//The Contemplative Monk//
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Sermon Notes – October 9, 2022 – “His Gifts Can Have Many Forms”
“His Gifts Can Have Many Forms”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
October 8 – 9, 2022
Gospel: Luke 17:11-19
11 Now it happened that on the way to Jerusalem He was travelling in the borderlands of Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered one of the villages, ten men suffering from a virulent skin-disease came to meet Him. They stood some way off 13 and called to Him, ‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ 14 When He saw them He said, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now as they were going away they were cleansed. 15 Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice 16 and threw himself prostrate at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him. The man was a Samaritan. 17 This led Jesus to say, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? 18 It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ 19 And He said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’
Do you know why the Good Lord gave the gift of healing to the ten lepers? Because they asked for it and because He loved them. He made them out of love and sustained them out of love. When they asked for the gift of that love to cure them, He didn’t ask if they had tithed, given to the Priest Retirement Fund, or volunteered at the church. He gave it to them freely because He loved them and He wanted to show His love. One of the lepers was a foreigner. . .a Samaritan who the Jews hated. But love gives without regard. Love gives outside of itself never seeking reward. Our Lord blesses us with so many gifts when we ask for them and even when we don’t. Some of those gifts are very good and some are even better. In some, you recognize the good and in others not so much.
Do you remember Bishop Fulton Sheen? He was that very handsome man on television with grey hair. Bishop Sheen was very photogenic . . . the camera loved him. He had a series on television, he was a wonderful speaker, and he was very talented. He had two doctorates – I mean the guy was a genius! He was really blessed. But do you know what his diet consisted of? He lived on boiled chicken, milk, and soggy graham crackers. That was his diet because his stomach was so bad that was all he could keep down. That was all he could eat, but you would never know it. That was one of God’s gifts to him, and it was a blessing because it kept him small. Indeed, some of our crosses are our greatest blessings. It kept Bishop Sheen humble and relying on God. I say that because he’s about to be canonized as a saint.
The same thing is true with all the gifts God gives us. There are so many gifts beyond counting. While you are saying your nightly prayers and the Act of Contrition, it is a good spiritual habit to think of at least five or ten gifts God has given you. And the next night, think of new ones. Also think of the gifts that are your crosses and infirmities. He gives us those so that we can share in His Passion and become more reliant on Him than on ourselves. They are a great blessing because they keep us humble and small. They may seem like a punishment for our sins. . . and they could be. I’m not God, and I don’t know why God allows it, but He does. It’s also a chance for us to give gifts of love to others and to God. We can offer them for sacrifices and penance for our sins and those of others. Through our sufferings we can reach out to others who are suffering and give them the same hope we have. As Saint Paul said, “I make up with my body what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.” We join our sufferings with Him on the Cross. Those sufferings can be His greatest gift to us. Our sufferings can be not only physical ailments but also mental and spiritual sufferings. We all have them. Usually, the most gifted people have the most crosses so that God can keep them humble.
God does not give us gifts because we have earned them. Do your children have to earn your love? You still love the ones who have gone off the reservation. It happens in every family. You don’t give your children gifts because they’ve earned them. You give them gifts because you love them. That’s what God does for us. God loves us and He will never stop. He hopes that these gifts of love will cause people to turn their hearts back to Him. That’s what God does. He will always give us blessings, but His blessings can have many forms.
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 – July 31, 2022 – “Make Room!”
“Make Room!”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
July 30 -31, 2022
Gospel: Luke 12:13-21
13 A man in the crowd said to Him, ‘Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.’ 14 He said to him, ‘My friend, who appointed Me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?’ 15 Then He said to them, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for life does not consist in possessions, even when someone has more than he needs.’ 16 Then He told them a parable, ‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, 17 thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” 18 Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, 19 and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” 20 But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?” 21 So it is when someone stores up treasure for himself instead of becoming rich in the sight of God.’
In the last verses of the 12th chapter of Saint Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, the saint earnestly desires higher gifts. He wrote:
“First, I seek the higher gifts and I will show you a more excellent way. If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”
And that’s true. Saint Paul continues with the theme of love in the 13th chapter. Love is the one thing we should desire above all else. God is love itself. He wants to make us wealthy in His love, and He teaches us how to grow in that love. The one thing we can be truly rich in is to always possess Him and to be possessed by Him.
The more you experience the love of God, the more you want. With God you can never get enough. We are inspired and motivated to make more room for Him in our souls through our works, prayer, and self-sacrifice to possess Him and be possessed by Him. Doing so will enlarge and beautify our souls for a proper dwelling place for Him. And when we have that possession, we have an ever-increasing wealth. Then all the other things we have will assume their proper role.
But it’s never enough. It’s like being in an Irish family. . .there’s always room for one more. There is always room for more love.
Did you know that you can go to Mass more than once a week? You can receive Holy Communion up to three times a day. . .did you know that? You can go to Confession once a day. . .twice, if you’ve done something really bad. If you want to drive over to the Catholic church in Concord so you don’t have to see me, that’s okay – I get it, as long as you go. There is no limit on God’s desire to be a part of your soul. And when we are possessed by Him what happens? We are transformed, and all the things we have find their proper place.
Sometimes, every now and again, we realize how truly rich we are. “Well, Father, I’m not really rich. Have you seen my bank statement?” I’m not talking about that. “Father, I don’t live in a nice house.” I’m not talking about that. “Father, I don’t have a nice car.” I’m not talking about that either. Look at all the sufferings you have. Look at how rich you are. Even with the worse things in your life, you are chosen. You have much to offer God for the sanctification of souls. You are truly rich, because it is in that pain and suffering we have all endured or are enduring that we share in the suffering of Christ for the redemption of the world.
How will you apply this message to your life? _______________________________________
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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”
Sermon Notes – July 23-24, 2022 – “Love You More!”
July 23 – 24, 2022
“Love You More!”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
Gospel: Luke 11:1-13
1 Now it happened that He was in a certain place praying, and when He had finished, one of His disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ 2 He said to them, ‘When you pray, this is what to say: Father, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come; 3 give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, 4 for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.’ 5 He also said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, “My friend, lend me three loaves, 6 because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him;” 7 and the man answers from inside the house, “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up to give it to you.” 8 I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it to him for friendship’s sake, persistence will make him get up and give his friend all he wants. 9 ‘So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? 12 Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion? 13 If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!’
Why must God give us good things? Because, as Saint John tells us, God is love. What is God’s nature? His nature is love itself. Love seeks to diffuse itself by spreading that love. So, to not give us good things would be a denial of His very nature. He gives us good things whether we deserve them or not because He loves us. The first question in the Catechism is “Why did God make us?” Because He loves us. God gives us good things not because we pray the “right” way, or because we tithe to the Church, or because we do this, that, and the other thing. That would be like a business deal. . .you give me this, and I’ll give you that. He offers these gifts to us, both temporal and spiritual, to show His love for us and to draw us ever closer. Or, if we have wandered away, to call us back and to remind those souls, including ours, that He wants us to be with Him.
We are called to pray. Most of us have prayed for things very hard and valiantly. We’ve used the right words and claimed the things we have prayed for in the name of Jesus. We have asked for the intercession of Saint Jude who is the patron saint of the impossible and the intercession of other saints who are patrons of particular causes. But we have been disappointed because sometimes those answers have not come, and we have not gotten what we wanted. That doesn’t mean that God has stopped loving us. It means that He has other plans for us and that, in itself, is a gift of love. We are called to have trust in the Lord. Trust Him even though the answer to our immediate need, want, desire, plea, threat, is “No.” He has something far better in mind for you or that person you have been praying for. You must trust Him.
Now I have been 38 years a priest, and I am not yet a monsignor. Wait a moment while I tear up. Sorry; I got a little misty-eyed there. But I have been the pastor for the past 18 years of the greatest parish in the diocese. I don’t tell anyone that because they might boot my butt out of here. But I’ll take that trade all day long. You have to remember that God loves us and sees more than we can see for ourselves. Sometimes what we want is not good for us as anyone who has children knows. The crosses He allows us to carry, He gives us for the sake of others. God constantly offers us these gifts to keep us encouraged, to remind us of His love for us, and to draw us ever closer to Him.
God gives us all these gifts because He loves us. Sometimes that love is hard to see because of the gift wrapping. Some of His gifts we never see. We never see all the temporal and spiritual evils He protects us from. Remember that when you thank Him at the end of the day. So, pray. And as Saint Augustine once said, “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” God will give you the most wondrous gifts along with all the other gifts including the good stuff like apple pie and the bad stuff like Covid. But whatever the gifts may be, they all point to His love for us. He is love itself, and He wants us to love Him back more and more in this life. . . all of us, both good and bad. He wants to turn them back to Him too. He takes no delight in the death of a sinner. That’s not why He sent His Son. He wants to draw us ever closer to Him in this life so that we may have life with Him united in perfect love in Heaven.
How will you apply this message to your life? ______________________________________
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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”
Sermon Notes – September 5, 2021 – I’m Sorry . . . So Sorry!
I’m Sorry. . . So Sorry!
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
September 4 – 5, 2021
Gospel: Mark 7: 31-37
In the Gospel, our Lord healed the deaf man. Why? Read the story. . .He was asked. A lot of us do not ask for miracles. Why does Jesus do miracles? Well, for a couple of reasons. First, it is very revelatory. It reveals a number of things about God. But, let’s put that aside for a moment. Did the deaf man ask for a miracle? No, he couldn’t. His friends did through intercessory prayer, and that’s very important. Also, did our Lord say to the man and his friends, “I’d really like to help, but have you given to the DSA?” “Have you given very good stuff to the yard sale?” “How are your Sunday collections going?” “Are you helping out at the church?” “Have you brought Father food?” Good food…no cucumbers! No. He didn’t interrogate them. Our Lord restored the man’s hearing and his speech because He loved him. Our Lord never refused a miracle to anyone who asked or to anyone who didn’t ask. He knew that the woman would touch His garment, and He used that as an example.
Miracles are expressions of who and what our Lord is. He gives us favors and miracles because He loves us. They are gifts of His love. They are meant to draw our hearts to Him and to sustain us in being. Scripture tells us that our Lord lets the rain fall on the just and unjust. It revealed to the people of Israel who our Lord was. Our Lord is God. He can heal our infirmities. Do I have my physical limitations? Oh, heck yeah! My mind writes checks that my body cannot cash. I’m 68, and I still think I’m 18. Saint Paul said that if you ask for prayers of healing, sometimes it will happen and sometimes it won’t. But, the Lord told Saint Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God does miracles all the time over at Atrium Health. When people undergo bypass surgery, the healing is very slow. First, they get the surgery, then they wake up, and then they go to therapy. Everything moves at a slow pace, but they are our Lord’s miracles.
Miracles reveal God’s nature. Do you know what God’s nature is? God’s nature is love itself. Jesus was love incarnate. He came to give the gift of His love which is Himself. There are a number of miracles recorded in the Gospel, and there are more that are not as Saint John tells us at the end of his gospel. The Lord gives us these gifts to show His love and His awareness of our needs. What does God want in return? Our love. That is what gifts of love are. They are given freely. Our Lord gives us these gifts of love to help turn our hearts toward Him and away from ourselves.
Keep praying for His gifts. Sometimes He says “No.” However, when He says “no,” He gives us the grace to handle His answer and to bear whatever difficulties it brings. I will tell you that it doesn’t seem that way. I’m still not a Monsignor after 38 years, and I’m not happy about it. But I’m humble, and I can handle it. Our good Lord gives us the gift of Himself which is the greatest miracle of all. His miracles are not just for physical ailments. The greatest miracle is not the gift that someone gives you, it’s the gift of themselves. The physical aspects of the gift are signs of an invisible reality. As Catholics, we see the greatest gift of all here in church. . .the gift of Christ Himself in Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Penance. He gives it freely because He wants our love. He loves us so much that He allows Himself to be handled by an evil and sinful man such as myself. God gives us these gifts not because we deserve them. You cannot earn love. He gives these gifts because He loves us. He created us out of love. He gives us these gifts of love to draw us away from ourselves and back to Him. So, keep praying for miracles.
Father’s Afterthoughts:
I have been blessed with family and friends who point out my faults. Do I have my faults? “No, Father.” Yes, I do, but thank you for that. God gives me the grace to carry my crosses. One of the great graces that God gives us for carrying our crosses and our faults is humility. He gives us the humility to go back to someone and say you screwed up and ask for forgiveness. Even I make mistakes on occasion, and when I do, I ask for forgiveness. That’s how we show God’s love. You’d be surprised when you say to someone, “I’m sorry.” It is like the old Brenda Lee song, “I’m Sorry…So Sorry.” Say “I’m sorry” to someone, and they may say, “Whatever.” There’s a big difference between saying “I’m sorry” and “forgive me.” Have you ever heard a song with “forgive me” in the lyrics? Saying “forgive me” shows God’s power working in you.
How will you apply this message to your life? Are you praying for His gifts?
Email BeckyHraczo@gmail.com if you would like sermon notes emailed to you. Also, you can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com/ and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.
Sermon Notes – How Did They Know?
“How Did They Know?“
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
Feb 27-28, 2021
Gospel: Mark 9: 2-10
We’ve heard this Gospel proclaimed year after year. But, have you ever wondered how Peter, James, and John knew it was Moses and Elijah? There were no pictures or artists that could paint them; there was no Facebook, no Tic-Toc, and no selfies. So, how did they know? You ever ask yourself that? Remember, Moses and Elijah died a thousand or so years before the apostles showed up. So, how did they know? In the transfiguration, our good Lord gave the apostles, Peter, James, and John, a taste of what Heaven would be like…just a little taste. They saw the glorified bodies of Moses and Elijah. They knew it was Moses and Elijah. They saw them with their eyes. They saw Heaven, and the people there were talking to God. You will know people in Heaven…if you get there. If you are concerned about that, come see me, and we can work it out. But, you will know people in Heaven, and you will be able to talk to them about future events. In Heaven, everything is now, because God is the Eternal Now and not the past, present, or future. He is the Eternal Now. He is present always. So, you will know and be enlightened.
There is forgiveness after death – in purgatory. Moses was in the Promised Land; he was right outside Jerusalem. God told Moses that he would never enter the Promised Land because he had sinned. But he did. So, there is forgiveness after death. Our good Lord, in this vision, lowered the veil of His humanity to show the apostles part of His divinity. They saw Heaven on Earth. He gave them this great revelation of what Heaven is like to prepare and strengthen them for the scandal of the Passion which would happen in less than two weeks. After all of the miracles they had seen, this was their final gift. Now, all of us would like to receive consolation and great gifts from God. We pray for them. We look for them, and if we get one, we want more. What are the gifts of consolation? First of all, they don’t come as often as we’d like. They usually come before our great trials or afterward as consolations.
Heaven is only meant for after this life and not during, just as it was for the apostles. Most of us would like to say, “If I had such a dramatic experience with God, I would have no problem believing and would never doubt the faith again. I would go to confession more often. I might even go to daily Mass occasionally. I just need to be convinced.” But, scripture is contrary to those statements. Jesus had three years of public ministry. How many people did the apostles see raised from the dead? At least three. Scripture says that not all of the miracles Jesus performed were recorded. He fed 5,000 people, walked on water, cured lepers, and the apostles cast out demons. The apostles saw all sorts of miracles, because they were there. Yet, where were they ten days later?
We are like the apostles. We have these great gifts. “Oh, I will never doubt again.” Yes, you will. We all do. This is the struggle we have. We are tempted to be disconsolate. The devil will say, “Well, if you were better; if you were doing what you are supposed to do, what your Lord said to do, you would always feel good.” Blah, blah, blah. That’s a bunch of spiritual fertilizer. It’s not true.
Our Lord does not distance Himself from us. He is always with us, we just can’t see Him. I was driving up to the VA the other day. I was doing 60 mph in a 55 mph zone, so I was cool. From out of nowhere, this van comes up right behind me and passes. Then, all of a sudden, I see the blue light special. I didn’t see the trooper, but he was there. You don’t see God, but He is always there. Your Guardian Angel is always with you. Just because you don’t see Him, doesn’t mean He isn’t there. You look for Him. “I cannot find Him.” But, He is there.
You might look at someone, and tell them they look great. But, a doctor might look at that same person, and tell them they don’t look so good. The doctor has the eyes of a physician. I have the eyes of a bozo. My eye doctor says I’m not ready for a stick and a seeing eye quite yet. But, it’s how we see it.
Our Lord is always with us. He is always giving us signs of His love and His presence. Sometimes, we overlook consolations, because we are too busy to see them, or we are looking the other way. Our Lord gives us great consolations. Maybe not as many as we would like, but as many as we need. They come and they go as our Lord sees fit. Look for small consolations, because He is there. Make sure you do not give up hope, and do not give in to despair. You may worry and ask Him, “Lord, have you forgotten about us? Do you see what is happening?” Yes, I am here. You cannot see Me, but I see you, and I am with you.
How will you apply this message to your life? Are you overlooking the signs of His love and His presence?
Father’s Afterthoughts…
While I was at the VA, I saw a nurse practitioner I know. I said, “Doc, can I ask you a question? She’s a medical professional. She said, “Sure!” “Doc, does this mask make me look fat?” You have to make your own fun at the VA.
You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to https://annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com/ and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes. From a cell phone, click on “Blog” then “Menu” and then “Categories” (located at the end of the page). There is also a search box if you are looking for a specific topic.
Sermon Notes – We Ask for Gifts That Are Too Small
“We Ask For Gifts That Are Too Small“
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
January 9-10, 2021
Gospel: Matthew 1: 7-11
During the Christmas season, our good Lord shows us remarkable signs of His love. He reveals His essence at Christmas in what we call the Economy of Salvation and how He brought about our salvation. It shows He is love and that love is humble. He shows us that humility is a part of love. He became what He was not. He was God and became man so that He could pass on to us the fruits of His love through the Sacraments. The creator now became subject to His creatures. In the Gospel according to St. Matthew, at the baptism of our Lord, Jesus had to tell John “You must do this,” because John didn’t want to baptize Him. Such is His great humility. This is how He will affect our salvation…with great humility and subject to His creatures. The ultimate revelation of the depth of His love was at the crucifixion. He gave Himself to us out of love.
I hear people in the church say that they want power. I say, that’s kind of a short-term goal. You have power over God. “What do you mean?” Well, you know, God is subject to you. Out of His great love, He hears your prayers and answers them. You can read in the scriptures that He did not refuse anyone a miracle. He didn’t ask, “Do you know who you are talking to right now?” He didn’t ask, “Are you tithing?” “Are you supporting the Priest Retirement Fund?” He didn’t ask if you are supporting the Diocese. He didn’t ask if you have sinned. He didn’t ask if you blah blah blah. He didn’t ask any of that. He doesn’t ask if you are worthy of His gift. When we present ourselves for Holy Communion, He gives of Himself freely. He gives the gift because He loves us. He answers all of our prayers. You may say, “Well, Father you have been a priest for a long time, and you are still not a Monsignor.” Yeah, I’ve been praying for that for quite a while. I don’t think it’s going to happen. Maybe, it’s my personality…I don’t know. But, we ask for gifts that are too small and for things that might harm us. God wants to give us the greatest gift which is the gift of Himself. He wants to give us what our hearts desire. He wants to fill our hearts with joy…a joy that nobody can take from us.
We had a case in the parish a few weeks ago. A woman from the parish had been praying for quite a while for her nephew who was dying. She called and asked me if I would go and give him Last Rites. He was Catholic, but it didn’t seem to take for a long time. So, I called his wife and then went over to their house. His wife wasn’t Catholic, so the Last Rites confused her a bit. Right after I had finished giving him the Last Rites, I noticed a change in his breathing. I told his wife that they needed some time alone, and I left. He was dead a few minutes later. God answered the prayers of that woman. I’m not always around, but I happened to be in town that day. This happens so many times. I walk in and the family asks if I will give the Last Rites and when I finish, boom, they are gone.
We ask for things in our prayers that are too small. We have power over God. “Well, Father, you have power over God. You make Christ present on the altar during Mass, in the Tabernacle, and in the Sacraments.” Yes, I do, but it is you who can say yes or no if He enters your soul. No matter how many times you come for Holy Communion, properly disposed I certainly hope, you can receive God Himself into your souls. When we come to the Sacrament of Penance, He enters our souls and washes away our sins with His precious blood. You can receive God by calling Him through your prayers and inviting Him into your soul.
You have this immense power of love over God, because He loves you. He humbles Himself at Christmas and each day at the altar. He humbled Himself to John the Baptist, and He humbles Himself to us each day in our prayers. He loves you so much that He wants to give you the best gift of all which is the gift of Himself. You have great power. You have the power to draw God down into your soul. Realize your power and use it.
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How will you apply this message to your life? Will you use the power of God’s love for you and draw Him into your soul?
You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to https://annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com/ and clicking on “Blog.”