Tag: Direction

“Hey You!“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

January 23 – 24, 2021

Gospel:  Mark 1:14-20

In my meditation on the Gospel this morning, I changed my sermon a bit.  I was meditating on how the military asks for volunteers.  Jesus said, “Come, follow Me.”  The military’s way of asking for volunteers is “Hey you!”  Love to. Thanks for asking!. Officers were also subject to “hey you!”    I may have had captain or major’s rank, but sometimes I still became “hey you.”  When a job needed to be done, who did it depended on your level on the food chain.  Hey you! Oh, thank you. I’d love to.

Our Lord called the apostles by name to be His followers, to become holy, and to bring that holiness to us.  Now, if you look at their resumes, they were fishermen.  They did not get master’s degrees in Theology or Canon Law.  They did not even earn certificates for lay ministry.  They didn’t do any of that, yet they brought Christ’s love to the world.  Their bravery in the face of their own deaths is a testament to that love.  Christ call us all the same way.  He calls us by name.  Each of us were made in the likeness of God, and He died especially for each one of us. He calls each of us by name.  Not “hey you” plural, but “hey you” singular.  He wants you to follow Him.  He wants you to become holy and to bring His love to the world.  He wants every one of His children who do not know Him to know the fullness of truth found in the Catholic Faith.  First follow Him, become holy, and then bring it to the world.  You may say, “Father, I don’t have any advanced degrees.”  Mine are honorary. So, don’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter. 

Do you know who the most educated apostle was?  It was Matthew.  He could read and write in three languages.  The most educated of all was not even an apostle.  Know who it was?  Luke.  He was a physician, but was transformed.  Peter converted over 5,000 people, and they all heard his message in their own languages.  When you speak the language of God, of eternal love, and truth, everyone hears you.  St. John Vianney couldn’t learn Latin.  He just couldn’t get it.  Latin is not a hard language, even I managed to learn it.  But, not St. Vianney.  He was basically put in a parish in the village of Ars so that he could basically just sit there.  He was the village idiot, and look what happened.  You could say that about all Catholic priests.  However, St. Vianney could read souls.  Theresa de Lisieux, a doctor of the Church, did not finish high school.  Yet, if you read her autobiography, she cited scripture 127 times.  If you read other so-called Catholic books, they don’t cite scripture very much at all.  It’s not about knowledge, it’s about love. 

You may say, “Well, my past is not perfect.”  None of ours are.  He takes each of us and our abilities to be conduits of His love.  Sometimes your past is your greatest asset.  Who did Christ send to the nations?  The persecuted Gentiles.  Who did he send to recover alcoholics from their disease? Two other alcoholics.  Your past with Christ’s love can be your greatest asset in evangelization. 

We have approximately 110 priests in the Charlotte diocese.  A lot of them have advanced degrees. These priests are very educated, and they are very good at so much.  But, none of them can do what I can do…besides be obnoxious – that’s my strong suit.   None of them have been where I’ve been.  My work at the Veterans Hospital depends on my military background. These men and women can tell me their stories before they pass, because I’ve been where they’ve been.  The other priests can all give the Sacraments, but they cannot give what I can give…understanding veterans and helping them lay down their crosses.  That’s only because of what I’ve been through, by giving it to God, and letting Him use it.  This is what God calls you to do. 

Your past can be your greatest asset for bringing God’s love to the world. There’s no need to be ashamed of it, because it can be a great tool.  First become holy and then bring that holiness to others.  Christ calls you just like He called the apostles.  Wherever God puts you, He put you there for a reason.  He is very good at personnel management.  Whatever part of the body of Christ you are called to be in, make yourself available.  You are the only one who can do that job in that place and at that time. So, whatever your past, whatever you have done, Christ says through you, I can call others.

How will you apply this message to your life?  Will you use your past and unique abilities to bring God’s love to the world?

Spiritual Direction from Father…

I want to give you some advice, some spiritual direction, during this pandemic/epidemic and period of constant agitation.  Most people will overreact; “Oh, this is terrible! It’s the worse time we’ve ever been through!”  No, it hasn’t been.  They like to ramp up the hysterics.  Back in the 1940’s, you hated to see a boy riding a bicycle up to your house, because that is how they delivered bad news that your loved one wasn’t coming home. So, we’ve had far worse times – we just forget.  I would suggest to help you get through these rough times is 1) Pray a heck of a lot more; and 2) Do not use social media.  Let me put this way so that you can remember it:  Social is the media and social is the disease.  If there is a cure of cancer, someone will let you know.  Nothing good comes from social media with the exception of our church’s webpage. We are probably the only church that doesn’t have a “donate button.”  My staff asked, “Should we put a donation button on there?” No.  There’s a lot of good things on our website.  Stay off the news stations.  They know nothing, and they don’t tell you the full truth.  All military officers lie to you.  How do I know?  I was one. We were taught how to lie on a professional level as part of the charm course we had to go through.  In Stanly County, they say we have 100 deaths from COVID.  But, that tells you nothing.  We have a hospital, a prison, and seven nursing homes in the county.  How many people died there?  “We cannot tell you.”  Then the  figures are meaningless. How many had comorbidities?  Yes, they are dead, and I feel bad for them, I really do.  Some died long before they should have.  But just throwing numbers out there is scaring the living bejesus out of Stanly County residents and is irresponsible.  You aren’t telling them anything.  Stay away from the news stations and watch cartoons like the “Road Runner.”  I always liked the “Road Runner.”  Listen to easy listening music.  Do something.  Just turn it off.  There’s no need for that.  They aren’t going to tell you anything you really need to know that’s going to be life-changing.  It’s just going to make you more miserable.

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to https://annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com/ and clicking on “Blog.”

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