The Good News of Jesus Christ is precisely that things have changed and that they are going to change even more. He came to a world that was stuck, to a people that could not find a way out of their sinfulness, to announce that there was another way. Better yet, he came not simply to announce this path and carry us there as passive recipients of grace, but empowered his followers to bring about the kingdom of which he spoke. The kingdom of God is at hand. It is not simply a far distant reality, but something that is inbreaking here and now, something that can be felt and brought about by those who live in communion with him. In the way we love one another, work for justice, and offer sacrifice—doing as Jesus did—we can actually make a difference in our world because it is in these moments that Christ dwells in us and the Holy Spirit is sent forth from us. What is it that we always pray? “Send down your Spirit and renew the face of the earth!” If we want to follow after Jesus, we must let go of our cynicism and bleak outlook on the world, and instead believe with all our hearts that Christ is in control of this mission. We must look beyond what is not yet redeemed and open our eyes to the overflowing torrent that is God’s love in our world, transforming and renewing the face of the earth. We must realize it is through us, those whom Jesus has called as his disciples, that this work is being accomplished.
He began that day to breathe out more than to breathe in, to turn outward rather than inward, to do rather than think about doing. He had finally found the courage to leap across that deep chasm that separated him from the other, from loving what he feared would demand more of him than he could give. In keeping his eyes on the leper, in thinking only of this person before him, he forgot himself, he forgot the chasm beneath him, and he ran straight across the void into the arms of love and happiness. And all his life he struggled to preserve that original insight into love and to act it out daily. Love was looking into the eyes of the other; and forgetting the dark void between you and forgetting that no one can walk in a void, you start boldly across, your arms outstretched to give of yourself and to receive of the other.
Like the apostles who were sent forth from the Upper Room out into the world, each week, each one of us is sent forth from our parish church to the world to be witnesses to Jesus’ love. Pope Francis writes “every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love.”
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? _______________________________________
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”
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? ______________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
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”
