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“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”
Speak the Truth in Love
What is the relationship between truth and love? Today, Jeff dives into the books of Corinthians and Ephesians and shares what Paul teaches on how to love and the importance of love. Jeff explains what true love looks like and what it results in.
Click on the link to play video:
https://player.fireside.fm/v2/m7G8OqB6+GnGEItHZ?theme=dark
Although my wife has heard me say these same words to her thousands of times, never once has she complained, “Stop saying the same thing over and over again!” In an intimate, personal relationship, two people may repeat to each other certain expressions of love, and each time the words express the heartfelt affection they have for one another. Repetition is part of the language of love.
In reciting the Hail Mary throughout the rosary, we participate over and over again the wonder-filled response of Gabriel and Elizabeth to the mystery of Christ. The name of Jesus, spoken with tender love, becomes the heartbeat of the the rosary.
–from the book Praying the Rosary Like Never Before:
We Christians sometimes submit to the Lord’s will begrudgingly, as if it were something burdensome—a sacrifice we must make for the kingdom of God. However, as we grow as God’s children, we begin to realize that his plan for our lives always corresponds to our heart’s deepest longings, to what will truly bring us fulfillment. Though at times very demanding and involving great sacrifices, God’s will is not simply an ethical test we must pass or an external code of behavior to which we must submit. Ultimately, God’s will is written on our hearts and is meant to lead us to a profound peace and happiness, even in the face of trials and sufferings. May we, like Mary, actively desire God’s will to be fulfilled in our lives. May we joyfully embrace his plan for us, not simply as a religious rule to obey but ultimately as the divine pathway to our hearts’ deepest and most noble desires.
—from the book Praying the Rosary Like Never Before: Encounter the Wonder of Heaven and Earth
by Edward Sri
Every act of love is a new beginning, a new creation. To live compassionately is to believe in a love greater than ourselves yet intimately present to us, a love visible in the trees, the streams, the clouds, the poor, nonbelievers, and all who share the life that is our life—a love binding us together without constraints. We must believe that each person is capable of being transformed by love, that each tree, flower, animal, living creature, the stones, the sand, the sky—everything is capable of being transformed by love. And that when all is united by a luminous thread of love, Christ will be visible in the universe.
—from the book Compassion: Living in the Spirit of St. Francis
by Ilia Delio, OSF
Compassion flourishes when we have nothing to protect and everything to share. It is the gravity of all living beings that binds together all that is weak and limited into a single ocean of love. We have the capacity to heal this earth of its divisions, its wars, its violence, and its hatreds. This capacity is the love within us to suffer with another and to love the other without reward. Love that transcends the ego is love that heals. When we lose ourselves for the sake of love, we shall find ourselves capable of real love. Compassion flows best from a heart open, free, and deeply in love with life. It rises above the individual and yearns for oneness of heart. Compassion knows no other language than the language of love. Let us learn this language and speak it aloud with our hands, our feet, and our eyes, for compassion can birth the new creation.
—from the book Compassion: Living in the Spirit of St. Francis
by Ilia Delio, OSF
Mary would have to remind herself whenever she would remember and start to dwell on Jesus’s suffering, that love redeemed it all, and with the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, she again saw in a flash of light that love was the reason from all eternity. Jesus came to love us and show us the love of the Father and how we are to love the Father. And with that vision, there seemed no past anymore, or even future. Everything was now, everything was new and exciting in the present. And how marvelous to live in that reality that was a preview of what was to come but more importantly, was already here, happening in her. She was living in the kingdom and all that needed to happen was that moment when she entered and saw the kingdom of love that was already there inside and all around her.
— from the book Nourishing Love: A Franciscan Celebration of Mary
by Murray Bodo, OFM
He Wants Your Garbage
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
April 15 – 16, 2023
If you read the Acts of the Apostles, you learn that the Church is to evangelize by using prayers, the Mass, and the Breaking of the Bread. Further along in the Gospels, Saint Paul said, “We preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23). We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, which is what we always seem to do because we think we have a better way. But it never quite works out, does it. And it is painful and expensive on your part. I had confirmation of this on Friday while I was having breakfast at a restaurant. This man came up to me and said, “Excuse me. I have to apologize because I didn’t know how to properly address you, so I asked someone, and they said to call you ‘Father’.” Well, thank you! That man was a Marine who was awarded two purple hearts in Vietnam because he was wounded in combat. I was really impressed. But the compliment wasn’t to me . . . it was to my Boss. So, we must be doing something right here.
We also want to pass all sorts of laws about inanimate objects. Really? How did that work out during Prohibition? Not too well. The problem is not an inanimate object; it’s a person. Do you know what the most common murder weapon is? A knife. So, unless you want to gnaw on your food instead of using a knife, don’t ask for more laws. You have to change the person and not the inanimate object. That’s why we must pass along the Faith.
Now because it is Divine Mercy Sunday, I will ask you a question and it may frighten you. What does our Lord want most from you when you come to church? Don’t reach for your wallets. Churches always say, “We need your time, talent, and treasure.” When you hear that, it’s fertilizer and I’m being really, really nice. He can do without all of that because He is God. You know what Christ wants? He wants the worst you have . . . He wants your sins. He didn’t come down from the Cross and say, “I want your time, talent, and treasure.” But He cannot forgive our sins unless we say, “God, I’m sorry. This is what I have done.” He will ask you to tell a priest who, according to the Gospels, acts in persona Christi. God is all-powerful, but the one thing that He will not do is take your sins from you until you give them to Him. He will not violate your free will.
God gave the power to priests and bishops to celebrate the Mass and the Sacrifice of Christ which produces the Sacraments. The apostles were told, “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven” (Matthew 16:19). But how do we know the difference? It’s a good question. Well, what are the three conditions for repentance? Contrition, amendment, and the avoidance of sin. Sin will find you. So, if you don’t want to drink, don’t go into a bar. There is always someone who will hand you a beer. You cannot prevent everything but that’s the purpose of amendment. If you are shacking up, you can’t be forgiven unless you say, “Hey, I’m moving out.” Otherwise, you are just wanting permission. But our Lord won’t take your sins unless you agree with Him.
Now, the morals course I took consisted of two volumes of textbooks which we were tested on. I also go to FU (Felon University) for refresher courses. So, if you have committed a sin I haven’t heard during all my years of hearing confessions, I will name it after you. You will be famous! You’ll become an “influencer,” get on You-Tube, and make some bucks. But you’re not that original . . . none of us are. That’s the guilt, shame, fear, and remorse that sin does to us. But once we get rid of all that garbage we hold so dear, God will give us His Most Precious Blood that flowed from His pierced side on the Cross and which fills the chalice at every Mass so that we may have peace in our souls. During the Sacrament of Penance, the priest anoints our soul with His Most Precious Blood for the forgiveness of sin. Our Lord came to reconcile us to Him so that we may have life and have it to the fullest. He didn’t come to so that He could use our time, talent, treasure and all that propaganda doodoo. He wants your sins.
Take advantage of God’s love. Give Him the worst that you’ve got . . . give Him your sins. I cannot force you although I’d like to, but I can’t. The greatest experience of God’s love is His mercy. God is always offering us His great gift of love. So, take advantage of it. We make our lives a lot harder than they need to be, which makes the lives of those around us a lot harder than they should be.
Father’s Reflections . . .
An interesting thing happened to me yesterday. I did a baptism and the mother and godmother asked, “Father, do you remember us?” Um, would it hurt your feelings if I said ‘no’? Nothing personal. They said, “You baptized both of us.” Oh God. I’m getting old. I baptized the parents and now I’m baptizing the kids. I’ve been here a long, long time. With therapy, you’ll get over it. People ask, “Father, when you retire, will you move back north to be with your family?” My family is in the cemetery, but I’ll be there soon enough.
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.”
The Smell of Love
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
April 1 – 2, 2023
Love also has a smell. What does love smell like? If you meditate on the Gospels and the Passion of our Lord, love smells like blood. It also has a sound. It’s the sound of blood dripping from the Cross. Love has a smell, and it has a sound. You seek divine love today. In the consecration, the chalice is changed and holds the Precious Blood of Christ. It’s the same Blood that dripped and sanctified the Way of the Cross. It’s the same Blood that sanctified the Blessed Mother who was the first to be washed in His Blood at the foot of the Cross. And it’s the same Blood that fills the chalice. Christ, Himself, takes the chalice into the Confessional and anoints the soul and gives us absolution. We are washed in the Blood of Christ . . . the same Blood that was poured out for us at Calgary. Blood is the virtue of Divine Love. And it has a sight, a sound, and a smell.
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.”
God’s Love is Not Graded on a Curve
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
March 11 – 12, 2023
Gospel: John 4:5-42
Jesus was traveling in Samaria when He encountered the Samaritan woman. Now, Jews did not travel to Samaria just like people here do not travel to Aquadale. Jews just didn’t go to Samaria. It was unclean. The Jews hated the Samaritans and called them “dogs” which was an egregious insult. Jesus went out in the middle of the day, and in the Middle East, nobody goes out past noon. Do you know why? It’s a little hot. Even on a winter day, it is warm. Trust me. But 1you know who does go outside past noon? The American army. Soldiers go out with 60 to 80 pounds of equipment strapped to them. It’s very slimming. The pounds just melt away. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, went outside during the hottest part of the day to seek and save what was lost. Why was the woman drawing water at the well during the heat of the day? Yes, they didn’t have fresh plumbing back then. . . I understand that. But why was she alone? American women travel by themselves all the time, and they don’t have to travel in groups. The woman at the well was alone because the other women wanted nothing to do with her. She was a fallen woman and not of good moral character. That’s why she was alone. Jesus, being God, knew that of course. But He came out to seek and save her soul. He wanted to bring her home to His heart. So, He gently tried to awaken her faith, and talked to her about the living water He would give; the water that would truly quench her thirst. At first, she did what so many do . . . she used intellectual arguments and blamed everything on someone else. When you get caught speeding and the officer pulls you over, what do you say? “They were doing it too!” And the officer says, “I’ll get them later. I’m only concerned about what you have done.”
Our Lord’s love is individual and not graded on a curve. “They are worse than I am!” But I’m talking to you! Jesus wants our souls, and He was concerned about the fallen woman’s relationship with God. People try to argue about hypotheticals, and they always have something to denounce. “The Church does this and that.” “This is bad and that is bad.” “You Jews say this.” “You Jews say that.” “You priests are perverts.” Uh, no. But thank you for the slander. I appreciate it because I know what you are doing. They always use something to deflect. They try to find excuses for their own bad behavior. Jesus told the woman the sins she had committed. Did He get mad with her? Did He scream at her? No. Jesus doesn’t get angry at us for our sins. He wants to take them away. When we sin, tears run down His face because we have turned our backs on His love. Did He yell at her, “You’re going to hell?” He never says that to anyone. But if we are in hell, we are self-made men.
Jesus had a breakthrough with the Samaritan woman. She had finally had enough of sinning. He awakened her faith while He suffered in His human nature. Even though He was hot and thirsty, He sacrificed His human nature for the salvation of a soul. That’s how much He loves us. That’s what our Good Lord does. He comes after us constantly. He never gives up. I’ve suggested this before, and I’ll suggest it again . . . read the poem, “Hound of Heaven.” No matter how bad you think it is that you’ve done, our Lord wants you back. You know the kind of people I used to work with? This is not even close. The fallen woman was not one of His people. But everyone is made in God’s image and likeness. As I said last week, innocence can be regained. He comes to all of us, if we let Him, to help us with our struggles and to draw us closer to Him . . . no matter what we’ve done . . . even if it is just to help with bearing our ordinary daily crosses. Although some people’s daily crosses are extraordinary, they are daily crosses.
I will tell you a story about a man who I miss. I never got to say goodbye to him because he died very quickly. He was admitted to the hospital and even though he wasn’t Catholic, he wanted to talk to a priest. So, I visited him, and we talked. He said, “Father, I’m not Catholic but a priest saved my life.” He told me that as a young man he was physically, sexually, and mentally abused. And like so many men of a certain age, he got a job offer from U.S. Government and the opportunity to travel. He was volunteered or voluntold, and he was sent to Vietnam for a year. While there, he saw the atrocities on innocent civilians that the North Vietnamese army committed. Because he thought it was time for some payback, he volunteered for a second tour in a Special Operations unit. And he gave the North Vietnamese a lot of payback. He did a lot of nasty things. When he came home, he had PTSD and drank like a fool. He spent a lot of time and effort in hospitals. A priest came and helped him. That’s why he wanted to talk to me. So, he got out of the hospital and got off the bottle. After many years, he was free from his crosses. He and his wife helped abused children. And that’s what he did for the rest of his life. When I met him, he was in the hospital, with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. On the last day I saw him alive, he was in the hallway in his new electric wheelchair equipped with head brace controls so that he could control them with his mouth. I said, “Cool wheels! When I come back next week, we are going to pimp this bad boy out! We’re going to paint flames on it and maybe hang some dice.” I never saw him again. He finally passed which was merciful because of the ALS. He didn’t have to ride that bus all the way to the end. This is the transforming power of God’s grace. I don’t think any of you could be as bad as that guy was. Is that man in Heaven? I’m pretty darn sure he is. God never stops working, and He never gave up on him. It took a long while, but our Lord picked him up and changed him. Our Lord comes to seek and save what is lost. Was the Samaritan woman’s case unusual? Yes . . . and no.
Father’s Reflections. . . .
I hold Mass at the local felon university (FU) or Albemarle Corrections Institute which is always interesting. Although they will disagree, I’m going to remind the prisoners that there are blessings even while in prison. 1) Your life expectancy has increased now that you aren’t doing what got you here. They got you off the drugs and alcohol you were consuming. 2) You are protected from your “friends” who may have eventually killed you or helped you die. 3) You get a well-balanced diet and a square meal, especially the fish or sewer bass. 4) You are eligible for vocational training unless you leave prison in a box. 5) You get medical and dental care. 6) You get psychological care. 7) While in prison, you have the time to reflect on the harm you have done and have the time to do penance. A lot of good things can come from being a guest of the state or a state employee living in a gated community. Just like the Good Thief from the cross, “I’m getting only what I deserve.” So, I’ll bring this up to the prisoners the next time I’m there. Luckily, I have a corrections officer with me. But there really are blessings in that place. I miss the old days when some of the prisoners worked with dogs to rehabilitate them for adoption on the outside. The prisoners grew to love these dogs and working with them was great therapy. But it was heartbreaking for the prisoners when they had to give up the dogs.
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.”