“A Change Would Do You Good”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
October 28 – 29, 2023
Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40
I don’t know if today’s sermon will be as good as last week’s, but I’m going to give it a shot. What is the key element needed to grow in the spiritual life? It begins with a “C.” Change. We have to change. We are always changing. I can no longer bend steel with my bare hands, leap tall buildings, or run faster than a locomotive. Those days are over if they ever were. I can no longer do those things. My mind says, “Sure! You can keep up with that 18-year-old.” Yeah, like that’s going to happen. I made that mistake once while I was in the military. One of the officers said, “Father, let them do it. You are the senior officer present.” I said, “I am not going to let those twerps, those young soldiers, outwork me.” It’s a guy thing. When I went back to the hooch at the end of the day, I was in a world of hurt even after a hot shower and taking Motrin. But I wasn’t about to let someone outwork me – that wasn’t going to happen.
The key word is “change.” But the trouble with change is that we always try to change the wrong things. I’ve been a priest for over 30 years, and I have people come to me with addiction problems. Nobody gets to choose their crosses. “So, what can I do about it?” Well, you’ve got to change. “Well, I think if I move to Florida, Alaska, Rhode Island, or Oakboro, I would be better. Or maybe if I had a different spouse or a better job, things would be okay.” That’s plausible. But, in all that, there is one glaring fault. “What’s that?” Well, in all those scenarios, you are bringing you. You aren’t changing. You’re just taking the mess somewhere else.
We have to change. This is what our Lord said: “Leave all things behind and come follow Me.” He doesn’t mean physical things. He is referring to our attachment to self . . . our whole will. Unless you become like little children, you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3). A child is dependent on their parents who are the source of life. We are called to change, but we always seek to change the wrong things even in the Church. People say to me, “Father, I sit in the back of the church, and I cannot hear you.” Well, move up to the front row. There’s plenty of room there. “Father, I do not like Latin or Latin hymns.” Well, I don’t hear you singing the English hymns either. “If we had reconciliation rooms where you could go in and talk to the priest like in a therapy session, it would be better.” So, thousands of dollars was spent on reconciliation rooms, and confessions continued to take a nosedive like a Kamikaze pilot. Then the Roman Rota, the highest court in the Church, said, “You know, that’s illegal because the priest and penitent must be separated by an immovable barrier.” Oops!
I was in a brand new church, a beautiful church, and I was talking to the pastor. I asked him if he had thought about installing an altar rail. He said, “Yes, I really wanted one, but I ran out of money.” Okay, I understand that. One of his parishioners, a staff member, said, “Oh I hate altar rails. It’s so old-school.” So, you are offended by an inanimate object? It’s not like you have to have one in your house. We change all the wrong things. During your lifetime, we have had Mass in every conceivable language. If you want to hear every language spoken on the planet, come to the 12:15 Mass. I speak Spanish with a French accent, and sometimes I break into Latin just for grips and grins. “We should have Mass in all these languages so that people will come.” They still don’t come! “Well, if we have the Vigil Mass at 5:00 on Saturday and Mass on Sunday night, people will come.” Mass attendance is still down.
My grandfather was a police officer for 38 years in the city of Taunton, MA. Family history has it that he never drew his side-arm. I also have it from someone who had a close encounter with my grandfather that he did use his foot. Those are the old days when you could provide guidance without the cameras rolling. This guy said, “You know something? I deserved it.” He never did that again. My grandfather never missed a Mass. “Oh, we can’t have the dreaded Latin Mass.” Oh, my goodness! It would make it so easy for me. I would only need to have one Mass for the entire United Nations in this church.
I have a book in my office entitled “Chaplains of WWII.” In the book, there are stories about two priests one of which was an Army chaplain. He followed the same Mass during the Battle of the Bulge, in the snow, with the soldiers kneeling. “That was in the war?” Yes, a big one. The Germans and Americans were negotiating real estate. It was pretty brutal, but they held Mass, and the soldiers were all on their knees. Another story from the book that I thought was moving happened in Iwo Jima. A Navy priest was saying Mass with the Marines, and the Marines held up ponchos so that the wind wouldn’t blow everything over. You know what? They were all kneeling during the Mass. The average age of a Marine there was 19 years old. We don’t send old men to fight wars. Jim Dawson was 19 years old and disarmed bombs in Vietnam which is a zero-defect kind of job.
We need to change ourselves. That’s what Jesus said, “Leave everything behind you, and come follow Me.” Come to Him like a little child. Change is not always pleasant. The day I had to stop eating bacon and start eating Moby Dick was very traumatic. I still whine and moan about it. That’s alright because it extends my warranty a little. We must change if we want peace in our souls and all the joy possible in this life. Do not try to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic. Do not work on the peripheral stuff; instead, work on the hole in the soul.
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’s Facebook page at ola.catholic.church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”