That is the nature of the business. 

We have to be careful about what we say.  Paul said, “Only speak of what builds people up.”  Be good to people.  The sin of slander is akin to murder in Scripture.  In the hierarchy of sins, slander and murder are equal.  We have to be very careful about what we say because we have no idea of the fragility of people.  They could be a lot more fragile than we think they are.  Sometimes they have the “Popeye” syndrome.  Do you know what that is?   “That’s all I can stands, I can stands no more.”   Someday, when they’ve had just one thing too many happen, they go postal.   We don’t know, so say good things that will help people and not evil things.   All that evil speech comes from inside the person saying it.  Speak words of kindness and love, not evil. 

In the Gospel, our Lord sent the Apostles out without any money, food, or anything, and all I could think was, “Are You kidding me?  Lord, do You have any idea what you are asking them to do?”   People who went to college and studied the dictionary would call that counterintuitive.  No – it’s stupid!  But our Lord wouldn’t tell us to do things that are impossible.  That goes against His nature.  The Apostles did what the Lord asked them to do.  Our Lord gives us these things to do so that we can show our love for Him.  “If you love Me, you will keep my Commandments.  My Commandments are not burdensome.”  Oh, I don’t think so.  My lack of faith in eating fish is just terrible.  What a terrible cross I have!  I have to obey my doctors.  That’s the Fourth and Fifth Commandments, by the way.  “I know the commandments.”  I don’t think so . . . but keep learning.  Remember what John Wayne said, “Life is tough; it is tougher when you’re stupid.”  “The Commandments are too hard.”  Not really.  Otherwise, our Lord wouldn’t have said, “My yoke is easy and My burden light.”   It may be unpleasant, but when we start saying the Commandments are hard, how are the young supposed to remain pure?  How are the old supposed to remain pure?  Have you ever heard about the Villages?  Do some research on that.   Ask any police officer, and they will tell you there is a lot of stupid out there manifesting itself.   We have the King Baby Syndrome; “I want what I want when I want it. So, I will change the Word of God to justify what I want to do.”   Our Lord tells us what to do and gives us the means to do it.   He does not tell me to do Misfit work because I’m incompetent.  I don’t fly airplanes for a reason – because I don’t have the ability.  But God doesn’t require that of me.  God gives me the means to do what He requires of me for my vocation as He does for us all.  He offers that to us all. 

So, the hardship of keeping God’s Commandments is negligible.  “Oh!  Do you mean I have to go to Mass every Sunday?”  Well, you catch all the Panthers games, don’t you?   Oh yeah.  Keeping His Commandments is not as hard as we think because He gives us the tools to do so.  The devil on our shoulders tells us how hard it is and how much we will miss the great side of life.  No, you won’t.  You will not miss the Four Horseman:  guilt, fear, shame, and remorse. 

I see people all the time who walk in misery and sadness.  We don’t always have to like what our Lord asks us to do.  I never saw a time in which He asked for someone’s opinion about one of His Commandments.  He said to keep His Commandments.  You don’t have to like them.  Just do what you are told, and it will work out well.  It worked out for the Apostles, and it will work out for us.  We are not the newest kids on the block or the brightest bulb in the box, but our Lord told us exactly what we need to do to have the greatest amount of happiness possible in this life and eternal happiness in the next.  All we have to do is what He tells us to do and to use the means He gave us.  Our lives would be so much better.  Perfect?  No.  I always have to pay for my pizza.  So, perfect?  No.  But it would be so much more hopeful, joyful, and peaceful.   

How will you apply this message to your life?  _______________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – July 7, 2024 – “True Knowledge Leads to Humility”

“True Knowledge Leads to Humility”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 6 – 7, 2024

Gospel:  Mark 6:1-6

Why do we receive an education?  So that we can use our talents to provide for ourselves and our loved ones, for the good of Society, for the good of the Church, and for our own salvation.   One of the greatest fruits of education has a significant impact on spiritual life.   We learn that we don’t know everything and become humble.  The Apostles always had a problem with education.  They said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will believe.”   Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).   The Apostles didn’t understand that, so they had to continue their education. 

Knowledge is a virtue and can produce many fruits.  The people of Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, said they knew Him.  Obviously, they didn’t because if they had, they would have worshipped Him.  True knowledge, used properly, brings about humility.   The more I learn, the more I realize that I don’t know everything.  Sometimes, people read a book and then say, “Father, I know all about this stuff.”  Uh-Huh.  Sometimes people try to tell me what the Church believes.  “Father, I went to a weekend course on Theology.”   Oh, good.  I studied Theology for four years; come talk to me when you’re serious.  It’s pride that says, “I have knowledge; therefore, I know everything.”   True knowledge is the exact opposite.  One of the fruits of education can be seen in the creche at Bethlehem.  You see three kinds of people around Jesus:  the holy – Saint Joseph and the Blessed Mother; the shepherds who knew they knew nothing; and the Wisemen who were educated enough to know they knew nothing. 

People often ask me questions about the Faith, and that’s good.   It may inspire them to read further.   Faith seeking understanding is Theology.   Now, I’m not a learned guy.  I know a few things about a few things.  I know some things about the military and work as a hospital chaplain.  But other than that, not so much.  However, I can refer you to people who are experts in exorcism, Canon Law, and Martial Law.  I’m not an expert in those fields and have only a passing knowledge of them.   Remember our minds are fallen because of Original Sin and sins committed after Baptism.   There is a great book that I read in seminary.  It’s the “Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma” by Father Ludwig Ott.  It’s a very thick book with a very small print.  It helps to have young eyes.  I’ve read and reread that book.  So, when you come to Confession, you know I’m prepared.  But the fruit of that learning is not so that I can bedazzle you with my knowledge.  The fruit of knowledge leads to a holy life so that every day we conform our lives closer and closer to Almighty God. 

We come here to learn how to use our knowledge in works of faith, hope, and charity.  “But Father, I don’t understand everything.”  Perfect.  You’re in the right place.  Will you ever understand everything?  No.  Only when you are in Heaven will your mind be enlightened.  In the meantime, we learn as much as we can and that knowledge, hopefully, will lead us to greater humility.  Saint Thomas a Kempis, in his writing about the temptations of Christ, wrote “It is better to have but little knowledge with humility and understanding, than great learning which might make you proud.” Humility with the knowledge we have is love lived out. 

Last week, I told you a story about our Most Reverend Bishop, who retired after serving for 20 years as bishop.  Although I did not know it, he was very sick.  None of us knew he had only one kidney until after he retired.  Having only one kidney was debilitating for him.  Even as tired as he was after Confirmation here at the church, when I asked him to visit someone in the hospital, he agreed.  I knew it would thrill Genevieve for the bishop of the church to visit her.  As it turned out, besides Genevieve, there was another woman in the hospital who was being sent home to die.  The bishop spent time with them, and he was so compassionate.  He had the knowledge, and he put it into practice.  That is humility.  I’ll say this about myself: I try to do it too.  When I work at the hospital, I’ll help nurses and patients and deal with some things that people would consider yucky.  But it’s not about me; it’s about that person who is sick.  That’s humility, and it’s what I try to practice all the time, but I have an ego as big as the Grand Canyon, so it’s tough.   I have letters before and after my name.  “I fought for my country.”  So did the cook.  Shut up!   If we don’t have humility, all that knowledge we’re supposed to have is wasted. 

Father’s Reflections . . . I will tell you this story so that you know I am almost human . . . almost.  The other day I had a severe temptation.  If you guessed it was for fish, you’d be wrong.  I’m getting older and I’m seeing all these doctors.  It would be great if I could look at my medical file.  I work at the Veterans Hospital, and I can access medical files as part of my work, but I can’t look at my own file.  So, I was thinking that maybe I could ask one of my homeboys to look at it although that would be unethical.  I just want to find out if a wise doctor put in my expiration date just so I can prepare.  But I’m over it.  See, I get temptations just like everyone else. 

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – June 30, 2024 – “All I Needed Was a Checkbook and a Phonebook”

“All I Needed Was a Checkbook and a Phonebook”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 29 – 30, 2024

Gospel: Mark 5:21-43

Early every morning, I come over to the church and do my meditation.  During one of my meditations, the thought came to me about how beautiful our church has become.  Bill Peak was the original Misfit (church volunteer), and I was talking to him about that.  When I first arrived here, the first job I gave Bill was to get the carpet out of the church bathroom.  That’s another reason priests should be married.  Who would put carpet in the bathroom?  To the best of my recollat – recollec – uh – memory . . . do I sound like the President?   But to the best of my recollection, we have made over 50 changes and upgrades just inside the church.   

So, let me ask you – what makes this church beautiful?  Could it be the wonderful new Stations of the Cross?  Perhaps it’s the beautiful altar rail that the Misfits worked on?  Maybe it’s the wooden altarpiece or the marble tables we put in.  Could it be the amazing stained-glass window above the altar?  Maybe it’s the sound system.  We’ve done so many things, but what is the most beautiful?  Does the love of God’s people make the church beautiful?  Yes.  However, that was a trick question.  I asked you “what” the most beautiful thing in our church is.  You should have answered, “Hey, Father, it’s not a “what.” It’s a “Who.”  What makes our church truly beautiful is the presence of our Lord, Jesus Christ, in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  God Incarnate is present in the Tabernacle, and He is beauty itself.  

Our love for Him is a reflection of that beauty and is made manifest in all the wonderful things you have done in the church over the past 22 years.  Your love is a response to His love.  You have given out of love to reflect His beauty and the beauty of His love for us and for everyone.   We are like an Irish family . . . we always have an extra seat.  The Real Presence of our Lord is what makes a church beautiful.  This is our Faith.

That is what makes a church beautiful.  Beauty is not an “it.”  Beauty is a “Who.”  Every Mass is beautiful and wonderful, even the Mass I did in 13 minutes when I was in Iraq . . . we were a little busy at the time.  The Ordination Mass of our new bishop lasted for three hours.  That’s the wonder and beauty of our Faith in the person of Jesus Christ.  It’s the beauty of His love expressed and given to us.  It’s the beauty you have responded to by being here. 

Years ago, Bishop Jugis, our retired bishop now and a really wonderful man, came here for Confirmation.  He was walking across the parking lot, and he said, “Father, you have really made this place beautiful.”  I said, “Bishop, all I needed was two books.”  He gave me a confused look, and I said, “Yes, all I need is a checkbook and a phone book, and I can make things happen.  I know people.”  But the beauty of it all is that it’s from God by your response to His love.   Do you think I used my personal checkbook for all these things?  Nope.  It was yours.  Your gifts are a reflection of your love for Christ and His love for you.  The beauty of His love that you responded to made all these wonderful things happen.  God is beauty itself.  Every church is beautiful insofar as it has our good Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  Soon, and on the eternal scale, very soon, we will all see that beauty without the need for glasses.  We will see God Himself without the need for signs and symbols. 

One more thing about Bishop Jugis.  After coming to Confirmation here, the next morning, he had to drive three hours to the mountains.  I knew he was tired, but after Confirmation, I asked him, “Bishop, would you do me a favor?  There are a couple of people in the hospital I’d like you to visit.”   I asked him to go see Genevieve, a lady who was in her last days, and also another lady who was being released from the hospital to go home and die from cancer.  The Bishop agreed to visit them, and he could not have been more gracious.  You would never have known he had a long trip ahead of him the next morning. 

Father’s Reflections . . .

We had an unexpected expense last week.  The air conditioning in my house went out, so for a few nights, it was rather warm, and I didn’t sleep well.  However, I didn’t waste the time . . . I caught up on my continuing education units which are studies I need to do – I watched episodes of “House, MD.”  It occurred to me that I am House in a priestly sense.  I can live with that.  He is hilarious.

This week we will be celebrating July 4th.   Remember that freedom is not free.  Last month was the 80th anniversary of D-Day.  Of the first 128 men who went ashore, guess how many survived.  None.  Do you know the average age of the soldiers on D-Day?  19. 

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – “Do the Next Right Thing” – June 23, 2024

“Do the Next Right Thing”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 22 – 23, 2024

Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

I was talking to a man the other day at the hospital and giving him a little spiritual direction.  He’s a very devout man, and I’ve known him for years.  He was judging himself harshly about how well he was carrying his crosses.  He didn’t feel he was making any progress.  I said that if you notice in Scripture, our Lord never asked anyone how they felt.   He didn’t care because feelings change.  Every time He asked the Apostles what they thought, they got it wrong.  He didn’t ask the Pharisees or Sadducees because He knew they would get it wrong.  Therefore, He left us instructions in black and white.  The Blessed Mother, the greatest spiritual director of all, said to us, “Do whatever He tells you.”   These were her last words recorded in Scripture.   Can a mother be wrong?  No . . .  especially the mother of our Lord.  So, we follow the commands of Christ and do whatever He tells us.   Christ said, “If you love Me, keep My Commandments.”  And through the Sacraments, He gave us the means to achieve that.  The second part of this great spiritual maxim is one my battalion commander would use, “Do the routine things routinely.”  Our Lord said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”   He gives us the power to pick up our cross, to bear it every day, and to help others bear theirs.  Another wise man said, “Do the next right thing” and you will be progressing toward sanctity.  So, when in doubt, just do the next right thing. 

Great moments, such as the ecstasies that the saints experienced, may come or they may not.  Every now and again, not as often as we would like, but when our Lord decides we need it, He gives us these little pick-me-ups although I’m still not a monsignor even after 40 years in the priesthood.  Thanks a lot!  But sometimes we are so busy and wound up in ourselves that we miss them.  On those occasions, our Lord is saying, “You’re doing great!  I’m proud of you!”  Unfortunately, we sometimes miss all that.   The gifts He offers us usually come before a great struggle, so do not pray for spiritual gifts because you might find yourself in a heap of trouble.  But that’s how we achieve our salvation. 

Growth in spirituality does not consist of ecstasy after ecstasy.  That’s reserved for Heaven.  It’s about taking up our cross every day and doing what He tells us to do.   Some of our crosses may change depending upon the time of life and our situation.  We may have other crosses added, and we may, out of love, take the crosses of others onto ourselves.  A good friend of mine was a Special Ed teacher.  She was coming down with the flu and even though she felt bad, she needed to be in class.  So that night I prayed, “Lord, give me her flu so she can teach her class.”   After all, I was in the 101st Airborne Division, and I was a tough guy . . .  until the next afternoon when I went downhill.  I was so sick.  She was fine, but I was really sick for a couple of days.   Don’t be too eager about taking another person’s cross because what happened to me could happen to you.   I thought I was a tough guy.  Nope.  The Lord rewarded me for my love but punished me for my pride. 

Do not be disheartened.  It’s a temptation by the evil one to make you think you are not doing well because if you were progressing, you would be much happier, and things would work out a lot better.  That’s not true.  In some of the so-called spiritual programs, they say, “If you do this and this, you will feel much better.”  No.  That’s spiritual blackmail of our good Lord, and He really doesn’t like that.  Saint Teresa of Avila said, “If this is the way you treat all your friends, Lord, it’s no wonder You have so few.”  And that’s true.  But our crosses are there so that we are not puffed up by our pride.  “I raised myself to Heaven by my own bootstraps.”   “I’ve done this, and I’ve done that.”  Think of your crosses as a way to grace instead of something you have to put up with. 

Some days, and there’s no way around it, bearing our crosses is a royal pain.  I have complained about my crosses to the point of ad nauseam.   But my crosses are there to keep me small, to keep me safe, and to keep me reliant on God’s mercy and God’s grace.  The daily bearing of my crosses, as well as cleaning up the messes I create because of them, shows God’s grace to others.   It’s not always pleasant, but so long as we don’t give up, we are making spiritual progress toward salvation.   

I’ve been saying the Divine Office, a daily prayer priests have to say, for over 40 years.  Do I always enjoy it?  No.  Does my mind always stay centered on it?  No.  Look! Squirrel.  But I’m still doing it.  Despite our failed human nature, we keep coming back and doing the right thing.  We take up our crosses and follow Jesus.  As long as we do that every day and remain faithful to the Sacraments through which we are healed and strengthened, we are making great spiritual progress.  Don’t listen to anyone or anything else.

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – June 16, 2024 – “Get Your Donkey to Mass”

“Get Your Donkey to Mass”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 15 – 16, 2024

Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

I remember my theology teacher, Father Connolly who has gone on to his eternal rest.  Saint Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”   Father Connolly put it this way, “We have a hole in the soul that can only be filled by God because He made us for Himself.”  We all have that hole in our soul; a place where only God can dwell to make us whole and complete. 

While I was up North and visiting my cousins, I got the low-down on the family . . . who is in the hospital and who isn’t . . . it was like a hospital counseling session.  Some are doing well, and some are not so well.  But that’s life on life’s terms.  How is Cousin Larry doing?  “Well, if you don’t count the six stents, the level 3 chronic kidney disease, and the lack of circulation in his feet, he’s doing great!   What I would really love for them all to do is go to Mass.  They were all given the gift of Catholic faith at Baptism.  Get your donkey to Mass.  It would help them bear their crosses and not die early. 

We all have family and friends we dearly love who have gone off the reservation, and our hearts break for them.  We want them to know the hope, the joy, and the peace we have in the Faith and the consolation we receive from our good Lord.  Remember that God loves them more than we do.  God wants them in Heaven more than we do.  God created them out of love, sustains them out of love, and gives them His gifts to turn their heads toward Him so that they can realize that they are running away from the source of all grace and goodness.  Never give up on your prayers for them.  God will never give up on them.  We may get tired, frustrated, and resentful, but God never does.  He is there waiting for them because nothing will ever kill that desire for God in their soul. 

Many people try to fill that hole in their soul with all sorts of people, places, and things.  It never works.  No matter how hard they try, the hole is never filled.   They try to kill the call of God.  “Well, this other church is good. They do this, and they do that.”  Well, if it was that good, you wouldn’t be talking to me in that tone of voice.  Feeling a little guilty, are we?  I wonder why.  That’s anger and guilt.  I’m not a professional counselor, but even I can figure that out.   I can always tell when I meet an ex-Catholic.  Do you know how?  They say, “I used to be Catholic.”  Are you happy?  They aren’t.  They know what they had and lost.  Their soul is not filled with Who it was meant to be filled with.  Instead, they keep trying to explain how much better things are now.  Really?  It is not.  So, keep praying for your relatives and friends as I keep praying for mine who have left God and the Faith.   Remember, God is always after them 24/7 and 365 up until the moment they die.  He constantly follows them and thumps them on the back of the head.  Hey Stunade!  Quit running.  Stop hurting yourself and let Him love you.   

During my military travels, I used to see this poster that said, “A coward is a man who lets men better and braver than himself protect him and his family.”  And that is true.  There is more courage than that on the battlefield.  A couple of weeks after I arrived here, I received a phone call from Hospice.  “Would you go visit someone in the county?”  Sure, I’d be happy to visit them.  I was new to the area and had no idea where anything was.  I’ve been here 22 years, and I still have no idea.   Anyhow, I found my way out to where the county ends and God begins.  It was an older couple, and the wife was dying of kidney cancer.  I talked to the husband, who was a WWII veteran and an Army Ranger.  He had been captured by the Japanese and tortured.  After I gave his wife Last Rites, I remember the last words he said to his wife, “Honey, I kept my promise.  I did not put you in a nursing home.” 

When 9-11 happened, people in Statesville were saying, “Let’s go get them!”  Are you going to give me your sons and daughters and risk their coming home in a body bag?   I knew I would be recalled, and in a couple of weeks, I was gone.  We see physical courage every day in our police and fire departments.  But the more important type of courage is moral courage.  I know a bunch of brave men who go home and are good husbands and fathers.  That is the mark of a true man.  Despite their many crosses, they are good husbands and fathers.  They protect their families and pass on the Faith.  That comes from striving for holiness. 

Father’s Reflections . . .

The other day, I texted Father Hoar and thanked him for covering for me last weekend.  I said I hoped y’all didn’t love him too much.  I had visions of my bags being packed and waiting for me on the porch and the locks on the door changed.  Paranoia is sometimes a good thing.

People have asked about my vacation.  Let me put it this way:  I had three combat tours in the Army and a tour in Gitmo.  During the seven days I spent driving around Rhode Island, I had more near-death experiences than I had in the 24 years I spent in military service.  I had breakfast in the diner every day; it was like “Cheers” with pancakes.  While eating breakfast, I looked around at all the people there, and it reminded me of an old Country & Western song:  “I have friends in low places.”

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”