Faith and Fear
Sermon Notes – April 27, 2025 – We Are as Sick as Our Secrets
Sermon Notes
“We Are as Sick as Our Secrets”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
April 26 – 27, 2025
Gospel: John 20: 19-31
One thing you learn as a priest after the 2nd week is that nothing will surprise you, especially confessions. People will try to blow the good stuff past the new guy. They come into the confessional booth and say, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I have lied, gossiped, committed adultery, and failed to say my prayers.” We call that the classic “Oreo confession.” Sometimes they will say it really fast, hoping I won’t hear it. “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I have lied, gossiped, committedadultery, andfailed to pray.” Hold on. Let’s go back to that one you tried to blow by. That’s kind of important because I cannot forgive what I do not know. Our Lord said, “Whatever you bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven” (Matthew 16:19). So, which sins do we forgive – the sins you are trying to hide or the sins for which you are trying to make amends? For instance, during premarital counseling, if a couple tells me they are living together, I tell them that unless they are living together as brother and sister, one of them must move out. If they say they can’t or they won’t, I tell them I cannot perform their wedding, and they get really upset! Hey – this is a rule of the Church. You are living in a state of objective mortal sin, and I cannot condone that. I would be cosigning fertilizer. It’s the same thing with Baptism – they don’t like it either. You wouldn’t believe the harsh things that people say to me, and that’s not just the staff – it’s people in general.
Guilt, pride, shame, fear, and remorse. If you can put a name on it, someone else has done it before you. As priests, we take a moral theology course to prepare for the Sacrament of Penance. We learn about consanguinity and affinity, which outline who you can marry on your family tree. You cannot marry your first cousin, and you have to have permission to marry your second cousin. It’s a southern thing. They must have known I was going south.
I have to know your sins. You do not prescribe aspirin for a brain tumor. In 12-step programs, a saying is, “You are only as sick as your secrets.” Having secrets can derail the recovery of addicts who need to admit publicly the nature of their wrongs. I performed the funeral service for a veteran. I asked the funeral director what happened to this person, and he said she died from kidney failure. She was only 31 years old. Now, I’m not Dr. House, but I’m not stupid either. She did not die of kidney failure. Whenever I do a funeral, I am required to put a note in the medical record. So, I looked at the diagnosis, which they now call the “problem list.” That was one heck of a problem – she’s dead. While I was in her medical record, I looked at the doctor’s notes. She had a deep, dark secret that was never addressed, from which she never received help, and she eventually committed suicide. We are as sick as our secrets. Just like your physician, I have no idea what medicine is needed if you don’t tell me where it hurts.
I listen and occasionally I ask questions, but that is very rare. Most people tell me way too much. If I have a question after 40 years of hearing confessions, I’ll let you know. Okay? There may be mitigating and aggravating factors. The habit of sinning is a mitigating factor, and pride is an aggravating factor. There are all sorts of things I consider in applying medicine for the soul. But I have to hear the sin. God is offering His forgiveness. When we sin, we take back our love of God. “I will not serve.” Yet, when we say, “I don’t want to tell him everything, that is only partially giving our love back to God. Would you want a half-apology if someone hurt you? We need to totally give ourselves back to God for the forgiveness of our sins. Not just a little bit. “Can I go right to God for forgiveness of my sins?” Yes, if you are in danger of death, yes. If you have appendicitis, can you go right to God for healing? That’s probably not the best idea. You could say a prayer on your way to Atrium Hospital, but I would definitely get to the hospital first. God has ways and means by which to dispense His love to us. What holds us back is guilt, pride, shame, fear, and remorse. When I go into a hospital room, some people get very modest. I have been doing hospital work for over 40 years, so I have seen more body parts than you will ever have. However, sometimes patients are a bit more casual than I care for: “I’m too sexy for the sheet.” No, you’re not.
God gave His healing power to the Apostles, and to the bishops and priests after them, the power to forgive sin and to anoint the soul with the Most Precious Blood to restore it to life. But to heal, I must know what hurts to apply the appropriate remedy. “But it’s embarrassing.” No, that’s the guilt, shame, and fear of the Four Horsemen following you and causing you to stay away from the Sacrament of Penance. It’s all a lie. How liberating it is to finally get out from underneath all that sin, no matter what it is. Sin affects the body, soul, and psyche, the three parts of man. So go to our good Lord’s clergy, his priests and bishops, and get out from underneath all that garbage. Go to Confession and get it all out of your system. Your sins will be forgiven, and the appropriate remedy to heal your soul will be given. You will feel a heck of a lot better, and I promise I won’t collapse during confession.
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.
Worrying Takes Away Peace
contemplativemonk.substack.com
Breathe.
What Kills Laziness, Anger, Fear, Jealousy, and Doubt?
Let It Go
Sermon Notes – “He Knows Our Fears” – October 13, 2024
“He Knows Our Fears”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
October 12 – 13, 2024
Gospel: Mark 10:17-30
Going back to the Old Testament, there is the Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” In the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, “True Lies,” Arnold’s wife asks him, while he is on truth serum, if he ever killed anybody. Arnold replies, “Yes, but they were all bad.” Translated properly from Hebrew, the Commandment says, “You shall not take life unjustly.” That is the Commandment. The State has the inherent right to execute prisoners who have been justly convicted of capital crimes. The Church did not give the State that right, and the Church cannot take it away. You have the right to protect yourself and others to the point of killing another person. That is not murder, which is forbidden. Remind me to speak to the Godmother, but that’s another matter. You have to read Scripture in Hebrew. “Oh! We should not have soldiers or armed police!” Yeah, let me know how that works out for you. Not well because it violates the 5th Commandment. You have the right and the obligation to preserve your own life.
Thomas à Kempis was a priest who died in 1471 at the age of 91, an amazing life span especially during that period, medicine being what it was. Even today, that would be considered a darn good run. During his life, he was a priest at an Abbey where one of his jobs was to write. He transcribed four copies of the bible with a quill pen and parchment paper. That’s a lot of writing. He also taught the young religious in the offices of the Abby. He wrote a book, “The Imitation of Christ,” which is a spiritual classic. If you are interested in spiritual life, it is a book you should have. He wrote that the key to spiritual life is to do the will of another rather than your own. And that’s hard. I teach that to all the young men who want to be married. I tell them that the answer to everything their wives ask is, “Yes, dear.” That’s it, and your meals will continue to come on a regular basis. Otherwise, you may win the battle, but you will not win the war. They will attrite (gradually arrange) your death by a thousand cuts, and you have to shut your eyes some time. So just say, “Yes, dear.”
Doing the will of another is the hardest thing. It is an act of love to trust in the will of another especially someone appointed over you. When I entered the military service, do you know what the first thing I did was? I was a brand new officer – a captain. But I went to a sergeant, even though I was already in the Army when he was still in diapers, and I asked him, “Would you help me, please?” Why? Because he knew more about the Army than I did. Knowledge does not always apply to rank or position. I had to trust that sergeant not to lead me astray. I had to trust Master Sergeant Rodriguez, who was a tunnel rat in Vietnam, to teach me how to do my job in combat so I didn’t get myself killed. He had been there, and rank had no standing. So, we trust, which is hard to do. Remember, we are fallen creatures because of Original Sin, sins committed after Baptism, and those sins committed against us after Baptism. Our first parents walked with God and talked with God but did not want to serve God. They ate the apple, and here we are.
What is God’s will? “I do not know what God’s will is for me.” Well, Christ spelled it out very specifically because every time He asked the Apostles a question, they got the answer wrong. He knew we would also screw it up, so He said, “Keep My Commandments,” and he spelled them out. “If you love Me, keep my Commandments.” That means the Commandments are works of love, so we trust and surrender our will to Him. And that’s hard because sometimes we think we are the brightest bears in Jellystone Park. But we are not. We are afraid. “If I do this, I won’t have any fun. I won’t have this, and I won’t have that.” The rich young man had many possessions. He was possessed by his possessions. Nobody could have his stuff. You see someone playing with your stuff, you call the police because it’s your stuff. All the gifts God has given, our talents and abilities, are to be put into service for others. Our Lord knows our fears – that we might lose something or that we might miss something. Fear is a tactic that the devil uses very often. It’s a poor, positive motivator but a great negative one. Fear. “I might miss something.” “I’m too busy on Sunday mornings to come to Mass.” Hmmm . . . 9:30 a.m. in Albemarle. What is going on in Albemarle at that hour? I’ve lived here a long time, and I would like to know because I’ve missed it! “I can’t come to Mass because I have company.” Bring them to Mass with you; it would be good for them. But people fear they will miss something.
Our Lord talked about this in today’s Gospel: “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come (Mark 10:29-30). He promises us great things to assuage that fear that prevents us from renouncing ourselves and from loving Him. What our Lord promises us in this life are very nice things but the greatest thing of all He promises us is Himself.
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.”
Sermon Notes – November 12, 2023 – “Love Banishes Fear”
“Love Banishes Fear”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
November 11 – 12, 2023
Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus told His disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards, the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But He said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
In the Gospel, it sounds as if they were having a midnight wedding. People don’t have weddings during the day in the Middle East. Know why? Because it’s hot! You don’t want to look like a sweat hog coming down the aisle, do you? No!
Now, I’m willing to bet, without taking a poll, that you all want to go to Heaven. I’m also willing to bet that none of us are looking forward to the trip. According to my research and experience, you have to die first. A while ago I was making my rounds at the VA’s emergency room, and I recognized a couple whom I had met previously. I asked them why they were back. Were they back for lunch? Did they miss us? The man said, “No, I just came in for pain management.” We talked for a bit, and the man said, “Chaplain, may I ask you a question?” Sure. He said, “I want to stop the chemo. Is that okay?” I looked at his wife and asked her, “Are you okay with that?” And she said ‘yes.’ So, I looked at the man and said, “It’s okay to stop the chemo.” He’s only in his early 40s, but it was time. He’d had enough.
We all know we are going on a trip, but we know not the day or hour. During the years that we are blessed with life, know that they are growing shorter. We are not looking forward to the trip because of fear. We were never meant to die. The sin of our first parents caused that. Our sins after baptism and the sins committed against us increase that fear. But love casts away fear. The more we grow in holiness, the more and more that fear subsides. We can look forward to being with the Person we have loved all our lives and never to be separated again by sin. We don’t know what is on the side. However, it’s not a ‘what’ that is on the other side. That’s a blasphemous statement because on the other side is a ‘Who.’ That ‘Who’ is always with us as we make our journey to Heaven. So, we are not alone. Now, there is a little doodoo fairy that sits on our shoulders and is always telling us that God is not with us otherwise we wouldn’t be afraid and that we would be perfect, etc. “Oh, God doesn’t love you.” Just like everything else he fills our heads with, that is a lie. God is always with us. We tend to forget that our guardian angel is always with us too.
Will we always have some fear? Yes. But our fear of death will decrease as we grow in holiness, and we will look forward to going to our Savior. That doesn’t mean we want to leave our loved ones in this life. But we will be going home to our Almighty God. Now when we get to Heaven, we won’t be just sitting around. It won’t be snooze time. As Saint Therese of Lisieux said, “I will spend my eternity in Heaven doing good on Earth.” That’s what we will be doing in the presence of our Lord, God. We will have God’s ear and will be able to pray more effectively than ever before for all the loved ones we left behind. So, our dying is not exactly the worst thing that could happen to us. But dying and being separated from God is.
I was doing Mass over at the women’s maximum-security prison in Troy. That’s always fun. I’m ready for Mass, and we played “Stump the Priest.” One of the women said, “Father, when I get out, I’m going to visit you.” Well, I’m looking forward to that day! She said she was very upset, and I asked her why. She said, “I read in the paper that everybody dies, and they all go to see Jesus.” I said, “That’s true.” She didn’t like that answer, so I said, “When we die, we all will see God. Some stay for only a cup of coffee while others get to stay longer.” How long we stay depends on how we live. In the Gospels, from the Book of Matthew to Revelation, are the final exam questions. We don’t know when our good Lord will come for us. Looking at myself in the mirror, combing my hair doesn’t take that long anymore. That’s just age. So, my meeting with our Lord is approaching sooner and sooner.
I went to Ms. Dottie’s 99th birthday party. When I knocked, she came to the door holding a big glass of wine. Cool! Dottie is now 101. My aunt was 98 when she pulled the plug on herself. Time to go! Another aunt passed at 93. My mother was an underachiever and died at the age of 77. I may not make it to 77, but it doesn’t matter. It’s not about age but rather our state of love and living a perfect life until our good Lord comes for us. I tell patients in hospice who have made their peace with God, that soon, and I don’t know when, but soon, they will see the good Lord coming for them. He will have a smile on His face with His arms open. Put a smile on your face, open your arms, and run toward Him. Have that embrace which is Heaven. You will be one with your Maker.
Before you go to bed at night, always pray the Prayer for a Happy Death. With that Sacrament, we will be assured, in the same way Christ assured the Good Thief on the Cross, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”
Prayer for a Happy Death (Ven. John Henry Cardinal Newman)
O my Lord and Savior, support me in my last hour in the strong arms of Thy Sacraments and by the fresh fragrance of Thy consolations. Let the absolving words be said over me, and the holy oil sign and seal me; and let Thine own Body be my food, and Thy Blood my sprinkling; and let my sweet Mother, Mary, breathe on me, and my Angel whisper peace to me, and my glorious saints and my own dear patrons smile upon me, that, in them all and through them all, I may receive the gift of perseverance, and die as I desire to live, in Thy faith, in Thy Church, in Thy service, and in Thy love. Amen.
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.”
Fear Not
