Tag: Commandments

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Sermon Notes – July 14, 2024 – “That’s All I can Stands, I can Stands No More”

“That’s All I can Stands, I can Stands No More”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 13 – 14, 2024

Gospel:  Mark 6:7-13


On Thursdays, if I remember, I go to the IDT (Inter-disciplinary Team) meetings.  Doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, physical therapists, dieticians, and chaplains attend this meeting to discuss Hospice patients.   We were discussing this one patient who is 47 years old and who is refusing treatment.  With treatment, he could be cured, so his doctor wasn’t sure what to do.  To complicate matters, this patient is also schizophrenic.  He was trying alternative holistic medicine, such as crystals, which was not working, and he was getting progressively worse.  The staff was trying to get him to talk to the oncologist.  I asked the psychologist, “Do you think that perhaps he is afraid?”  Nobody hears anything after doctors say “cancer.”  They shut down, and the conversation is over.  Although it could be stage 1, after they hear the “C” word, they stop listening.  That is especially true if you have another condition like schizophrenia.   He was afraid and stopped taking his medicine.  He could only control what he could control.  When you are a patient in the hospital, everything is out of your control, and privacy is a joke.  That is the nature of the business. 

We have to be careful about what we say.  Paul said, “Only speak of what builds people up.”  Be good to people.  The sin of slander is akin to murder in Scripture.  In the hierarchy of sins, slander and murder are equal.  We have to be very careful about what we say because we have no idea of the fragility of people.  They could be a lot more fragile than we think they are.  Sometimes they have the “Popeye” syndrome.  Do you know what that is?   “That’s all I can stands, I can stands no more.”   Someday, when they’ve had just one thing too many happen, they go postal.   We don’t know, so say good things that will help people and not evil things.   All that evil speech comes from inside the person saying it.  Speak words of kindness and love, not evil. 

In the Gospel, our Lord sent the Apostles out without any money, food, or anything, and all I could think was, “Are You kidding me?  Lord, do You have any idea what you are asking them to do?”   People who went to college and studied the dictionary would call that counterintuitive.  No – it’s stupid!  But our Lord wouldn’t tell us to do things that are impossible.  That goes against His nature.  The Apostles did what the Lord asked them to do.  Our Lord gives us these things to do so that we can show our love for Him.  “If you love Me, you will keep my Commandments.  My Commandments are not burdensome.”  Oh, I don’t think so.  My lack of faith in eating fish is just terrible.  What a terrible cross I have!  I have to obey my doctors.  That’s the Fourth and Fifth Commandments, by the way.  “I know the commandments.”  I don’t think so . . . but keep learning.  Remember what John Wayne said, “Life is tough; it is tougher when you’re stupid.”  “The Commandments are too hard.”  Not really.  Otherwise, our Lord wouldn’t have said, “My yoke is easy and My burden light.”   It may be unpleasant, but when we start saying the Commandments are hard, how are the young supposed to remain pure?  How are the old supposed to remain pure?  Have you ever heard about the Villages?  Do some research on that.   Ask any police officer, and they will tell you there is a lot of stupid out there manifesting itself.   We have the King Baby Syndrome; “I want what I want when I want it. So, I will change the Word of God to justify what I want to do.”   Our Lord tells us what to do and gives us the means to do it.   He does not tell me to do Misfit work because I’m incompetent.  I don’t fly airplanes for a reason – because I don’t have the ability.  But God doesn’t require that of me.  God gives me the means to do what He requires of me for my vocation as He does for us all.  He offers that to us all. 

So, the hardship of keeping God’s Commandments is negligible.  “Oh!  Do you mean I have to go to Mass every Sunday?”  Well, you catch all the Panthers games, don’t you?   Oh yeah.  Keeping His Commandments is not as hard as we think because He gives us the tools to do so.  The devil on our shoulders tells us how hard it is and how much we will miss the great side of life.  No, you won’t.  You will not miss the Four Horseman:  guilt, fear, shame, and remorse. 

I see people all the time who walk in misery and sadness.  We don’t always have to like what our Lord asks us to do.  I never saw a time in which He asked for someone’s opinion about one of His Commandments.  He said to keep His Commandments.  You don’t have to like them.  Just do what you are told, and it will work out well.  It worked out for the Apostles, and it will work out for us.  We are not the newest kids on the block or the brightest bulb in the box, but our Lord told us exactly what we need to do to have the greatest amount of happiness possible in this life and eternal happiness in the next.  All we have to do is what He tells us to do and to use the means He gave us.  Our lives would be so much better.  Perfect?  No.  I always have to pay for my pizza.  So, perfect?  No.  But it would be so much more hopeful, joyful, and peaceful.   

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 – “Do the Next Right Thing” – June 23, 2024

“Do the Next Right Thing”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 22 – 23, 2024

Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

I was talking to a man the other day at the hospital and giving him a little spiritual direction.  He’s a very devout man, and I’ve known him for years.  He was judging himself harshly about how well he was carrying his crosses.  He didn’t feel he was making any progress.  I said that if you notice in Scripture, our Lord never asked anyone how they felt.   He didn’t care because feelings change.  Every time He asked the Apostles what they thought, they got it wrong.  He didn’t ask the Pharisees or Sadducees because He knew they would get it wrong.  Therefore, He left us instructions in black and white.  The Blessed Mother, the greatest spiritual director of all, said to us, “Do whatever He tells you.”   These were her last words recorded in Scripture.   Can a mother be wrong?  No . . .  especially the mother of our Lord.  So, we follow the commands of Christ and do whatever He tells us.   Christ said, “If you love Me, keep My Commandments.”  And through the Sacraments, He gave us the means to achieve that.  The second part of this great spiritual maxim is one my battalion commander would use, “Do the routine things routinely.”  Our Lord said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”   He gives us the power to pick up our cross, to bear it every day, and to help others bear theirs.  Another wise man said, “Do the next right thing” and you will be progressing toward sanctity.  So, when in doubt, just do the next right thing. 

Great moments, such as the ecstasies that the saints experienced, may come or they may not.  Every now and again, not as often as we would like, but when our Lord decides we need it, He gives us these little pick-me-ups although I’m still not a monsignor even after 40 years in the priesthood.  Thanks a lot!  But sometimes we are so busy and wound up in ourselves that we miss them.  On those occasions, our Lord is saying, “You’re doing great!  I’m proud of you!”  Unfortunately, we sometimes miss all that.   The gifts He offers us usually come before a great struggle, so do not pray for spiritual gifts because you might find yourself in a heap of trouble.  But that’s how we achieve our salvation. 

Growth in spirituality does not consist of ecstasy after ecstasy.  That’s reserved for Heaven.  It’s about taking up our cross every day and doing what He tells us to do.   Some of our crosses may change depending upon the time of life and our situation.  We may have other crosses added, and we may, out of love, take the crosses of others onto ourselves.  A good friend of mine was a Special Ed teacher.  She was coming down with the flu and even though she felt bad, she needed to be in class.  So that night I prayed, “Lord, give me her flu so she can teach her class.”   After all, I was in the 101st Airborne Division, and I was a tough guy . . .  until the next afternoon when I went downhill.  I was so sick.  She was fine, but I was really sick for a couple of days.   Don’t be too eager about taking another person’s cross because what happened to me could happen to you.   I thought I was a tough guy.  Nope.  The Lord rewarded me for my love but punished me for my pride. 

Do not be disheartened.  It’s a temptation by the evil one to make you think you are not doing well because if you were progressing, you would be much happier, and things would work out a lot better.  That’s not true.  In some of the so-called spiritual programs, they say, “If you do this and this, you will feel much better.”  No.  That’s spiritual blackmail of our good Lord, and He really doesn’t like that.  Saint Teresa of Avila said, “If this is the way you treat all your friends, Lord, it’s no wonder You have so few.”  And that’s true.  But our crosses are there so that we are not puffed up by our pride.  “I raised myself to Heaven by my own bootstraps.”   “I’ve done this, and I’ve done that.”  Think of your crosses as a way to grace instead of something you have to put up with. 

Some days, and there’s no way around it, bearing our crosses is a royal pain.  I have complained about my crosses to the point of ad nauseam.   But my crosses are there to keep me small, to keep me safe, and to keep me reliant on God’s mercy and God’s grace.  The daily bearing of my crosses, as well as cleaning up the messes I create because of them, shows God’s grace to others.   It’s not always pleasant, but so long as we don’t give up, we are making spiritual progress toward salvation.   

I’ve been saying the Divine Office, a daily prayer priests have to say, for over 40 years.  Do I always enjoy it?  No.  Does my mind always stay centered on it?  No.  Look! Squirrel.  But I’m still doing it.  Despite our failed human nature, we keep coming back and doing the right thing.  We take up our crosses and follow Jesus.  As long as we do that every day and remain faithful to the Sacraments through which we are healed and strengthened, we are making great spiritual progress.  Don’t listen to anyone or anything else.

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 – November 26, 2023 – “I Believe in Good Health but I Really Love Bacon“

“I Believe in Good Health but I Really Love Bacon“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 25 – 26, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus said to His disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit upon His glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before Him. And He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.  Then the king will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, a stranger and you welcomed Me, naked and you clothed Me, ill and you cared for Me, in prison and you visited Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe You? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit You?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, a stranger and you gave Me no welcome, naked and you gave Me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for Me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to Your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for Me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

This week I barged in on a family’s Thanksgiving dinner, and I had a thought while I was there.  Why don’t they make turkey parmesan?  Turkey and chicken are both poultry.  So, why not?  I’m just thinking outside the coop.  I mentioned this to the Godmother . . . she was not amused, so I won’t be asking that question again. 

I was good friends with a chaplain I served with several times while in the military.  You never say “goodbye” to your friends in the military; you say, “I’ll see you at the next assignment.”  If you stick around long enough, eventually you will see everybody again.  She was a wonderful chaplain, but she said, “I don’t understand you Catholics.”  Why not?  “Well, you believe in this works righteousness thing.”  Now I’m probably not the most attentive student – look squirrel – but I think I would have heard of that before.  We would have gone over it once or twice in seminary and tested on it.  I never learned that because there is no such thing.  All the good works we do flow from Whom?  From God.  What is God’s essence?  His essence is love.  He is love itself.  Why did He make us?  Remember your Catechism.  He made us because He loves us.  Love is always generative, and it produces fruit outside of itself.  When we produce fruit outside of ourselves, we have proof of God’s love.  Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  That love now becomes external.  Keeping His commandments is fruit outside of ourselves.   Our Lord wants more than just lip service.  If you want to be like Christ, you must do what He did.  Doing the proper works of mercy as described in the Gospel are works outside of ourselves.  They are works just like God’s.  They are external signs of an internal reality of possessing and being possessed by our good Lord.   We produce fruits as God does. 

God gives His gifts to both the good and the bad.  When emergency vehicles come screaming down the highway after you call 911, do they ask if you have been naughty or nice?  Do they ask if you are worthy of them risking their lives to come save you?  No.  Regardless, they come flying down the highway to save us.  That’s how God’s love is.  We produce fruit for both the good and bad.  Sometimes that isn’t easy because we tend to be highly sensitive people.  When somebody doesn’t thank us, we get a little upset.  Sometimes people are just not nice, and it’s unpleasant to be around them.  But we do these works of love because we love God, and it is He who gives us the strength to do them.  Working with the sick can also be unpleasant.  I walked into hospice the other day, and someone was having a procedure done.  Whoa!  There’s not enough Lysol in the world to cover up that smell.   But we still must do our job.  It’s not about us.  Love is always generative.  Even if there is work involved, the work itself is love as Saint Augustine reminds us. 

I’m ticked off at my cousins.  They called to torment me by telling me about all the delicious food they had for Thanksgiving Dinner.  They had mashed turnips and carrots, which I love.  It’s a New England thing.  They also had stuffing like my mother made.  Oh my gosh!  Turkey always tastes better cold, so I always go for the fixings.  The little things like the way the table is set up, the presentation, and all the other things that go into preparing Thanksgiving dinner are all fruits of love.  It’s not just filling the trough as my mother would say.  They are all signs of love scattered about which come from what’s in the soul.  This is how God knows that we love Him because He knows us by our fruit.  Some people say, “I believe in God, but I don’t go to church.”  Well, I believe in good health, but I really love bacon.  Others say, “Well, I love God.  I go to church, and I participate in the Sacraments.  God knows that I love Him.”  No, He doesn’t.  Well, actually He does because He’s God.  But you’re kinda rewriting scripture.  If you love Him, then do something about it.  Love makes itself external, and this is how He knows we love Him.  If you say you love someone, but you never want to be with them, do you really love them?  All these good things we do, we do because we are loved by God, and we love Him.  These are external acts of an internal reality, and we cannot help but do them.  You can tell how much the Just in the Gospel were in love with Him because of all the things they did.  They weren’t doing it for something in return.  They did it because it was the right thing, and they didn’t even think about it.  It was a natural kind of spiritual muscle memory because of Who they possessed and Who possessed them.

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 – November 5, 2023 – “Love Is an Action, Not an Emotion”

“Love Is an Action, Not an Emotion”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 4 – 5, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 23:1-12

In the Gospel last Sunday, the Pharisees asked our Lord, “What is the greatest Commandment?”  Jesus answered, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart” (Mark 12:30).  The second greatest Commandment is, “You must love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:34-40).   Our Lord knows that most people, when left to their own imaginations, will screw it up.  So, in the Gospel, He tells us exactly what love is and how to manifest it.  “If you love Me, take up your cross every day and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).   “If you love Me keep My commandments” (John 14:15).   By the way, there are many others. 

Love is an action and not an emotion.  It is an act of the will and not a feeling.  Sometimes acts of love are very easy to do and enjoyable like giving your spouse a gift or making your children and grandchildren smile and laugh.  Those are great gifts of love.  But loving God can be difficult because He is not us.  Often, I think I love myself more than God does.  Some gifts of love are a little harder like taking up our daily crosses.  Most people do not like their crosses.  Do you think I enjoy walking around like a question mark?  No.  Do you think I enjoy eating fish twice a week?  Heck no!  Thank God for French dressing!   Sometimes I do not like getting up in the morning.  I’ve put a lot of mileage on this body, and getting up can be a very painful experience.  But these are minor ways to love.   Look at the Good Samaritan.  He was on a trip when he came upon a man who had been beaten and robbed.  The man was not lying on his side of the road so, legally, it was not his business, and he was not morally bound to help the man.  But love is outside of oneself.   So, even though it delayed his trip and traveling at night was very dangerous, the Good Samaritan went outside of himself to care for the man who had been beaten and robbed.   

Sometimes we don’t like what God asks us to do.  When someone is hurt or sick and needs our help, we think, “Nope.  I’m not cut out for this.”  That doesn’t matter.  It’s not about you; it’s about that person.  Acts of love may be very inconvenient.  But we are called to not only show our love but also to grow in love.  An act of love can be as small and mindless as eating fish.  Some crosses are pretty easy like mine and others are much more difficult.  Taking up our cross is not always pleasant to the senses.  Changing diapers is not bad until the smell reaches you.  That’s when you rise to a whole different occasion to love.  This is what God calls us to do if we love Him.  What do all these acts of love do?  They take us away from ourselves. 

When you work in medicine, you encounter things that are not pleasant, and the gag reflex kicks in.  Sometimes acts of love can be rather repulsive.  When a helicopter crashed, I showed Bubba, my staff assistant, how to bring patients in on gurneys just like on Mash.  Bubba, who was on the verge of being sick, said, “Sir, [Bleurgh] what do you want me to do, Sir [Bleurgh]?”   I said, “First, turn your head.  Step outside, get some fresh air, and come back.”   Bubba was doing acts of love while his organs were trying to leave his body in no particular order.  The sounds and smells were traumatizing.  Bubba was 19 years old and had never been exposed to anything like that.  But he did what needed to be done, and that was an act of love.  Bearing our crosses and those of other people including our family and friends is difficult, but they are crosses of love.  People say, “I don’t feel comfortable doing that.”  Ahh . . . I don’t care.  I don’t like going to prisons even though they allow me to leave.  As long as they don’t make me eat fish, I’m good.  “I don’t feel comfortable with that.”  Good!  Our Lord never said anything about being comfortable.  “I don’t get anything out of it.”  Great!   I’m not the world’s greatest spiritual director.  I’m like to the right of Genghis Khan. “I don’t get anything out of it.”   Don’t care.  You aren’t supposed to.  Spiritual direction is not about you.  I don’t care how you feel.  Not one bit.  We are given the grace of comfort more often than we think, but not as much as we would like.  It is not about us.  Love is a gift to the other.  When Jesus gives us these directions about how to love, it trains us to love like Him. 

When you give gifts of love, you are dying to self so that you can feel what our good Lord felt.   You are imitating what happened to our Lord on the Cross.  People say, “But no one says thank you.”   Many people in my priestly ministry don’t say thank you, and I’ve been doing this for a long time.   Believe it or not, I have been cursed out, and not just by my family.   In the Book of Acts, the apostles rejoiced because “they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the Name” (Acts 5:41).   We get the strength to do that by prayer and through the Sacraments.  When we fail in our acts of love, as we all do, we have the Sacrament of Penance to not only heal the wounds of our failures but also to heal the wounds that other people have inflicted upon us.  This strengthens our resolve to pick up our cross and follow Him. 

In the spiritual life, love is not an emotion; it’s an action.  We have to love.  In the various stages of life, love takes on different forms.  Sometimes when people will soon meet their Maker, and I’m preparing them for their passing, I’ll say, “On this bed is your cross imitating Christ.  You are at the right hand of Christ like the Good Thief.”   So, offer your sufferings up.  You have much to offer through all the suffering you endure although we suffer much less than our grandparents because we have much better medicine now.  Still, when you are going through it, it seems like a lot.  I had a man who just passed away from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.  He couldn’t breathe.  When you can’t breathe, you tend to panic, so he was on a lot of antianxiety medicines.  In that patient’s bed, you could see the suffering of Christ.  By your suffering, you are imitating Christ’s sacrifice.

When I was a seminarian, I learned an important lesson.  I was assigned to Saint John’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.  As I was making rounds with a good Jesuit priest, all of a sudden, the door to a patient’s room opened.  The smell was so, so bad.  I went out into the stairwell retching while I tried to hold my stomach down where it should be.  I did not go to medical school, but I knew my stomach should not be up in my throat.  I told my father about it, and he said, “That’s good, son.”  So basically, he didn’t care either.  He was an Army medic before he became an officer.  My father said, “You know, it’s not about you.  You leave that room, get sick, and then go back in.  It’s not about you.”  That was one of the best spiritual directions I ever received.  Just remember that there will be occasions when our gifts of love will make us feel bad.  But there are two things we are learning:  1) It is not about us; and 2) When it’s really hard, when people are repulsive, abusive, and ungrateful, that’s when we grow in love.  It is then that you have some conception, in a very minor way, of what Christ endured.  His greatest act of love was on the Cross.  What did His own chosen people do at the foot of the Cross?  They jeered Him.

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 – October 1, 2023 – “Love is an Action Not an Attendance Record”

“Love is an Action Not an Attendance Record”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

September 30 – October 1, 2023

Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32

28“What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. 30 The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32 When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.

I heard you had a rather long and interesting sermon last week. Mine may not be as long, but I’ll give it a shot.

Love is an action. It is not an emotion. Our good Lord calls us to respond to His love by living a life of charity and self-sacrifice. Some will say, “Father, I went to Catholic school, and I’ve always gone to church.” Now, the lawyer in me says, “I don’t care that you have been to church. But did you go into the church?” There’s a difference. I’ve been to the hospital, but that doesn’t make me a doctor. “But, Father, I’ve been to church all my life.” That’s great. I’ve been going to the bathroom all my life, but that doesn’t make me a toilet!

How have you responded to the love God offered you, all the classes you took, all the Masses you participated in and the Sacraments you received? How did you put all of that into action? That is what our good Lord will ask us. “You have My love. What did you do with it?” If you read further along in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Jesus gives us the final exam questions. Go read it. They are all about how we responded to His love. “Lord, You know I love You.” That’s fine, but Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (Matthew 14:15). That is an action. It’s an act of both positivity and negativity. Avoid sin and do good works. I’ll give you one of the 25 exam questions from the Gospel of Matthew. The others you can study on your own: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 25:35-36). Those are the final exam questions, and they are all actions.

So, love is an action. It is not an attendance record. Yes, it’s the part of love that has nothing to do with attendance. It’s a little more than that considering the amount of love God offers us as well as to prostitutes and tax collectors. We are all sinners, and all our sins are vile. Now a Canon lawyer might say, “There’s a difference between mortal and venial sin.” No, no, no. You can play a lot of theological games with that. Basically, when you say “no” to God it is “no” to God. Period. Finito. That’s like comparing the difference between slapping a guy and slapping a baby. Why is slapping a baby worse? Because the baby is pure innocence. The guy may have deserved it…the baby did not. However, it is still a slap.

Love is an action and that is what our Lord asks of us. “I’ve given you My love. Are you giving your love back to Me?” We come here for the Sacraments and for prayer. We need God’s grace so that we have the energy, will, and ability to give those acts of love. His great act of love sustains us. Now He wants our acts of love in return.

[Father, looking at his watch] . . . Well, that was less than 30 minutes.

Father’s Reflections. . .

People ask me, “Father, did you have a good vacation?” Well, I’m still working on the after-action report. Now, I don’t know if this is an up or a down, but I had to let my belt out a notch because I ate like a pig. The food was wonderful. I was having lunch with a friend, a nurse, who I’ve known for 30 years. The restaurant is on the water and is a really nice place. I had seasoned blackened salmon, and I was going to order some fruit for dessert, but I got ice cream instead. My friend said, “You’re a cardiac patient,” which prompted my inner Italian to almost show itself. The next day, she had a birthday party with a huge pumpkin spice cake made with four eggs and butter that I shouldn’t eat. Thanks a lot! I’ll tell you one other story about my trip. I was sitting in the diner [see a pattern here?] where food was being served with a huge side of sarcasm which is always available. I had seen these men in the diner before, and they were talking about this woman whose husband would beat her. So, the woman’s three brothers visited her husband and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Afterward, he moved to Virginia. Rhode Island has a huge bay, and everybody has a boat.

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 – August 21, 2022 – “It Depends”

“It Depends”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 August 20 – 21, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 13:22-30


22 Through towns and villages He went teaching, making His way to Jerusalem.  23 Someone said to Him, ‘Sir, will there be only a few saved?’ He said to them, 24 ‘Try your hardest to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.  25 ‘Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself standing outside knocking on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us,” but He will answer, “I do not know where you come from.”  26 Then you will start saying, “We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets,” 27 but He will reply, “I do not know where you come from; away from Me, all evil doers!” 28 ‘Then there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, and yourselves thrown out.  29 And people from east and west, from north and south, will come and sit down at the feast in the Kingdom of God.  30 ‘Look, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.’ 

Let me ask you a theological question.  Is it hard to enter the Kingdom of God?  The best answer is “it depends.”  And I don’t mean old people’s garments.  It depends on the condition of your soul.  The condition of your soul depends on who you love more.  Do you love God or do you love you?  There is a saying in counseling: “I’m not much but I’m all I think about.”  God will ask, “Do you love me?”  It’s a requirement to get into Heaven.  And it’s not the emotional, frothy “Oh I love you!” kind of love.  There are people in the “Nut Hut” who do that, and they aren’t quite well.  To love God is to do the works of God.  What are the works of God?  They are works of love.  Our Lord said, “If you love me keep My Commandments.”  That is His commandment.  It is also the commandment of the Church as Paul found out in the Book of Acts.  You cannot separate the two.  Some ecclesiastical jailhouse lawyers might say, “Well, I love Christ but not the Church.”  You cannot do that.  It’s contrary to scripture from the very earliest time in 34 ad.  Christ died in 33 ad. 

So, how do we see the Commandments?  Our Lord said, “If you love Me keep My Commandments.  My Commandments are not burdensome.”  It’s how much you love.  If you love, there is no act that is burdensome.   Saint Augustine said, “There is no labor involved in works of love and if so, even the labor itself is love.”   Love becomes burdensome when we focus on ourselves.  We want what we want when we want it.  Spiritually, we call that “king baby.”  “I want what I want and if I don’t get it, I won’t come to church.”  Shut up.  God help us. 

Every time our Lord asked the apostles a question, guess what happened.  They got it wrong.  How can we love?  It’s not hard.  I saw it as a soldier all the time.  If some schmuck got hurt for whatever reason, other soldiers would go over and help the injured soldier.  They didn’t expect thanks for carrying the soldier’s stuff.  They didn’t even ask…they just did.  They helped take care of business.  At Christmas time, young soldiers who got married and had three or four kids right away needed money for gifts for their kids.  We had various funds that could help, but my sergeant-major said, “No.  We take care of our own.  We don’t go to strangers.”   So, everybody donated money, and we made sure that all those children had a good Christmas.  There was this one child who had leukemia and was being treated at an Air Force base.  His father wanted to see him, but it was expensive to travel.  So, the colonel came up with a “training mission.”  They put the father on a bird and flew him out to the Air Force base.  They left to do something else, flew back, sat there for a while, and eventually picked the father up.  After that, they flew back home.  I once met a Vietnam Veteran who extended for second year in Vietnam.  I said, “Dude! Why did you extend for another year?”  He said so that his younger brother who had just been drafted wouldn’t have to go. That’s what we do.  That’s exactly what we do. Those are acts of love.  Were they all Catholic who did that?   No, and I know that for sure.  I was with them for three years and knew all of the Catholics.  Did they all go to church?  I don’t think so.  Will they get into the Kingdom of Heaven?  They’ve got a shot because they loved and thought of others before themselves.   They responded to God’s calling even when it wasn’t convenient.  I hear this from some of the Spanish: “I will come to Mass if I don’t have something else to do that day.”  Really?  We have Mass on Saturday night and twice on Sunday.  Really?  Our Lord invited you to Supper.  You want to spend eternity with Him but you can’t find the time to come to church.

It’s all in how you love. Heaven is not hard to get into, but it’s harder than you think because it requires action on your part.  And that action is to die unto self, to live for others, and to love others.  That’s the hard part.  We have to die to selfish love to be able to live a total and Christ-like life.   

Father’s Afterthoughts. . .
Something else seminary didn’t prepare me for, and one for which I’m going to kill the nurses in Hospice.  They told me that we had a new admission, and he was Catholic.  I said Okay.  I’ll give him Last Rites.  So, I went into his room.  He was a Vietnam Vet with Agent Orange poisoning and was pretty far along in his journey.  Usually when a veteran is far along in their journey, the nurses put on the Care Channel on television.  It’s nice soothing music, nature scenes, waterfalls, and things like that.  It was tough for me to give him the Last Rites.  As I was saying the prayers to absolve him, you know what they had on television?  “Animal House.”  Really!

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.”  Cell phone: click on “Blog” then “Menu” and then “Categories”

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Sermon Notes – November 21, 2021 – A White Fence Must be Maintained

A White Fence Must be Maintained

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 20 – 21, 2021

Gospel:   John 18:33-37 

I think it is time for a Catechetical lesson.  From time to time, we need to review best practices because even a white fence must be maintained otherwise it turns black.  During the Mass last night, there were two accidents that upset me greatly.  Two people dropped the Host.   In the United States, there are two ways to receive Holy Communion if you are in a State of Grace.  One way is on the hand.  If you choose to receive on the hand, one hand is held beneath the other.  You take the Host from your free hand and put it into your mouth.  Now, it is my right to refuse to give you Communion.  I’ve seen all sorts of things… like stamps from the bar where someone was the night before.  Yeah, I had a life too before I became a priest.  Also, I served with paratroopers at Fort Bragg.  But giving you Communion on the hand would be sacrilegious.  The normative way of receiving Holy Communion in the Universal Church is on the tongue.  You may kneel at the altar rail if you choose, or you may stick out your tongue and say “Amen” after I say, “Body of Christ.”  I don’t take your sticking out your tongue at me personally.  But please don’t pretend you’re an iguana.  I will give it to you.  Extend your tongue and leave it there.  And don’t lick my hand, okay?  I expect that from Tilley and Marley and all the other puppies who love me.  I’ve been doing this a very long time – for 38 years – so I’ve got it.  I’m a professional.  Please don’t try to help me.  Also, don’t open your mouth, stick out your tongue, and smile at me.  Please remember “Who” you are receiving.  Jesus is a “Who.”   He is not a “what.”  That’s blasphemy.  You are receiving God Himself.  Oh, and my arm is only so long, so when you come up to receive Communion, don’t stand back at the pew.  What am I supposed to do, launch it at you?  Get up here!  I tested negative twice last Friday, so I’m safe, alright?  Just come up and after I say, “Body of Christ” and you say “Amen,” put the Host in your mouth.  I must see you put it in your mouth.  If you walk away and I don’t see you put it in your mouth, I will hurt your feelings. . . dramatically.  In my best military manner, I will hurt your feelings because I have vowed to protect the Blessed Sacrament with my life.  So, do not try to walk away without putting it in your mouth.  Remember the sacredness of what is happening during the Mass and with Holy Communion. 

Today is the Solemnity of Christ the King.   We acknowledge Christ as King.  What does that mean?  We come here and sing songs from the hymnals?  No.  He’s the king of what?  Why is He a king?  Who is the king in your heart and soul?   It’s the ones you love.  They have priority.  Everything you do in this life is for the sake of the ones you love. . .your spouse, your children, and your grandchildren.  Everything is focused on them within Christ.  That’s how you learn to love.  Because we love Him, we do the things that help us love Him more.  He is the sole source of our life and our joy.  You say that Christ is coming back to judge us.  Uh-Oh.  It’s like a teenage party and Mom is coming.  Quick!  Time to clean the house.  Too late now!  By the way, it’s never too late to say “I’m sorry” to God.  If we love God, we look forward to that moment. 

We were never meant to die.  That’s why it takes bodies so long to die.  We have a man in Hospice at the VA hospital who has ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.  He’s a textbook case.  The nurses and doctors are amazed at how slowly he is dying, and it’s so painful to watch.  Our bodies were never meant to die.  That’s why we fear it.  But we are all going to see Jesus one way or another.  When we go to our Lord, we prove our love by the works of love we’ve done.  What are works of love?  Saint Augustine said that the work itself is love. We keep His Commandments.  “Oh, Father.  That’s so old-fashioned and very judgmental.”  Well, Jesus is judgmental.  Remember, there is a final exam during which He judges us.  What are the works of love?   Well, what does it say in Scripture?  “If you love Me, keep My Commandments.”  So, the Commandments are not just punishing acts.  “We are over the Commandments.  We are full of love and joy!’  No, no, no.  Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My Commandments.”   By the way, there are more than ten.  If you read the Book, just the black part, don’t read the white, you will be more content.  This is how we prove that we love Jesus.  He is the source and summit of our love.  We try to keep His Commandments.  Are we perfect?  No.  But that doesn’t mean we stop trying.  This is how we prove the primary love in our heart and Who we love above all.  “We need just laws.”  No, we have more laws than we know what to do with.  We need just people.  We need holy people.  We don’t need more laws.  We need holier people.  Have you noticed that the SWAT team has never raided Belmont Abbey?   And I don’t see Mother Angelica’s sisters being raided by the Feds.  Just saying.  Want to save money on police?  Want to take money out of prisons?  Become holier.  That’s how God will judge us.  The throne in our soul was created for our Lord to reside.  At the time of our passing, God will look to see if His Son is there.  He will look into our souls to see if love and peace reside there. 

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.”  They can also be found on Facebook by searching for “Our Lady of the Annunciation Albemarle”

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Sermon Notes – October 10 – “Because I Like Skittles”

“Because I Like Skittles”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 October 9 – 10, 2021

Gospel:  Mark 10:17-30

One day when I was at Fort Campbell, I went into the First Sergeant’s office to say, “good morning.”   The First Sergeant said, “Good morning.  Hey Sir, you know your chaplain’s assistant is graduating from air assault school.  His road march is on Friday.”   Oh, goodie!  Thanks for reminding me.  I appreciate it!   I left his office, but I didn’t appreciate it.  It meant that on Friday at 0-dark-30, I would be out there for graduation and the final test:  a 12-mile march in full field gear through gently rolling hills similar to the Alps.  The custom at Fort Campbell and the 101st is that if there is one person in your section doing push-ups or a road march, you all do it.  The only saving grace is that I didn’t have to wear the field gear.  Oh, there is nothing I’d rather do first thing in the morning than go on a 12-mile march at 44 years old.  Thank you, First Sergeant!  I probably could have gotten out of it, but I sucked it up and went anyway.  I was looking forward to the relaxation and being one with Mother Nature.   Um…No.   I would be running with children who basically had to run all the time.  Why did we do it?  We sacrificed to build and reinforce the bond of trust we have with our fellow soldiers…the band of brothers.  Is it pleasant?  Oh, heck no!  But it was the right thing to do.  They are works of love.  The bond with your fellow soldier is that he would die for you and you for him.  Works of love don’t always have to be enjoyed.  Why do we perform works of love?  We do them because it pleases the beloved. 

Our Lord said, “If you love Me keep my Commandments.”  Nowhere did our Lord say, “if you would like to” or “if it’s convenient” or “if you aren’t too busy” or “if you’re in the mood.”  He never said those things.  He said, “If you love Me keep my Commandments.”  The Commandments are not just draconian measures that our Lord has given us to ruin our fun.  The works of love teach us how to go outside of ourselves, to renounce our fallen nature, and to do something for Him.  It may manifest itself in someone or through someone else.  Everything we do with love; we do for Christ.  Doing works of love is not always pleasant.  Do you know why some people find the works of love unpleasant?  Because we are too much in love with ourselves.  The works of love are always focused on the beloved and not on self.   The Gift of the Magi is a short love story written by O. Henry.   Love is always focused on the other, and when we find the works of love inconvenient, unpleasant, or distasteful, that is the time we grow most in love by dying to ourselves and living more for our good Lord.  “Father, I had a game and couldn’t come to Mass.”  Really?  Saint Augustine wrote that “if there is any work involved in love, the work itself is love.”  And that is true.  The young man who approached our good Lord was unwilling to leave everything and follow Him.  Our Lord was testing him.  How much do you love Me?  The young man kept the Commandments and that was wonderful; however, he did not learn the lesson from them.  What is the lesson from the Ten Commandments?   It is total renunciation of oneself to the Beloved.   That’s the lesson.  Go sell everything you have.  Give to the poor.  Your possessions are a representation of yourself.  Give everything you have into service for our good Lord to use as He sees fit.  All the fruits of your talents and labors when used to support your family are works of justice and love.  So don’t feel bad about that.   People say you cannot earn a lot of money from the job you’ve worked at for 30 or 40 years.  You can’t enjoy it because you didn’t earn it.  It’s a work of justice and moral obligation to support yourself and your family and ultimately to pay taxes.  Put yourself and all your talents and abilities in God’s hands.  Renounce yourself and give yourself to Him.  The young man did not see that.  Hopefully, he eventually got it right. 

You’ve heard the phrase “follow the science.”  Who says that?  People who want you to follow their version of “science.”  You know what the science is for people recovering from any addiction?  No matter how much medicine is involved, make sure they come back from Opioids, Meth, or booze, and that they don’t die from detox.  That’s a big drawback.  In all the twelve-step programs, what’s the key to renewal and freedom from addictions and obsessions?  It begins with Step 1 which is perhaps the most important step – admitting that we are powerless.  The final step is to have a spiritual awakening.  There is a Seventh Step prayer…I’ll let you look that up too.  It’s a prayer of total renunciation.  In all the groups that started these types of programs what was the first prayer?  It wasn’t the “Our Father” but the “Peace Prayer” by Saint Francis.  “Lord make me an instrument of Your peace.  Where there is hatred, let me sow love.” That’s a renunciation of self.  Take me and use me as you will with all my talents especially where it is most helpful for people who know my faults.  It’s through your faults that shows people what God has done for you and the mercy he has shown to us all.  We do works of love not for ourselves because it pleases us…that’s selfishness.   The Commandments aren’t legal checkmarks you have to do like driving the speed limit when the police are around.  The Commandments are works of love.  They teach us renunciation of self. They are only burdensome when we want what we want when we want it, or we find them to be inconvenient because we love ourselves more.  They are not always convenient.  They are not always pleasant.  I’m sure changing diapers is not always pleasant.  I’ve been in hospitals.  Believe me, there are far worse smells in a hospital than in a diaper.  Trust me on this one.   Sometimes I leave patients’ rooms and have Skittles.  Know why I have Skittles?  Because I like Skittles. 

We all have fallen natures.  Just this morning I was here, long before you, saying my prayers.  And I really wanted some coffee.  I mean I REALLY wanted coffee.  The coffee had already been brewed.  But what was more important… my cup of coffee or my prayers?   You know the answer, but darn it, I wanted some coffee.  Today, the good side of my nature won, but it’s always a fight.  So, when difficulties come, always remember Who the works of love are for.

Father’s Afterthoughts:

·       I want to thank the Daughters of Mary for the marvelous meal they provided after the funeral Mass  for Elaine Gibbs.  The funeral luncheons they do is something to die for.  

·         When I was in the Army, I always loved those eight mile runs in the rain.  It was so refreshing and cleansing.  Thank you, sir.  Could you make this suck any more?

How will you apply this message to your life? 


You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to https://annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com/ and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”   Sermon notes can also be found on the church Facebook page by searching for “Facebook Our Lady of the Annunciation Albemarle”