“For Everlasting Joy, Pray for More of the Who and not the What”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
November 18 – 19, 2018
Leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, was a contagious and deadly disease, so the ten lepers in Luke 17: 11-19 each had a very heavy cross to bear. However, it was because of the leprosy, their crosses, that they encountered Jesus Christ. It was because of their faith in Him that they were healed and given the gift of life. It’s also why their story is still being taught today, 2,000 years later, so that we can learn from it. There’s another lesson we can learn from the lepers. Even though all ten were healed, just one came back to thank Jesus. Be sure to thank Him for your blessings!
Our crosses are His greatest gift to us, but we pray for them to be taken away instead of using them to help others. You cannot help, or even understand, combat veterans and others who have been to hell and back unless you’ve been there yourself.
Jesus did not ask the lepers if they were worthy, if they loved their dogs, or if they tithed at church. He gave them their lives back because of His great love for all of us. Christ says that greater gifts are in store for us. All of His gifts are just little hints of His love. Sometimes, He shows us greater love by not giving us what we want. You can be sure that when He says “No”, it’s for a bigger and better reason.
We pray too small….and it saddens our Lord. Often, we ask for things and not for a closer relationship with Him. Pray BIG. Pray for the “Who” and not more of the “what.” He wants to give us the gift of Himself…the greatest gift of all, and if you have Him, you have everything.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you pray BIG by asking for a closer relationship with Him? Will you thank Him for your blessings as well as your crosses?
38) In the course of his teaching he said,p “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, 39) seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets.40) They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.” 41) He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42) A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. 43) Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. 44) For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”
Teachers tend to repeat the points of the lesson they want their students to remember. Our Lord teaches us again and again that we must love Him and His people. The Ten Commandments are basic instructions on how to love, while the Catechism contains more in-depth instructions. In neither can you love totally and without reservation until you give up the love of self.
So, what does that kind of love look like? In John 15:13, Jesus said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” In Matthew 18:21, Jesus tells Peter that he must forgive his brother “Not seven times; I say, seventy time seven times.” We can also find that kind of love on the crucifix. His Passion is a reminder of just how much He loves us. Christ said “Father forgive them, they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). Every Mass is a total expression and outpouring of His love. It shows us how much we are loved and how much we are to love others.
We don’t pay close enough attention to the lessons Christ teaches us. Often, we forget the lessons already learned about who and how we are to love. It’s as if we have Attention Deficit Disorder. As fallen people, we try to figure out how much we can get away with and do as little as possible and still get into heaven. However, I doubt that you would be very happy if your spouse said s/he loved you only partially.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you give up your love of self? Will you love totally and without reservation?
Father’s After-Thoughts….
Veterans’ Day is Monday. George Orwell said: “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” On June 6, 1944, D-Day, our soldiers crossed the English Channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy, France to help liberate Western Europe from the German Nazis. A soldier once told me that the water was bloody when they made their way up to the beach. Another said that they had to step over dead bodies in the water to get to shore.
Some say that time heals all wounds; but that is not true…at least for many combat veterans. Their wounds are deep and, many times, are kept hidden for a lifetime. It becomes much more difficult, even impossible to cope with the pain when their wives are no longer there to help. Since the Civil War, 20 veterans commit suicide every day. Please pray for those who have served and who are still serving in combat zones that they find peace and solace. And, when you meet a veteran, be sure to thank them for their service.
How many of you have read the owner’s manual for your car? Not many of us, I am sure. The Ten Commandments are our guide, our owner’s manual, for how to love God and his people. People say “I know the Ten Commandments,” and they can even recite them by heart. They know them, but do they fully understand them?
There is a lot more meaning in the Ten Commandments than just ten declarative sentences. Just look at the Catechism…there are more prohibitions and commandments than first meets the eye. But, they are the beginning steps of how to love Him and others….they are neither too strict nor too lax, created to help keep us on the straight and narrow path. Many of us can talk the talk, and some of us can walk the walk when it’s convenient. But, once things get a little uncomfortable, we often bail.
The Ten Commandments are not burdensome, but we need to fully understand and follow them to grow in love. Many times our egos get in the way, which is a problem since love is focused on others first. We must learn how to be happy in simply obeying the Commandments. Christ said “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15). By the way, there are more than ten:
Matthew 35-36:
35) “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me; 36) naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.”
Left to our own devices, we often screw up even though we say “I’ve got this.” Physicians tell us exactly how to care for our bodies. The Ten Commandments tell us how to care for our souls and to love Him and others. As Catholics, we believe precisely what Christ teaches…nothing more, nothing less. People are taught the truth; they just don’t want to live it. A lack of knowledge is not the problem…it’s a lack of love. We are more in love with ourselves than with Him. We want what we want when we want it. Christ asks so little of us, only to love Him and our neighbor. However, until our love of self dies, we will be unable to love Him or anyone else.
A rich man approached Jesus and said that he had obeyed the Ten Commandments all of his life and asked what else he needed to do to inherit eternal life. The man was very sad when Jesus said to him: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21). But, the rich man had many possessions and could not bear to part with them, so he walked away from Our Lord. He knew the Commandments, but he did not completely understand them. He could talk the talk, but was unable to walk the walk.
Blasphemy is saying something disrespectful about God, the Mass, or the sacraments. People commit blasphemy when they say that Mass is boring, that they don’t get anything from it, that they dislike the music, or that they don’t like the Mass given in Latin, English, or Spanish. Newsflash: We are not at Mass to be entertained…the Mass is NOT about us. It is all about Our Lord. We are there as participants to talk to God.
God asks us not to hurt ourselves or others. When we eat or drink too much, we harm our bodies. When we sin, we break away from the love of God. We hurt our family because they depend on us. We also hurt those who cannot see the face of Christ in us and be led to Him.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you study the owner’s manual (the Ten Commandments) so that you can love God and your neighbor?
“Be Careful What You Wish for…You Just Might Get It!”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
October 13 – 14, 2018
Scripture: Mark 10: 17-30
The Rich Man.
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?* No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.’” 20 He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 24The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to pass through [the] eye of [a] needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel. 30 who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many that are first will be last, and [the] last will be first.”
If I had lots of cha-ching and said that I was giving you a Bentley or Rolls-Royce, would you be ecstatic with happiness? Yes, of course you would! But…be careful. Having an expensive car comes with higher insurance premiums, and it will need regular service which can be pricey. You might want to keep your prized possession in the garage to guard against birds pooping on it. Perhaps, you will need a bigger garage that is heated and air-conditioned too. You also might want to be careful about where you drive your new car. You’d be terrified to drive it to Walmart or you might need to leave it parked in Badin and walk to work. Your new car may be a prized possession, but it possesses you.
When I was in the Army, we could take whatever we wanted to the field (military version of camping) as long as it fit into our backpacks….which meant we had to be able to carry them. I learned quickly to only pack what I absolutely needed while in the field. Those backpacks get very heavy and become a burden – very quickly – especially during a 10 mile march. It is the same with our possessions.
When a rich man asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, the man was shocked and saddened when Jesus told him to sell all of his possessions and give to the poor. The man, who felt that he had obeyed the Commandments all his life, could not bear to part with his wealth and status, so he walked away. Christ did not chastise the rich man, but looked at him with great love. We, too, suffer when we allow wealth or work to keep us from a closer relationship with God. There is little joy in a selfish life focused entirely on self. When we grow close to Christ, and trust Him for the things we really need in life, we don’t need to hold on to our possessions and positions for security.
We are possessed by our possessions . However, we were not created to accumulate things….they can become a distraction. They require time, energy, money, and divert us from the things in life that matter most. More stuff will not make you happy. Quite the opposite is true. What matters at the end of our life is not the house we lived in, the car we drove, or the possessions we purchased. The greatest possession on earth we can have is our Lord Jesus Christ…to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him, and to be possessed by Him. Once we are possessed by God, we have everything…we are rich…and everything falls into place.
We are self-possessed, and that is our greatest possession. We can fulfill our vocations and enjoy the fruits of our labor without feeling guilty. However, along with our vocations, come responsibilities. If you are married, you are responsible for providing for your family and guiding them. If you are single, you have a responsibility for service to the community and to the parish.
A universal truth is one that applies to everyone regardless of gender, race, status, or beliefs and is one that everyone believes to be true; for example, gravity. Other than that, everyone has their own version of the truth. Today, people like to say that “they are proclaiming the truth.” They say their bodies belong to them to do with as they wish. They are forcing their own will onto society. But there is only one truth. Christ said “I am the way, and the life, and the truth” (John 14:6).
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you eliminate the stuff that distracts you from a closer relationship with God?
2 The Pharisees approached and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. 3 He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” 5 But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and be joined to his wife], 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate. 10 In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” 13 And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16 Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
Saint Jerome translated the book of Genesis from Hebrew into Latin. Translating Latin into English is problematic, because English is an imprecise language. The correct translation from Latin is that God created “homo” (a person) first and then separated His creation into two people. The Sacrament of Marriage transforms two people into one person.
If doctors treat a disease incorrectly, it’s night-night time. The same is true for the Catholic Church. Some say that if priests were allowed to marry the scandal of sexual assaults by priests would not have happened. But think about it…there are lots of perverts who are married.
Do not be distracted. The problem is priests who gave in to the temptations of satan, and bishops who lacked the backbone to lower the boom on bad priests and initiating spiritual kneecapping. We cannot blame anyone other than those who yielded to temptation and those who covered it up. But, we are unwilling to address the real problem and make excuses instead. We refuse to call it what it is…satan.
I hear people say that there’s too much sex and violence on television…but, how would they know? Are they actively watching those shows? Nevertheless, we cannot blame inanimate objects for our sins…that bird just won’t fly. The trouble in the Church is satan and sin, and our attachment to it because of a lack of moral courage and determination.
The Catholic Church is a hospice for sinners…not a hotel for sin. Priests, the backbone of the Catholic Church, are there to take care of souls and minister to their flocks. We must give members of our parishes the truth. The Eucharist is a “Who”, and not a “What.” During communion, we receive the Lord Jesus Christ – our Savior who saves us from our sins.
We don’t need more structure, committees, or meetings to fix what’s wrong with the Church. There is already too much bureaucracy which makes the Church seem unapproachable. Every first year seminarian knows this. We need for more lay people and those in the hierarchy to seek and strive for holiness.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you keep your focus on Christ and not be distracted? Will you strive to become more holy?Done1 ShareSeen by 8LikeCommentShare
13 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi* he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist,* others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood* has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,*and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.* Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.
Recently, I met a man who was admitted to the VA Hospital. When he arrived, escorted by VA security guards, he was in very bad shape…a real mess and almost out of his mind. After a while, he was able to calm down and admitted that he had stopped taking his medications because he thought he was well.
God has also given us a prescription…prayer and penance…and it is up to us to use it. A lot of people turn to God when they are in pain, feel bad, or have nowhere else to go. We must avoid doing what the VA patient did and continue to take our medication by growing closer to Him, even when we feel better.
We cannot rely on past good deeds. The Lord tells us to take up our crosses each day (Luke 9:23). We may not like the remedy; perhaps it’s inconvenient or not what we desire. But, time and time again we have learned, sometimes the hard way, that God ALWAYS knows what is best for us. As Mary said at the wedding in Cana, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5).
We learned in Catechism classes that sin is an offense against God and results in our estrangement from Him. Sin marks and disfigures our soul and psyche; it also distorts our faculties.
Matthew 18: 7-9
7 Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 8 If your hand or foot causes you to sin,* cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into fiery Gehenna.
We can reestablish our bond with God and restore the beauty of our souls through the Sacraments. Through them, we are unblemished by the stain of sin, and we become more holy, brighter, and wiser. Holiness leads to increased knowledge. This is not for our benefit, but so that we can be a conduit of God’s love and help lead others to Him. People need God’s love. We don’t need a new, expensive program or study group. Through acts of love and mercy, we will lead people to Him.
We are all sinners. If we try to lead a holy life and grow closer to God, we realize how our sins affect Him. As our love for Him grows, so does our desire to repent for our sins AND for the sins of others.
Think about it….When you love someone, it hurts you when people disrespect them. So, you try to show your loved-one even more love to atone for those who hurt them. We can, and should, do the same for God. Love is not about feeling good about yourself; it’s about making others feel better.
We are supposed to let the Sacraments change us. Instead, we keep trying to change ourselves into what WE desire. However, when we try to go it alone, we become angry and bitter because we don’t have God at the center of our lives. The image we try to project to others, if not from God, is a sham and will not last. Pity those who walk away from the Catholic Church for they have walked away from the source of peace. You probably know a few..how is it working for them?
There is so much evil in the world…and there always has been. From the beginning, we have been in a constant battle with demonic forces that are trying to prevent us from leading others to Christ. To deal with scandal in the Church, we need to practice the teachings of Christ as well as do some housecleaning. There have always been bad priests, nuns, bishops, and popes. In spite of them, the Church has survived for over 2,000 years. So, we do NOT need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, we need to do what Christ has taught us. It works every time; but, it doesn’t work when not used.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you rely on the sacraments of prayer and penance to grow ever closer to God? Will you be a conduit for His love and share it with others so that they can be lead to Christ?
We often find excuses for our bad behavior just as Adam and Eve did after they disobeyed God and ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam blamed Eve for eating the forbidden fruit, and Eve blamed the serpent. We, like Adam and Eve, tend to avoid accepting responsibility for our own blunders; instead, we search for others to throw under the bus.
For example, if we were to ask those who drink too much about the reason for their excessive drinking, we might get the following response: “If you had my [spouse/boss/children/life] you would drink too!
Christ wants to give us the greatest gift of all…the gift of Himself through the sacraments. But, we can find a thousand excuses for not accepting His invitation. We turn our backs on Him for the silliest reasons. Judas traded Jesus’ life for 30 pieces of silver. But we are not so different. We look for reasons to reject His gift too.
Why don’t you participate in Mass?
– It’s in Latin or it’s NOT in Latin
– I’m too busy.
– I’m too tired.
– I believe priests should be married.
– The scheduled Mass times are inconvenient.
Why don’t you go to confession?
– I don’t like going into the confessional booth
– The times for confession are inconvenient
The truth is NOT that we are unable to accept God’s gift because it’s too difficult. God would not set us up to fail. The reality is that we do not want to change. Everything He asks of us is achievable if we love Him enough.
Do we ask our doctors if they are married, to speak in our preferred language, or to expand their office hours to fit our schedules? No.
Furthermore, even though we think we don’t have time to participate in Mass or go to confession, we are able to find the time to watch television, surf the internet, or play video games.
God created us to be joyous; but we will never be happy by getting everything we think we want or need; it is only when we are given what He wants for us will we find true joy.
Miracle of Transformation – Becoming Young Again in Christ
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
June 30 – July 1st, 2018
Scripture: Mark 5: 21-43
As we age, we grow away from our parents; but, spiritually, we grow closer to God.
Christ raised three people from the dead: the 12-year-old daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:22-43); a widow’s son in the town of Nain (Luke 7:11-15); and his friend Lazarus (John 11:1-44). This means they had to die two times.
Christ has never made anyone young again. He gives us the gift of growing old…of more birthdays. As we age, we can become hardened and jaded as we commit sin. But, if we live a spiritual life, we can grow young and become innocent again. Christ meets us where we are….in our homes, in hospitals and even in prisons.
Psalm 43:4 – “That I may come to the altar of God, to God, my joy, my delight. Then I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.
The Sacraments give us faith, hope, and charity. God created us to be joyous, and we naturally draw people to us when we radiate joy. We teach people to love by letting them love us.
We learn humility when we must accept help from others. As caretakers, we bring Christ to those in our care. When we offer our help to others, we take on their burdens. We suffer with and for Christ who took our sufferings upon Himself.
30 The apostles* gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught 31 He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat 32 So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.33 People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them 34 When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity or them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things
St. John de Britto (1674-1693) was born into a noble family in Portugal. After becoming a Jesuit priest, he volunteered to work in India to convert Hindus to Christianity. St. John was martyred for his efforts. His crime? Feeding the poor
.When St. John arrived in India, he soon discovered that its people were hungry… spiritually. The Indian people wanted to be taught, and they came by the thousands to learn about the Catholic faith and to be fed true bread from heaven….the only way to fill the holes in their souls
During the next 14 years St. John preached, converted, and baptized over 10,000 people. After he advised a powerful prince to dismiss his many wives and to keep only one, St. John was persecuted, tortured and beheaded. A sorrowful example of how powerful people try to hold onto their power
We are also called to feed the poor and those who are hungry in spirit. People are malnourished…both physically and spiritually. We try to satisfy our hunger with everything but Christ. Eating junk food hurts us physically, but spiritual fasts are devastating to the soul.
We must give what we have received for free…truth and faith. Do not worry about what to say…that will come from God. Our job is to open the spigot and let it flow, being careful not to cause a clog so that souls are open to let God’s grace enter
We may wind up like St. John…mocked, ridiculed, disappointed and persecuted. A small cost when compared to the price of a soul which is Christ. Therefore, we can walk away with a smile from those who rebuff us, because we are doing God’s Will and planting seeds. We have given them the spiritual truth. Pilate looked at truth in the face and did not recognize it. John 18:37-38
37 So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king.* For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice. 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
As we draw close to Christ, there will always be more; in fact, infinitely more. We cannot possibly imagine the heavenly banquet…it is too vast. We shall have more joy than we can possibly imagine.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you help feed the poor?
1 After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee [of Tiberias]. 2 A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish feast of Passover was near. 5 When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
Philip told Jesus that they didn’t have enough money to feed everyone. The apostles never quite got it right. Even after all of the miracles they had seen, they still flunked the lesson because of a lack of faith.
At the wedding in Cana, Mary told the servers to “do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5). We, too, must do whatever he tells us by using whatever talents we have.
God has given us talents, and we must use them. Our talents are not limited to skills, but can include the crosses we bear, illnesses we have endured, or experiences that have shaped us. Our essential talent is to love God.
For example, there are priests who are more talented, but in different ways. There are those who have advanced degrees. Some are skilled administrators. Others are eloquent speakers. However, those priests may not be able to make people laugh when they are going through the darkest of days, or know how to help soldiers with PTSD, or they may shy away from hospital “yuck.”
The Lord asks us to do things for Him, but we find reasons for why we cannot even though He has given us what we need to go out and tell the good news. He has given us firm, concrete instructions…to spread His love and help save souls wherever we are.
Our common mission on the divine scale is huge…make God’s love manifest in the world. We may never see the results of our efforts, but, that’s not what is important. We are planting seeds and doing “whatever He tells us to do.”
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you “do whatever He tells you”?
