Tag: Lamb of God

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Sermon Notes – January 12, 2025 – “Behold the Lamb of God”

“Behold the Lamb of God”

 Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 January 11- 12, 2025

Gospel:   Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Do you remember the Greek I taught you last week about the Epiphany and what it means?   In English, the Epiphany means manifestation, and today there is another one.  Our good Lord is manifested and made visible by God the Father.  God revealed to us the nature of the Trinity . . . the triune nature of God.  The Spirit came upon us in the form of a Dove.  By the way, the word “Spirit” is capitalized in Scripture.  The Holy Spirit revealed the triune nature of God.   We could have realized a lot of things on our own by backward reasoning, but the Trinity of God had to be revealed. 

God also revealed things that are reflected in the “ologies” including Theology, Sacramentology, Soteriology, and Christology.  God said, “This is My beloved Son” which is studied in Christology.  Soteriology is the study of redemption and that of His suffering, death, and resurrection.  Sacramentology, the study of Sacramental Life, began with our Lord’s Baptism and gave us the means for our walk to Paradise.   Soteriology is the study of the Sacrificial Lamb.  He came down to be sacrificed for our redemption.  Remember in Scripture the command our Lord gave the Apostles?  “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).  Contrary to our Protestant brethren and some enlightened Catholics, Baptism was not age restricted.   The house of Cornelius was baptized, including many children.  In those days, the child mortality rate was huge, and if you didn’t have a lot of children, there would be nobody to care for you in your old age.  So, Baptism is the first Sacrament.   

In other accounts of the Baptism of our Lord, what did Saint John say?  In the past, we said this during Mass after the Minor Elevation.  In Latin, which was the language of the Empire and is still the official language of the Church, Saint John said, “Ecce Agnus Dei” which means “Behold the Lamb of God.”  And with that, the question that was first asked in Genesis is finally answered:  Where is the Lamb of Sacrifice Who takes away our sins?   Saint John answered that question 5,000 years after it was asked: “Ecce Agnus Dei” – “Behold the Lamb of God.”  He picked Jesus out of a crowd.  Behold the Lamb of God. 

It was not the people’s lamb and not the Jew’s lamb, but the Lamb of God who came to be sacrificed.   Lambs are gentle and docile, just as Jesus was.  He was docile to God the Father by obeying His Word.   Our Lord did the will of the Father.  He came down and achieved our redemption by His death and resurrection.  He took on a human nature to fulfill the debt that man could not repay because of the abomination of the first sin.  It was such a great offense that only God could repair it.  Our first parents walked with God and talked with God. They had full knowledge of Who God is, and they still disobeyed Him by eating the apple.  “I’m going to do what I want and eat the apple.”  That was such an offense that only God could correct it. 

God sent the Sacrificial Lamb to redeem us.  That is what we are doing here today.  We see the Lamb of God in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  As Saint John said, and as you can also say, “I see the Lamb of God.”  Ecce agnus dei – Behold the Lamb of God.  He’s right there in the Tabernacle.  We have God.  It is the fulfillment of His love for us.  You see His Sacrifice in the Mass.  It is not a re-sacrifice of Christ; He will not have to die again.  It is a view of what is always before the Father in Heaven pleading on our behalf and will be until the end of time.  “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”  It is the Sacrificial Lamb Who is on the Altar.  As Scripture has it, He is the scapegoat for our sins.  The Lamb of God is among the lambs He created.  What a wonderful thing. 

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.”

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Sermon Notes – August 25, 2024 – “This is Where Truth Resides”

“This is Where Truth Resides”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 24 – 25, 2024

Gospel:  John 6:60-6

60 After hearing it, many of His followers said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’

62 What if you should see the Son of man ascend to where He was before?

61 Jesus was aware that His followers were complaining about it and said, ‘Does this disturb you?

63 ‘It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

64 ‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the outset who did not believe and who was to betray him.

65 He went on, ‘This is why I told you that no one could come to Me except by the gift of the Father.’

66 After this, many of His disciples went away and accompanied Him no more.

67 Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’

68 Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life,

69 and we believe; we have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.’

I have dealt with many people, and I like doing so.  I can always tell which people used to be Catholic.  Do you know how I can do that?  Am I gifted?  No.  I can because they tell me.  They say, “I used to be Catholic.”  Oh really?   I’m still Catholic.  What happened to you?  Did you find a better way to Heaven?  When they tell you they are no longer Catholic, they are unhappy.  I have never met a priest who left the priesthood and was happy.  Never.  And I’ve been around for a long time.  Usually, after priests leave, they realize they made a big mistake, but it’s really tough to come back.  Bishop Curlin was really good at bringing priests back, but nowadays that ain’t happening.   

Why would anyone leave?  We have the words of spirit and life.  We have the truth.  You know the truth when you hear it because it touches your soul.  We all want to hear, “Hey Father. Pizza and bacon are really good for your heart.”  I would love to hear that, but I’m not going to, am I?  Probably not.  “Hey, Father.  Cucumbers are good for your health.”   Then I am going to die because that’s not going down this throat!   I barely do fish, and that’s a penance.  But we all want to hear that it’s okay to eat and do what we want.  “Oh, I have a kidney condition that alcohol is good for.”  Really?  Do you mean stupid?  “Smoking is good for you.”  I’ll let you know about that too.  We all want to hear those words because it gives us an excuse to do what we want which may not be what Christ wants.  We have the truth of everlasting life.  Jesus gives us that truth.  Because of our fallen nature, the sins we’ve committed after our baptism, and the sins of others committed against us, it is hard to follow that truth.   Sometimes, it is hard to see the love of God.  When our good Lord took my mother, my father, and both of my brothers from this world, I was not exactly pleased with Him, okay?  But bad things happen, so we have to trust. 

From whom do you hear, “I absolve you of all your sins.”  “Behold the lamb of God.”  You won’t hear that anywhere but here.  This is where truth resides.  The fullness of truth helps us carry our crosses and deal with all the things that try to take us away from Him, the sorrow that we all experience, the temptations, our faults and failures, the crosses that have been given to us, and the crosses we take on for others to help them.  Only here do we have peace and consolation.  We can go somewhere else, but no one finds that peace except here.  I have 71 years of experience and 40 years of that as a priest – If anyone can enlighten me, I’m always open to verifiable knowledge, but I have yet to see it or read about it.  Only here in the fullness of Christ will we find peace.  When G.K. Chesterton became Catholic, he said, “I want my sins forgiven, not explained away.”  He also said, “If you believe Protestantism, you’ll believe anything.”  Growing up, all Christians had a basic set of morals.  Now, “to whom shall we go? He has the message of eternal life.”  We are men and not angels, so we all struggle with our crosses.  We come here for our Lord’s help, healing, and strength.   

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.”