Tag: Advent

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Sermon Notes – “In the Quietness, God Lets Us Know He Hears Us” – December 15, 2024

“In the Quietness, God Lets Us Know He Hears Us”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 14-15, 2024

Gospel: Luke 3:10-18   

Today Holy Mother Church celebrates the 3rd Sunday of Advent.  I hope and pray to be here for the 4th and final Sunday of Advent.  At 71 years of age, I have more time behind me than I probably have ahead of me.   My chaplain friends ask me if I’m ready for Christmas.  Yeah.  How do you get ready for Christmas?  Saint John the Baptist told us how, as he prepared Israel for the coming of the Savior, he said, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths”(Luke 3: 1-6).   

We pass this law and that law so that we can get everybody straightened out and decide how they will live.  Our Lord did not mean that.  He meant us.   We are great at prescribing for other people, but not for ourselves.  We must make straight the paths of the Lord in our own hearts, and He tells us exactly how to do it.  If you have two coats, give one to someone who is cold.  If you have more than enough food, give some to a person who is hungry.  Soldiers should not bully anyone (we never do).  Tax collectors should not take any more than they should.  He tells us how to prepare our souls for the coming of Christ.  Live a moral life.  Living a moral life burns away the stain of sin and prepares our souls to be at peace when our Savior comes, whether it’s in Holy Communion, at our death, at His 2nd coming, or at the commemoration of His incarnation coming on December 25th.   

There are a lot of books on prayer.  “Say these prayers, and everything will be all right.”  No.   I had this one secretary at the VA who said, “I said this prayer, and I claimed that miracle.”  Really?  Do you think that God told the parents who have children in St. Jude’s that if they didn’t pray correctly, He would let their children die?  No.  Prayer is an act of love.  Why do we do acts of love?  For the sake of the Beloved, not for ourselves.

Now, He never says that by doing all these things, you will feel better.  You may not.  He also didn’t say that when you pray you would levitate.  He said, “Pray. Stay with Me for a while.”  He didn’t say you would be happy all the time and doing the happy dance.  Sometimes we can be weak and terrified, so when someone gets sick on pea soup, we panic: “Oh, my God!  It’s satan!”  No, it’s just bad pea soup.   

Living a moral life is very noble.  You all are here, so I know you are trying to live moral lives.  Sometimes it’s not fun, is it?  For example, on doctor’s orders, I have to eat fish twice a week.  It’s part of the Fourth Commandment, so I have to obey it.   Do you know how I feel about the thought of eating fish?  Nauseous.  I hate fish but I have to eat it.  It’s a work of love.  I’m not saying love of self wouldn’t expand my lifespan, but I trust in Almighty God who has given physicians medical knowledge and wisdom.  Doing acts of love does not always feel good.  Occasionally, every now and again, once in a while, our Lord will favor us with His consolation.  In the military, we call that an “atta boy.”  It can be disappointing because I like being told I’m doing a great job.  I have been a priest for 40 years, and I’m still not a monsignor.  That’s really crushing!  I’m a Very Reverend, but that’s just an honorary title.  I wish that were true. 

When you pray through your works of charity, you may feel like, “Hey, God.  I’m doing all this stuff and getting nothing in return.”  Yes, you are.  You are growing away from self-love and toward your love for Him.  You are preparing your soul for Christ.  You are doing a great job, so do not be disappointed.  That’s a great temptation of the devil.  You may be disappointed because you are not getting atta-boys or atta-girls.  But every now and then, God will let us know as He did Elijah in the cave.  Don’t look for a huge and momentous event; that scares people.  But in the quietness, God lets us know He hears us and that we are safe in the palm of His hand.  Our Lord said, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:11-12).   So, when we do all these acts of love and do not get anything back from our Lord, that is when we are growing more and more in love with Him.

So, how do we prepare for Christmas?  We do as we are told.  

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 – We Find God in the Silence – December 1, 2024

“We Find God in the Silence”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 1, 2024

Gospel:   Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Before Mass, I was talking to a lady who just returned from Lourdes.  I’ve been to Fatima several times but never to Lourdes.  Before you enter the shrine area, the grotto, or the church itself, signs ask for silence and appropriate dress.  Shorts are not allowed.  If you are not silent, someone will come to remind you; if one reminder is not enough, they will ask you to leave.  The silence is out of respect for Who dwells there.  Exterior silence is essential for prayer.  C.S. Lewis wrote “The Screw Tape Letters.”  Screwtape was one of the senior devils, and he had a little devil who was trying to rise up the demonic ladder.  This little devil said he was trying to think of innovative ways to get people away from God.  Screwtape told him that they already had an excellent method called noise.  Noise is very distracting.  It takes you away from who you are talking to or who you are trying to listen to. 

In the Mass, there are certain sections for reverential silence.  Unfortunately, the Mass has developed into something where people are moving, singing and doing whatever.  Someone said that those are supposed to be moments of meditation.  No, they are not.  Whoever said that did not go to a proper seminary.  Meditation takes about 20 minutes, and there is a reason for that.  Not only do we get the noise from outside that interferes with our concentration, but we also have silent, distracting noises in our hearts.  So, no matter how quiet it is in church, except for now, while I’m speaking, the hamsters are going and going, aren’t they?

We all have difficulties, and we all think about these things we must do whirling around in our heads.  Ideally, we leave all those things at the door.  But we bring them into church and give them to our Lord.  What happens when we have the stillness of the soul or as best we can?  Remember, we are men, not angels.  It is then we can hear God speak to us as He did to Elijah while he was in the cave.  God was not in the storm.  God was not in the earthquake.  God was in the silence afterward.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, our Lord asked the Apostles, “Can you not spare an hour to watch with Me?”  He didn’t ask them to talk.  He didn’t ask them to sing.  He asked the Apostles to watch with Him.  That is a huge part of prayer.

Last week, the hospice chaplain asked me if I would sit with a man who was actively dying.  He had been actively dying for three days, so he was a little slow at it.  I said, “Sure.”  I have done that many times.  Did I know him?  No.  Did I know his family?  No.  Did I know if he was a good man?  No.  What I did know is that he was a child of God.  So, I sat with him and reminded him to breathe.  He was trying to break the habit.  But in that room, in that reverential silence, I knew God was either there to take him or would be coming soon.  I prayed that he would have a merciful judgment and go joyfully to his loving God.  God was in that room, and I was listening.  That is a part of preparing for Advent. 

People ask, “Father, are you ready for Christmas?”  My response is, “I don’t mean to be sarcastic, but what difference does it make?  It’s going to come whether I am ready or not.”  It makes no difference.  Christmas is coming.  All these things we have to do are wonderful.  However, the most important thing we have to do is our interior preparation, which makes all the exterior preparations worthwhile.   All those gifts people give each other are expressions of God’s love.   The love within them is the love of God expressed by giving to others.  How much more expressive would they be if their souls were holier?  Do yourself a favor this first week of Advent and read “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry.

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 – December 3, 2023 – “ Are You Ready for What May Come? “

“Are You Ready for What May Come?“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 2 – 3, 2023

Gospel:  Mark 13:33-37

 Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be watchful! Be alert!
You do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man traveling abroad.
He leaves home and places his servants in charge,
each with his own work,
and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”

This week there is a Holy Day of Obligation.  We will be observing the Feast Day for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Friday at 8:30 a.m.  There will be a Vigil Mass on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.  Also, Christmas falls on a Monday this year which means the faithful are obligated to participate in the Mass once for the Sunday and once on the holy day.   Believe it or not, I have already heard the Catholic angst.  “Oh, my goodness!  I have to go to two Masses in three days!”  Really?  Are you starting your own opera here?  That’s a lot of drama over nothing.  If you don’t like the Mass, you won’t like Heaven.  The same Lord appears in both places.  You’ll be fine.  In fact, you’ll be better than fine; you’ll be fantastic.  So, please come. 

Just like Lent, Advent is a season for penance.  Because it is a penitential season, I’m wearing violet – not purple – violet.  Because this is a season of penance, we will not be saying the Gloria during the Mass.  Advent is a time for reflection and preparing our souls for the coming of our Lord in the flesh.  When He comes again it will be to take us to Heaven. 

On Friday I was visiting a man in hospice.  I asked him how he was doing, and he said, “ho hum.”  At least he didn’t say “fine.”  I hate it when they do that.  So, we were talking, and I asked him how old he was.  I found out that he had been in the Army, and I asked if he had been in Vietnam.  He said, “No.  My brother took an extra tour there so I wouldn’t have to go.”  We kept talking, and I asked him if he was ready for what may happen.  When I’m talking to hospice patients, I never use the “D” word.  If they want to talk about it, they will bring it up.  But I don’t take away that crutch from people until they are ready.  Some patients have stabilized, gone home, and lived a lot longer.   You don’t know where people are on that spectrum.  Some people never reach the acceptance stage and need that crutch.   So, I asked him, “Are you ready for whatever might come?”  He said, “Yeah.”   I said “Okay,” and we talked a bit more. 

In one of his letters, Saint Paul said, “I don’t know if I wish to stay in the body or be at home with Christ” (Philippians 1:21-22).  He wasn’t sure if he should stay in his body to continue the work of the Church or go be with Christ.  Paul was torn but he was ready for anything.  During this penitential season, perhaps that can be a good meditation for us all, as in my question to that sick man: “Are you ready for what may happen?”  Or as in Saint Paul’s statement:  I do not know whether it would be better to stay in my body to build up the Church on Earth or go to Heaven.  Are we ready for whatever may come?

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.”

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 74 – The Christmas Mystery

Diving deeper into Jesus Christ as Mystery, the Catechism describes the deep mystery in the preparations for Christ’s coming—also known as Advent—as well as the mystery of his first coming in Christmas. Fr. Mike points to one of the last sentences of today’s readings—”Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us”—and reminds us that Jesus is the star of the story, not us. Our goal is to become children in relation to God. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 522-526.

Click on link to watch video: https://youtu.be/B9A9PyVMAlw

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Minute Meditation – Filled with God’s Grace

Mary knew who she was to the very depth of her being. She said yes to God and because of that, the world was turned upside down, or perhaps was finally righted. Mary’s is her testimony to the way God intended the world to be from the beginning. Because she said yes, a new creation would be revealed to the world. This woman at the heart of the Advent season is a remarkable role model for us. We might not realize it, but we, too, are filled with God’s grace, even if that grace is clouded and obscured by sin. Mary may have been born knowing who she was, but we are given many opportunities to learn the marvelous truth that we are sons and daughters of God. At times, we mistake humility for inferiority, but in truth humility means knowing who we are, with all our strengths and weaknesses, gifts and gaps. Our job is to clear away those things that keep us from saying yes to God. If we focus only on what’s missing, we miss the beauty that’s already there. As we become more and more clear, we better reflect and magnify the Lord who has given us all that we have, made us all that we are (and can be). And here, too, we can learn from Mary. Again and again, the Gospels tell us that she treasured everything in her heart, pondering the meaning of the angel’s words—and later those of her precocious child. She must have spent long days and even sleepless nights wondering where his adult path would lead him. But through all of ponderings, she knew in her heart that she could trust the God to whom she had said yes. How do you show forth the glory of God to those around you? Pray these words with Mary: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. (Luke 1:46–47) We’ll never be asked to do what Mary did. Her role in salvation history was unique. But God asks us to have her openness to those things that we are called to do. Take some time even in this hectic week to reflect on your life—past, present, and future—and listen for how God is asking you to make things right in your little corner of the world.

— from the book Simple Gifts: Daily Reflections for Advent  
by Diane M. Houdek

//Franciscan Media//

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The Great Drama of Light and Darkness at Advent

As we enter the final week of Advent and the nights grow rapidly darker and colder, let us remember that “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness; and the darkness grasped it not” (John 1:4-5). The Christ Child draws near and a new and glorious morn approaches. May we ready our hearts and minds.

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2nd Week of Lent – What Can Jesus Do for Me This Lent?

Do you long for direction in your life? Do you find yourself creating your own path, and getting lost? Hitting dead ends?

Life can hit hard, and when it hits hard, who do we run to? We sure don’t run to a fantasy. Who is Jesus? We’ve learned these past few weeks that he was a human just like us. But is he more than that? More than just a nice guy, or a wise teacher? Is he truly our Lord who can save us?

God wants to give you more. How will you respond this Lent?

Fr. Mark Toups, an experienced spiritual director, leads readers inward to invite the Lord to heal those areas where they need it most. He follows the same format that more than a hundred thousand people enjoyed in Advent with his popular Rejoice! journals. Readers will receive daily guidance as well as supplemental videos, to help enter more deeply into Lent and remain focused throughout the season.

The Ascension Lenten Companion: Year C Presented by Fr. Mark Toups Product Owner: Julia Bernetsky
Producer/Director: Matt Pirrall
DP: Sean Boyd
Production/Editing: Coronation Media