The High Price of Low Living
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
June 24 – 25, 2023
Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33
Years ago, my older brother, John, went to the doctor. The doctor told my brother that she had bad news for him. John said, “What’s that?” The doctor told him that he had Hepatitis C. She also told John that he could probably be cured of it, but that he would have to stop drinking. My brother thought about it and said, “I appreciate that doctor, but I like to drink.” This was a guy who kept a bottle of vodka in his freezer. Now, my brother was not a stupid man. John and my twin brother both had Mensa cards, members of the Society of Geniuses. John had a great doctor who offered all her talents and abilities to increase the odds of his survival. Sometimes Hepatitis C can lie dormant forever, but it can also come and take you out. My brother decided to play the odds and to continue drinking, but he lost the gamble. The doctor had tried to help John, but he refused God’s gift. I was there when he died. He died a much more painful death than he should have. It was not a pleasant way to go.
I’ve been reading all these articles in Catholic newspapers about our needing to be a “welcoming Church.” I have a question. Remember “Welcome Back Kotter” and what happened when Horshack had a question? OOOOHHH! OOOOHHH! OOOOHHH! I have a question! When were we not a welcoming Church? My brother’s doctor used all her expertise trying to get him to change his mind. But he was stuck on stupid. You cannot fix stupid; you can only medicate it. Saying that we are “not welcoming” is an insult to the people of God. Look at all the Catholic hospitals, schools, and orphanages that took everybody. A lot of times when the poor inquired about their bills, there were none. How can we not be welcoming?
Now, I’ve been a Catholic for 69 years and 40+ weeks. I was very young when I was baptized, so I don’t remember the exact date. My father was an usher, and I never saw him throw anyone out of church. I have never seen Lori body slam anybody who came into the office. That doesn’t mean she hasn’t wanted to, but she’s never done it. I have been here for 20 years, and I have never observed anyone not welcome in this church. Bea’s husband, Tommy, was an usher here for 55 years, and he was not Catholic until near the end of his life. That’s an interesting story. Tommy attended a Baptist church for 55 years. When he was very sick, I went to his house to see him. We watched Russian crash videos which I highly recommend by the way. While I was there, Tommy said, “Father, how do I become Catholic?” Well, I can hook a brother up tomorrow – no problem. How can we not be welcoming? Did Stump or Navy-boy Timmy ever check your baptismal certificates or bank statements? No. Did you ever hear me say, “If you are not Catholic, you are going to hell”? No. So, I get pretty indignant when people say that we are not welcoming. What did Christ say? “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28-30). “Yeah baby!” Not so fast. He also said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” “Oh, so there are conditions?” Yes. You must give up the high price of low living. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mk 8:34). Leave your father and mother; sell everything you have and give it to the poor; eat My body and drink My blood; one wife and one husband, marriage between male and female. . . Do you think our Lord got it wrong?
Our Lord has a lot of conditions, but they are not burdensome. The Commandments are acts of love, and love is easy. It is the mindset that comes from sin that tells us they are difficult. Just like addicts we think, “You don’t care. If you really cared for me, you’d give me my drugs or booze.” Come up higher . . . You will feel much better when you stop doing that stupid stuff. Aren’t you tired of hurting? Come up higher. Come enjoy the grace of God. Come enjoy His peace in your soul and the full joy of not being bound by old habits and sin. Is it always instantaneous? No. When people get sober, tell them it takes about two years to regain their marbles. It takes about five years to learn how to play with them, because original sin diminishes the will and intellect. Repeated sin does the same thing.
We are always carrying our cross. When we preach what Christ did, we are a welcoming Church. We are not being hurtful or hateful. I came to Albemarle 20 years ago, and I am responsible for the spiritual care of all people within 404 square miles. Church law doesn’t say “all Catholic souls” – it simply says “all souls.” By virtue of my office, I am supposed to be welcoming to all people. So, I take the insult that we are “not welcoming” personally. We are trying to help people. When we carry our cross, we take his place. The Pharisees said, “We will believe you if you come down from the cross.” But Christ said, “Come up with me. Share My passion. Then you will know true peace.”
We are very welcoming of people here. You should have been at the baptism I had yesterday. They were Spanish, and I couldn’t pronounce their names. Y’all know how great my Spanish skills are. It was a lot fun and full of laughter as the Anglo struggled to speak Spanish. When I was overseas, we had people from Bangladesh and Pakistan who wanted to come to Mass. But they couldn’t when the Saudi Arabians were around. The Ministry of Internal Security wouldn’t allow Catholic Mass, so they would sneak in with us, and they were all welcome. They were afraid that the Saudi Arabians would bust in during Mass. I told them that we had a couple hundred of heavily armed men who were not in a good mood. I didn’t think anyone was going to bother us.
We are all one in Christ. We are all welcome. Yes, Christ has certain rules, that’s true. But by being here, we are all a testimony that those rules are not burdensome. We welcome everybody. Unfortunately, we have plenty of pew space. I wish that more people were here. I would even add another Mass if needed. We are welcoming. People will always be drawn to Him. And in that welcoming, in that call from Up Higher, they will see Christ.
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” and then “Menu.” Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.” Sermon Notes are also available on the church Facebook page at ola.catholic.church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”