Tag: Baptism

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Sermon Notes – January 11, 2026 – He Understands Our Fear

“He Understands Our Fear”

 Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 10 – 11, 2026

Gospel: Matthew 3:13:17

Every good sermon should have three main points:  1) by the Baptism of our Lord, more is fleshed out that was only hinted at in the Old Testament, including the nature of God and God in three Persons.  It became more objective, allowing us to see it, and continued through the New Testament.  2) The baptism of our Lord was done with water, which corresponds to the three baptisms of Aaron, the high priest.  Aaron entered the meeting tent, and Moses washed him with water, anointed him with oil, and then anointed him with blood on his right ear, the thumb on his right hand, and the big toe on his right foot.  Jesus would also have three baptisms.  He was baptized with water, baptized with the Holy Spirit, and baptized with blood on the Cross.  We will have those three, too, and our Lord, in His humility, showed us how to do it.  Did He need to redeem us this way?  No.  But He showed us we could do it because He did.  3)  Finally, His Baptism is a sign of His great love for us and His humility.  He was baptized by His own creature, His cousin. 

Jesus began His public ministry after His Baptism.  In that one act, He showed us great humility and demonstrated extraordinary leadership.  He showed us the precise way to follow Him and to enter and enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven.  Good leaders show their followers the correct way to accomplish things.  When I was in the military, we would do physical training (PT) in the morning.  I would usually do it with the headquarters company, so a lot of officers were there.  If the First Sergeant dropped somebody for pushups because they were having an attack of stupidity, we all went down for pushups to set a good example for that soldier.  

Our Lord also showed us how to bear illness.  “Father, Jesus was never sick.”  I realize that, but when He cured the sick, what did He do?  He sighed and groaned.  He took upon Himself all the pains and fears of every sick person in the world then, and those who ever would be at that one moment.  He took all the pains of our sins and physical ailments because of sin to the Cross.  When I was much younger, my brothers and I were sick with strep throat.  In those days, doctors still made house calls.  Doctor Figman took a cotton swab and inserted it down my throat.  It felt like he inserted it all the way into my stomach.  BLEAH!!  Doctor Figman gave us medicine, but I hated it, so my father took it and said, “Oh, it’s nothing! See, it’s fine!”  Okay, Dad.  My father didn’t need the medicine, but he showed my brothers and me how to take it.  That is what Christ does.  He shows us how to take His medicine so that we can get to Heaven.  We must do exactly what He did so that we can receive His promises.  He also understands our fear, as He showed us in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He worked through His fear to show us that we can too.

We see the humility of Christ every day.  You see His humility here now at the altar, where God makes Himself subject to His creatures.  Through a very imperfect creature – me, He comes down to the altar in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and becomes the Most Precious Body and Blood made present for His faithful to receive as an intercession to the Heavenly Father.  This is the great love brought by His humility. 

Our Lord’s baptism was the beginning of His public ministry.  He showed His humility from the beginning and throughout His ministry by His obedience to the Father’s commands, His obedience to Mary and Joseph, and His obedience to His creatures.  Why?  Because He loves us.  Follow His ways.  Do what He did, and you will get what He got.  We will see Him one day in His Kingdom in Heaven.

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 28, 2025 – They Always Said “Yes”

They Always Said “Yes”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 27 – 28, 2025

Gospel: Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

Today is the Feast of the Holy Family.  What made the Holy Family holy?  They were holy because they had Christ in their family.  How did they bring Christ into their family?  They were obedient to God’s Word.  Keeping the Lord’s Commandments are works of love.  What was Mary’s response when the angel said to her, “Oh, by the way, you are to conceive a child without a husband.  Are you good with that?”  That would have been a death sentence in Israel at the time.   But Mary loved God so much that her response was, “Okay, that sounds like a great idea, God.  I’d love to.”   Neither Mary nor Joseph was read into what was going to happen in the fullness of God’s Revelation.   They did not know.  God just asked them, “Will you do this?” and they always said, “Yes.”  Joseph’s faith was strong, and he did a lot of work.   “Hey Joseph.  Mary is pregnant, but you are going to marry her anyway.”  “Okay.”  He was also told to take Mary to Bethlehem in the middle of the night using the shoe leather express.  Now, nobody walks around Palestine in the middle of the night.  First of all, it’s freezing, and it’s also very dangerous.  When our military was there, the only time we ventured outside at night was with heavily armed soldiers with nasty attitudes. 

When the Holy Family returned from Bethlehem, Joseph was told to take her all the way to Egypt, again by the shoe leather express.  When they returned from Egypt, Joseph had to take Mary and the Baby to Jerusalem for Christ’s presentation in the temple, still again by the shoe leather express.  When Christ was 12 years old, they had to make that same trip.  Joseph did a lot of walking.   Did he have an explanation for why?  No.  Did he understand any of it?  No.  The angel did not deem it necessary to enlighten him because Joseph lacked the necessary divine security clearance.  He did it because God asked him to.  Love dwelt in that family because they were obedient to God.  The Blessed Mother and Joseph proved their love for God by their obedience.  What did Christ say?  “If you love Me, keep My Commandments.”  By the way, there are more than ten Commandments.  If He asks, always say “Yes.” 

When priests are ordained, they take three vows:  poverty, chastity, and obedience.  The hardest vow for priests to keep is obedience.  “Who the heck does that clown with the funny hat think he is?”  Some of us are educated far beyond our abilities.   Obedience has two parts: objective and subjective.  Objective obedience is external.  Subjective obedience is internal assent to a superior’s will and is the most challenging form of obedience.   The marvelous thing about Mary and Joseph’s obedience is that it was both exterior and interior.  While in the military, when I gave a soldier an order, most of the time they would say, “Yes, Sir. I’d be happy to,” and then they would carry out the order.   However, sometimes soldiers really didn’t want to do what I had ordered, although that was irrelevant because I could literally put someone in prison for disobedience.   Those soldiers followed my orders even though they didn’t want to, but in the back of their minds, they were probably thinking, “You are such an idiot!”   

Subjective or internal disobedience resulted in Original Sin by our first parents: “I will not serve. I will not do what God says.”  Obedience is always a struggle.  You say that you love God, but sometimes your internal assent may be like, “Oh, I gotta go to Mass.”  “It’s a Holy Day, so I have to go to Mass.”  “I have a hard time receiving Jesus.”   If you find it difficult to become a part of God’s sacrifice and receive Holy Communion, you really need to think through those objections.  Does that even make sense to you?  No.  But because of our fallen nature, we want to rebel: “I don’t like being told what to do!”  When God knocks on the door to our hearts, if Christ lives within us, we will open it and invite Him inside to sit and eat with us.  If our hearts are hardened when God knocks, we will say, “No thanks. I’ve got this.”  Even at the end of people’s lives, I have had some refuse the Sacrament of Last Rites.   Usually, I wait until they are in a sweet state of reasonableness, which occurs about ten minutes after the drug cart has come by and they are bombed out of their ever-loving minds.  It’s a spiritual tool that I have used many times. 

Interior obedience is the most challenging struggle each of us faces because of Original Sin and the sins committed after Baptism.  But it is our obedience to God’s commands that enables us to become like the Holy Family.   Obeying His commands is how we increase in His love, to ensure the maximum happiness we can be afforded in this life, and to have life eternally.  You think obedience is hard?  Think about the Baby in the Manger, the 2nd Person in the Blessed Trinity, whose Father sent Him into the world.  Jesus obeyed two of His creations, and you think you have trouble being obedient.  Imitate the Christ Child, Who was obedient to His parents, Divinity being obedient to His creatures who were obedient to God.  What a wonderful example of internal assent.   

If you wish to be holy, you have to be obedient. Obedience to God is not always fun.  Each day, I have to say the Divine Office, which takes about 20 minutes, and on really slow days, about 25 minutes.  “Oh, it’s so hard to do!”  Really?  “Father, come down from the Cross; we need the wood.”  It’s only hard for those who don’t want to love.  There is no sacrifice in love.  If there is, the sacrifice itself is love.  To become like the Holy Family, we must follow their example by saying “Yes” to God.  Jesus Christ said ‘Yes’ to God, and as a result, we have Him in the world as our Savior and Redeemer.  He gave us two perfect examples to follow: Mary and Joseph.

Father’s Reflection: Someday, tomorrow will start without you.

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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The Rosary in a Year – Day 174 – Living Our Baptism

Through Alexander Ivanov’s painting, The Appearance of Christ Before the People, Fr. Mark-Mary contemplates the baptism of Jesus and the profound humility of John the Baptist, who recognizes Christ and directs his followers to Him. The artwork and Gospel text together highlight John’s deep spiritual freedom and his role in preparing the way for the Messiah. We are encouraged to live out our own baptismal calling by pointing others to Jesus through humble witness, love, and trust in God’s will. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Baptism of Jesus and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear

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The Rosary in a Year – Day 154 – I Am Not Worthy

When Jesus approaches John to be baptized, John initially resists, insisting that he is not worthy. John is troubled, explains Fr. Mark-Mary, and yet, when Jesus reassures him, he obeys with confidence and trust. Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, The Baptism of Christ guides our meditation on humility. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Baptism in the Jordan and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear

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The Rosary in a Year – Day 134 – Shadow of the Cross

The first Luminous mystery is a mystery of profound joy, but a fresco of Jesus’ Baptism, featured in the Church of San Benedetto in Padua, reveals that the cross is never far from Christ. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that Jesus’ “yes” at his Baptism, is also a “yes” to his passion. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Baptism of Jesus and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear

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The Rosary in a Year – Day 54 – My Beloved Son

The waters of the Jordan in our lives must always precede the sands of the desert. Fr. Mark-Mary explores the mystery of Jesus’ Baptism, highlighting that Jesus’ baptism immediately precedes his temptation in the desert. We are invited to recall our own baptisms and the gifts we received as we meditate on the Rosary and face difficulties in our lives. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Baptism of Jesus and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear

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Sermon Notes – October 27, 2024 – “Things I Wish I Could See – Part 1”

“Things I Wish I Could See – Part 1”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

October 26 – 27, 2024

Gospel:   Mark 10:46-52

I have to be careful when I read the paper because if I hold my head just right the light that shines through my glasses could start a fire.  Thanks to the heroic efforts of Dr. Billingsley, my vision is 20/20 and I am street legal to drive.   Because of him, I don’t need a dog and cane to get around, and he has the worry lines to prove it. 

When I pay attention, I can see things as well as anybody else.  The trouble is that I want to see better.  I see things as they are, but I want to see things as they truly are.  I want to see things that exist but cannot be seen.  I’m not saying that I want to see the deputy sheriff hiding behind a billboard on Highway 52.  Rather, I want to be like Saint Francis and Saint Teresa de Lisieux, the Little Flower.  They saw their guardian angels.  I would like to see our good Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.  I would like to see our Lord celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and walk to the Father waiting at the altar.  I would like to see our Lord on the other side of the confessional screen absolving me of my sins by putting His hand into the chalice of His Most Precious Blood and anointing my soul.  I would like to see our Lord give the faithful new life through the Sacrament of Baptism.  I would like to see our Lord unite a man and a woman in the Sacrament of Matrimony and leading to procreation according to the order of nature which Saint John Paul II called the domestic church.  I would like to see our Lord give young people the Sacrament of Confirmation and impart the Holy Spirit upon them so that they can be faithful witnesses.  I would also like to see our Lord at a deathbed and giving Last Rites to prepare a soul to transition from this life to the next bringing them safely to Heaven where all of us are meant to be. 

I would like to see that, but I would settle for this – to see our Lord’s presence in those people who really irritate the you-know-what out of me.  You know them – they drive 10 mph below the posted speed limit and then they go 15 mph over it and then back to 7 mph.  In the military we call that the “slinky.”   They think the speed limit is just a suggestion.  I had one in front of me the other day, and I wished I were a cop so that I could blue light him.  He crossed over the yellow line, and then all the lines.  Dude!   But you know what?  There’s no need for all that angst and anxiety.  I work at the VA, and I had plenty of time to get where I was going.  But it’s all about me!  God might say to me, “Hey, this morning during your prayers you said you love Me.  How’s that working for you?”  Not well.  I could pray for more patience; however, patience is an acquired virtue, and if you pray, “Lord, please give me patience,” He will send every idiot your way.  But that’s how to achieve more patience.  You might feel angry, but how you react to that anger is how it can become a sin. 

The gift I pray for is to have eyes of faith that can see God in suffering souls.  That is the kind of 20/20 vision I would like to have. 

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 – March 31, 2024 – “He is Risen”

“He is Risen”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

March 30 – 31, 2024

Gospel: John 20:1-9


People say, “Women have no power in the Church.”  No, but women have more courage.  Look at the Gospels and the courage of women.  Can you imagine how the women who went to the tomb felt?  That is the transforming power of faith.  Now, I know we have law enforcement here.  We also have medical people, the fire department, and combat veterans.  They can tell you what would happen to a dead body after three days in the Palestinian heat especially one with open wounds.  You aren’t going to want to be near it.  Whew!  There is no amount of Vicks Vapor Rub or Febreze that will cover up that stench.  But their love for Christ triumphed over their natural reluctance to do what we would say is disgusting.  Their love for the Lord gave them the courage to overcome their reluctance to go to the tomb and anoint the Body of Jesus.   I’m sure they knew exactly what they were getting into.  During that time, life was a lot more brutal and harsher than it is today.  We live a much cleaner life.   That’s what faith does.  Faith can transform our fear into love.  The women were going to the tomb to do a proper work of mercy for our Lord.  They didn’t have to, but they did.   And because of their love, these women were the first to behold the empty tomb and the resurrection.  Afterward, they brought Peter and John to the tomb, and Peter went inside. 

I’m old enough now to hide my own Easter eggs.  As time passes by, you realize that your celestial discharge is approaching.  We have a natural fear of death.  We were never supposed to die.  Our first parents are responsible for that; however, we have helped with the sins we have committed after baptism.   Sin brings fear, and sins committed after baptism increase that fear.  But the love of God can transform that fear and turn it into a longing, not to leave our loved ones behind, but to go be with the Beloved.   God wants us to be with Him, and He offers His love to transform our fear into love.  In the Gospel of Saint John, Jesus said, “I am going now to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you to myself, so that you may be with me where I am” (John 14:2-3).  We will go to join our good Lord, all those who wait for us, and all the saints who prayed for us. 

I had an interesting episode of God’s Mercy last Thursday while doing my rounds at the hospital.  We have a new hospice chaplain, and when I saw him, I wanted to say, “I was here before you came, and I’ll be here after you leave.  You’re the sixth hospice chaplain I’ve seen come through here.”  I’ve been at the VA hospital for quite a while.   But he’s a great guy, and he told me there was someone for me to see in the hospice unit.  I said, “Okay.”  So, I went in to talk to the patient.  He was in very bad shape and did not make it to the weekend.  He had been in Vietnam.  He had been Baptist, became a Catholic, became a priest, left the priesthood, was laicized, and got married.  I’m not sure where the lady was, and I didn’t bother to ask.  But he made his peace with God.  Father Elkhart from Sacred Heart came over and heard his confession.  I talked with him for a while, or as much as I could because he was in such discomfort.  I gave him the Apostolic Pardon because I take care of my own.  He was a soldier, and I was a soldier.  That is God’s mercy.  He wants us to be at peace. 

The resurrection is true, and its power is still alive and active.  Our Lord offers us His life.  If the resurrection wasn’t true, then all of this would be worthless.   He gives us the gifts to change what we have caused by sinning.   Even sin cannot compete with God’s plans.  All He asks for is our cooperation to draw ever closer to the Sacred Heart of His Son so that we can be transformed.  Those fears we have, and we all have fears, of leaving this life and going to God will be changed.  The transforming power of God’s love elevates us above and beyond our natural fears and limitations. The resurrection is true.  His power is still active.   Christ is risen.

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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The Catechism in a Year – Day 280 – The Christian Name

What does it mean to bear the Christian name? The Catechism reminds us that in Baptism, we are given our Christian name, which is sacred. Our name represents the dignity of each of us and depicts how God loves us each uniquely. Fr. Mike explains that each time we make the Sign of the Cross, we call upon the Lord to bear witness to what we are about to do. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2156-2167.

Click on link: https://youtu.be/MqoZDijCD0o?si=3pnrvZ9fauTooQ99