Stop Reinventing the Wheel
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
June 17 – 18, 2023
Gospel: Matthew 9:36-10:8
Today we hear about Jesus choosing the 12 apostles. Now, if you look at their resumes, they are a bit thin. Even though Jesus is supposed to know everything, He chose Judas who betrayed Him. All of the apostles were cowards as was demonstrated in the Garden of Gethsemane. He didn’t pick too well, did He. One of my theology professors, Father Francis Conway who is now in Heaven, would often say, “How odd of God to choose the Jews.” And that’s true. Why would He pick the Jews to bring salvation to the world? On the world stage, they were not even a footnote. Did they have an empire for 2,000 years like the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans? Nope. So just who were the Jews? They were nothing. It’s true. Then why did He pick them? Because if they cooperated with His grace, they could become something.
Look at Moses . . . he killed a man. Yet Moses saw God face-to-face like one man talking to another. He also received the Ten Commandments and was chosen to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. But it’s not about what Moses was; instead, it was about what God could do with him through His grace. It was the same with the apostles and what they could become. Spoiler alert – you will hear next week that the apostles came back and said to the Lord, “Oh wow. We did all these things. We did what you told us to do, and it worked!” Well, yeah! Do what you are told, and you will receive what you have been promised. It’s not who we are . . . it’s who we can become if we cooperate with God’s grace. Look at Saul. He persecuted followers of our Lord. Go through Church history, and you will see that there are a lot of stories like Saul’s.
What matters is what we can become. It’s not the letters in front of or after your name. Becoming “Very Reverend” made my mother very happy. It’s just an honorary title in my position. It doesn’t mean I’m “very reverend.” I wish I were. And all the letters after my name just prove I can take tests and are not a measure of how much I learned. It doesn’t make me more wonderful or smarter than anyone else. It doesn’t make what I have done better than what anyone else has done. But God can use it . . . He can use the worst of someone’s past to transform the world. Think about this: 88 years ago, our Lord used two men. One was a drunken stockbroker and the other was a drunken physician. Do you know what God did with those two men? They formed Alcoholics Anonymous and all the Twelve Step programs. How many men, women, and children have they saved. The drunken stockbroker and physician were two of what the world would call “losers,” and look at what God did with them.
God chose all of us, not for what we are but for what we can become. Each of us, because of our vocation in the Body of Christ, can go where others cannot. You cannot go where I go, and I cannot go where you go to bring God’s message and to evangelize. God has chosen you and chosen me, depending on our place in the Body of Christ, to be His apostles, to be His disciples, and to be His evangelists. This is not a reward. “Oh, you are such a good person. You did very well in your studies. I’m so proud of you!” We are given this grace for the good of others and not for our own well-being. It’s not an “Atta Boy.” God has given us all our talents and abilities – or perhaps our lack of talents and abilities. Remember what God said to Saint Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Even in our suffering, we can teach people how to suffer and how to love. Chaplain students all want to fix people. “Oh, we are going to talk, and I’ll get them into social welfare counseling.” Oh really? You have a very blessed job, and you may not realize it, but you are called to attend to those suffering in Christ. Laying in that bed is to suffer in Christ. Granted, they may be a royal real pain in the caboose. Not all people – sick or healthy – are nice. I’ve been cursed out a lot. Granted, I may have deserved some of it . . . but I’ve been cursed out a lot! When you try to do something nice for somebody and they do not appreciate it, they let you know in a lot of different ways and in no uncertain terms. They are suffering in Christ, and your reaction – or hopefully your lack of reaction – is evangelistic.
God chose us to be His apostles in the new Body of Christ. The apostles are now long in Heaven. They were all cowards, but look at what happened to them . . . 10 of the 11 died a martyr’s death. Although Peter was a coward, he died a martyr’s death by being crucified upside down. Crucifixion is not a fun way to go, but upside down is even worse. Paul had his head chopped off by the Romans. By the way, that was considered an honor because it was an easier death. God chose all of us but not to try to recreate the wheel – “Oh, we have this new program, and it’s great!” Really? Let me see if I can find that in the Bible. Nope, not there. I wonder why it didn’t work. But they all need your money. Just do what Christ told you to do. The apostles were surprised that everything Christ told them to do worked. We may see that some of our actions produce fruit – probably not though. So do not be surprised by a temptation from satan. We do what we are told to do. Obedience to God’s commands is a work of love. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep my Commandments.” So, when we have done a work of love, let that work of love bear fruit even if it is later.
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 Facebook page at ola.catholic.church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”