Tag: Christmas

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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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Annunciation: What You Never Learned! – Explaining the Faith

Hear things about the Annunciation that you have never heard before and why it was the most important day in human history. Hear Fr. Chris Alar explain what we need to know about this solemnity. Includes answering such questions as is Christmas a pagan holiday? Is the Hail Mary Biblical? Do we worship Mary? and the difference between Mary and Zechariah. Streamed live on Mar 25, 2023

“©2022 Used with permission of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Stockbridge, MA, USA. All rights reserved.
For more information please visit: www.Marian.org”

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Sermon Notes – December 17, 2023 – “Christmas is NOT the Season for Giving“

“Christmas is NOT the Season for Giving“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 16 – 17, 2023

Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-28

 A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So, they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”  And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?”  He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’” as Isaiah the prophet said.” Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is One among you whom you do not recognize, the One who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Do you know what the two kinds of people in church are?  Well, there are saints and sinners – we are all sinners, so that’s us.   Some are ordained and not ordained.  There is no second class.   In Rome, they are saying, “Oh, we make the decisions.”  “Women need the power to make great decisions.”  Really?  Did you grow up in a hole?  Women always make decisions.  Are you kidding me?  There is also chatter in the Church about who wants to lead or who wants power.  How about John the Baptist?   He said, “I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of His sandals” (John 1:7).   In those times, do you know who unstrapped people’s sandals and washed their feet?   Slaves.  John said he was beneath the slaves.  Know what Jesus said about John the Baptist?  He said, “Among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11).  So even as great a man as John was, he was not worthy to untie the sandals of our Savior.  We have to remember our state.  Even as a priest, I must remember my state.   I was given this gift for you and not for myself.  I am a better priest when I am more humble as I try to be holy.  So whatever gifts we have been given are for others. 

Have you ever heard that Christmas is the season for giving?   Do you know where that phrase originated?  Walmart and all the stores before them.  Christmas is NOT the season for giving.  Christmas is the season for receiving.  What is Christmas?  It is the reception of Christ coming into our world.  The first Christmas was when we received our dear Savior in a stable in Bethlehem.  We received Him into this world so that He could fulfill His promise to come, suffer, die, open the doors of Heaven, and give us the means to achieve our salvation.   Christmas is the season for receiving.  We are called to prepare ourselves for the reception of Christ not only at the anniversary of His birth in this world but also for that time when we experience our perfect Christmas which is when we get to see Him and enter Heaven. 

Holy Mother Church stresses that we should prepare our souls to celebrate His coming.  He is our true peace and happiness.   We are called to prepare ourselves for all the little Christmas we experience when we receive Him in Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Penance.  We can receive Christ every day.  How often can you receive Holy Communion?  Do you know?  Once a day?  Actually, more than once a day.  Twice if you receive Holy Communion at a daily Mass and then go to a wedding or a funeral.    You can go to Confession once a day too.  Popes and the great saints went every day to receive the grace of our Lord in the Sacraments. 

So, Christmas is the season of receiving.  When we receive, we can give.  Only by the reception of our Lord and welcoming Him into our souls and our lives are we able to give that love to others.  You cannot give what you do not have.  We cannot give love if we do not have the Author of love inside our souls.  We just can’t.  So, this is the season to prepare ourselves to receive our Savior not only on the anniversary of His birth into this world but before every Mass and every time we receive the Sacrament of Penance which could be every day . . .  just trying to drum up business.   When you receive Holy Communion, you receive Him spiritually and physically into your body.  So, for Catholics, every day can be Christmas. 

This is the season for receiving.  I am not telling you to skip giving gifts to your family and friends.  Don’t do that.  I don’t want to make your life harder than it needs to be.  But all that is just an expression of what should be inside.  If it’s not there, you need to receive our Lord a lot more often. 

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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Sermon Notes – December 10, 2023 – “Oh, the Sorrows I’ve Seen!“

“ Oh, the Sorrows I’ve Seen! “

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 9 – 10, 2023

Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending My messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths.” John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of His sandals. I have baptized you with water; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Here’s a little quiz from the Gospel: What do grasshoppers taste like? Chicken? No. They taste like grasshoppers, and the best dipping sauce is honey mustard. Just putting that out there for you. I’m hearing eye-rolls out there.

In the second reading of the Divine Office, there are writings from Saint Charles Borromeo who wrote that Holy Mother Church prepares the faithful for Christmas and the coming of Christ through hymns, readings, and liturgies. And that’s true. They all focus on the great mystery of His love.

During the Christmas season, we think about our past Christmases. Some were really good, and some were maybe not so good. We wish we could have Christmases like in years past. But all of those are temporary, although very teachable moments. The fulfillment of the joy of Christmas will come later. This is just a taste. All of those that disappointed us with all that pain, sorrow, and regret will be gone and transformed by the love of Christ. Christ is love Himself.

Some people ask me what my best Christmas was. I don’t know. I’ve had a lot of nice ones. Growing up, I had a great family despite me. One not so good Christmas happened when I was overseas, and I ran out of Spaghetti’Os. Oh, the sorrows I’ve seen! “Father, how about when you came home from overseas?” Well, it was quieter; I’ll give you that. It was also nice to have fresh plumbing; I’ll give you that too. “But don’t you have a favorite Christmas?” Well, I haven’t had it yet. My favorite Christmas will be when Christ comes to take me from this world and, hopefully, I will be found worthy to be possessed by Him. That will be my favorite Christmas. All the other Christmases are a foretaste, an encouragement, and mere teaching moments. So, keep your eyes fixed on the last Christmas to come.

Father’s Reflections . . . The Christmas parade yesterday was very nice. It was a long one, lasting over an hour, and continued during the Mass. People from our parish were volunteers. They did a fantastic job, and I want to thank them for that.

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.”