“You Don’t Gotta Do Anything”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
December 13 – 14, 2025
Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11
Christmas is a time of longing for Christ’s appearance on Earth. We are exiles here because we were supposed to be in the Garden of Eden, which is the presence of God Himself. As lovely as Oakboro and Aquadale are, we were not supposed to be here, and we look forward to our Savior’s coming. So, how many people are happy that Christmas is coming? Not a whole lot. Why not? This is when I get the most baked goods. But we tend not to look forward to the commemoration of Christmas. If I hear one more Christmas carol like “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” or “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause,” I’m going to destroy a sound system. Shut up! We have family coming, who we may or may not like, but they are coming anyway. There are many social activities to engage in. There is all the cooking to do and the house to get ready. My house is always ready because it doesn’t change. It is a rather simple existence. There are all these pressures, and the emotions are overwhelming. So, when asked if you are looking forward to Christmas, you might be thinking, “Yes, for it to be over!” But think about that. Are we not looking forward to the commemoration of Christ’s coming into the world to save us, to open the gates to salvation, and to afford us the means to get there?
The same is true for why you are in church today. How many of you get really excited about coming to Mass? I know that sometimes you do. But have you ever heard Catholics say, “I gotta go to Mass.” You don’t gotta do anything. You don’t gotta keep the speed limit, although you may receive an autographed ticket from law enforcement. When people say, “I gotta go to Mass,” it sounds as if they are about to undergo a root canal or a colonoscopy. “I gotta be a part of our Lord’s sacrificial death and resurrection and receive Him into my soul.” Perhaps you should think about that in meditation. You gotta go, or do you want to go? You have been invited to become a part of the sacrifice of Christ. If we do not anticipate the joy of the Mass and the other Sacraments, we will not be thrilled when it is our time to leave this world and go to Him. The joy of going to Mass is not always like doing the happy dance. Nobody does that. I, like you, get very tired. I may be having a really bad day. But some days you just have to say, “Lord, I’m having a hard time right now, but I’m going to Mass out of love for You.” That’s okay because that’s when you grow the most in His grace.
In the spiritual life, the difference between rejoicing and being happy is the difference between the intellectual and emotional. It is an act of the will. I’m not crazy about getting root canals, and I’ve had my fair share, but they are for my own good. While I may not be celebrating having to undergo a root canal, I go and let gifted professionals take care of me so that I don’t have to eat Jello for the rest of my life. Interiorly, I know it is best for me to have the root canal. Likewise, interiorly we look forward to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Christmas, and all the feasts on the Church calendar. Sometimes we become overwhelmed by the emotions from family, social events, and the news. By the way, if you are overwhelmed by the news, I refer you to my last sermon: Pull the Plug. Whatever the situation is that has you wrapped around the axle, I have three questions: Did you cause it? Can you control it? Can you cure it? If the answer is ‘no’ to all three, then let it go. Turn off the news and put on the Animal Planet. You are wrapped around the axle for nothing.
When I was young, I was told that a part of spiritual life is not to have excitement of emotions. Today, there is constant emotional excitement around entertainment. Who can have the most provocative dance? Who can do the most outrageous thing? Excitement of emotion is not good for the spiritual life because it creates all sorts of bad temptations. Remember, our joy comes from the heart and from the knowledge that we are commemorating Christ’s coming into this world. Christ opened the Gates of Heaven and afforded us the means to achieve Heaven and to live there forever, which is why God created us. We have the means to participate and become a part of that in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. That’s where our joy comes from. If it’s raining, you come to Mass. If it’s cold, you come to Mass. If you don’t feel well, you come to Mass. If you don’t feel well, please do not come to Mass. Sometimes the force of law is attached to our actions. Under the pain of mortal sin, I have to say the Divine Office every day. It’s just like you going to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days. But under the pain of mortal sin, I must offer those prayers because the Church knows priests are weak. We are men and not angels. So that’s why we are given the proper motivation and even the spiritual boot in the butt to do the right thing.
Remember that desire and joy are interior and come from the heart, not the emotions. We look forward to Christ coming. We look forward to His coming, being made present on the altar, and affording us the means for salvation. It may not always be with happy feet, but with interior joy for the love of Christ.
Father’s Reflections: I was in Mint Hill on Thursday and heard confessions for two hours. That’s a long time to hear confessions. I was wondering if I was alone and hoping to receive assistance from other priests. Hey, I’m dying here! I asked people to give me the short version of their sins, which never works. I need a tip jar if you want me to work this hard!
Some of the old-timers are becoming ill. I thought of Judy Hesden, who was in the ICU at the hospital. She was looking at the monitor and asked me if a heart rate of 135 was good. I said, “It is if you are a hummingbird. But don’t worry, it will come down.” Judy was there because she was a chain smoker, which I call internal cremation, one pack at a time. She was on medication for her pain and discomfort. Judy would get bombed on the medication and then sleep through Saturday night Mass. See how much fun I have as your pastor?
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.”