Tag: Creche

Posted on

Sermon Notes – January 7, 2024 – We Have Lots of “ologies”

We Have Lots of “ologies”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 6 – 7, 2023

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

Next week the Christmas season ends. At some point in the near future, the nativity will disappear. I do not have an exact date yet. That is echelons above my pay grade. But as you heard in the Gospel, the nativity scene is not quite accurate because the Magi (Wise Men from the East) came to the “house” to see Jesus. The stable is not a house. So, when Saint Francis created the idea of a nativity, he compressed the house into a stable. In the nativity you see Scripture. You see the promises God made to His people and fulfilled (Genesis). He sent us a Savior.

The crèche is a marvelous lesson on Theology. We have all these “ologies.” There is Soteriology which is the study of redemption. Jesus came as the Redeemer. There is also Christology which is the study of who Christ is. True God and true Man. He is the Son of God and the Son of Man. The Wise Men brought Him frankincense because that was a gift given only to God. They brought gold because He is a king. Lastly, they brought myrrh because of the reason He came. He came to die. How many of you ladies who have had a baby shower received embalming fluid as a gift? Thanks a lot! You want your children to live, but He came to die. The manger He was laid in became the wood of the Cross 33 years later. Our good Lord was laid upon straw in the manger which was food for the oxen. Our Lord became our bread for life. Without that bread of life, we would have no life within us. He came to die for us and to open the gates of Heaven so that we could live with Him forever.

Another “ology” is Ecclesiology which is the study of the Church. The nativity is a picture of the Church. What is a common characteristic of everyone in the nativity? They were humble. The Wise Men knew that they didn’t know everything, and the shepherds knew they knew nothing. Mary and Joseph were holy, and they always said “yes” to Jesus. With all these people gathered around Jesus, you have a picture of the Church. That is who you still find in the Church. Regardless of their degrees, titles, and letters after their names, if they are truly educated, they are here. Like the shepherds, some people have been educated by the School of Hard Knocks. The Church is Christ’s body. Remember what Christ said to Paul in Acts, “Paul why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4). He didn’t say “organization.” He said “Me.” We are His body and have been throughout time. You always see Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and the shepherds gathered around Jesus. They represent not just the Jews but all people throughout time. The nativity represents a whole course on Theology. It is not something that we trot out once a year for a few weeks and then put back in the closet. The nativity is a wondrous thing on which to meditate.

The diocese is very diverse. We have hyphenated Catholics, and there are many offices for them. That is theologically foreign and absolutely blasphemous. “Father, are you Irish-Catholic?” No, I’m Catholic. We do not have a different Savior. There is one Savior for everyone. If you took a mirror and looked out at the congregation, you would see what I see. We are all one in Christ. Paul said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). We are all one in Christ. We each have different jobs in the Body of Christ that’s for sure. But there are no hyphenated Catholics.

Hagiography is the study of saints. Which saint was the first to hold God incarnate? Think back on your labor and delivery classes. It was Saint Joseph. My question is why we aren’t having venerations for the first human being who held God in his hands and who was the first to look down at God instead of up. I hope you will meditate on that tonight.

Father’s Reflections: A couple of months ago, I had to get the flu vaccine. I’m not a big believer in vaccines, but I’m living proof that vaccines work. When I was in the Army at Fort Bragg, I was forced to get a series of shots because I was deployable. One of those shots was for Typhoid. It definitely worked because that night I was in the hospital with Typhoid. Perfect! I went to the doctor, and he said, “You’re sick.” No kidding! I bet you went to medical school.

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.”

Posted on

Sermon Notes – January 8, 2023 – “The Little Church”

“The Little Church”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 7-8, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 3:13-17

13 Then Jesus appeared: He came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John.  14 John tried to dissuade Him, with the words, ‘It is I who need baptism from You, and yet You come to me!’ 15 But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that uprightness demands.’ Then John gave in to Him.  16 And when Jesus had been baptised He at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and He saw the Spirit of God  descending like a dove and coming down on Him.  17 And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on Him.’

Today is the Epiphany which is a Greek word that means manifestation and revelation.  There are many of them in Scripture.  Next week we will commemorate another epiphany – the baptism of our Good Lord.   Today is also called the “Little Christmas” because this is when gifts were given to Christ.  It is also a day in which people start taking down their Christmas decorations although some people probably have already taken them down.  The Sacristans will soon remove the Manger, but the poinsettias will stay for a while until they start dropping petals which really drives me nuts.  But it’s sad when they take all that stuff away, especially the Manger or the creche because it calls to mind a lot of things.   However, the highest act of love did not happen on Christmas.  It happened at His Passion, death, and resurrection.  And that is why He came. 

Church is a “what” but it is also a “Who.”   Remember in the Book of Acts, Christ said, “Paul, why are you persecuting Me?”   He didn’t say, “Paul, why are you persecuting the people who tithe and who helped build the buildings.”   He said, “Why are you persecuting Me?”   The Church is Christ.   Therefore, the Manger is the “Little Church.”   By the way, according to Scripture, the family lived in a house. They were not poor – they had a house.  The Manger scene is visible scripture and visible theology.  Because Christ is present, it is Christology (the study of Who Christ is).   Because the Manger is the Little Church, it is also Ecclesiology (the study of what the Church is).  It teaches us about the Church. 

More is revealed through the gifts given by the Magi (the wise men and kings from the East).  They gave Him gold because He is king.  They gave Him frankincense because He is God.  Remember the Jews used incense at the altar in the temple.  In Revelation, incense is present before the throne of God.  So, using incense is scriptural.  I use it sparingly and not like in a military gas chamber.  But if you have a cold, get near the incense and it will clear you right up.  Incense portrays that our Lord is visibly present.  And finally, the Magi gave our Lord myrrh, a burial spice, because of why He came. 

Who do you find around Jesus?  They were all gathered around and looking at Jesus.  They weren’t talking about the latest political scandals.  They prostrated themselves…they didn’t stand and pray… they prostrated themselves as you do before God.  Their faces were in the dirt.  But who was there?  You find the pure – the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph who are pure of heart.  You find the simple – the shepherds who knew they were ignorant and knew nothing.  They were humble and followed God’s directions like Saint Joseph did.  And you find the wise men who were astrologers and kings from the East.  They were truly educated.  What is the best fruit of an education?  Is it having a bunch of initials after your name?  Is it having a Mensa card in your wallet?  The best fruit of an education is realizing that you don’t know everything.  Even with everything you have learned in the past, there is so much more to learn.   You have just scratched the surface.  The more you learn the more you realize how ignorant you are.   The wise men realized how ignorant they were, and that’s why they came.  They came to be in the presence of Christ.  And that is who you will always find around Christ – the holy, the simple, and the wise.

The Manger is the Church, and it is a beautiful thing to have in your home. Everything is right there in the Manger and very teachable.  So, as you put the Manger scene away for the next 48 weeks or so, remember that you have a beautiful library stashed away.   It is a beautiful meditation on what our Faith is.

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” then “Menu” and then “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church Facebook page at facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”