Tag: mercy

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Sermon Notes – September 10, 2023 – “Hey Homey, You’re in a Minefield!”

“Hey Homey, You’re in a Minefield!”

 Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 September 9 – 10, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 18: 15-20

Because we are all baptized, we are called to carry our crosses each day on the road to Calvary.  All of us will pass from this life and see God.  Some of us will stay only for a cup of coffee while others will get to stay longer.  If we are faithful, we will have a graduation ceremony in Heaven.   There are a lot of other people also on their way to Calvary.  We are called to encourage one another on the way to salvation.  It is important that we are not too sensitive when someone says, “Father, you are a real pain in the patootie.”   I already know that, and I’ll try to be better.  Sometimes, we are blind to our own faults, and we may start wandering off the path Christ has set for us.  We are called to warn others, “Hey homey, get over here.  You are wandering off the path and into a minefield.  Don’t go there.  Bad move!”   Saint Paul said, “I make up with my body what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.”   So, we help one another by our prayers, sufferings, and works to help them carry their crosses.  And conversely, they help us carry ours. 

Instead of the terms “admonition” and “correction,” I prefer the term “encouragement.”  You don’t know anything about the crosses people are carrying and whether their crosses are their own fault, the fault of their parents, or the fault of their siblings.   We have no idea of the life they have led.  So rather than admonishing or correcting someone, I prefer encouraging them because it goes a lot further.  Sometimes a correction or threat is just an attention-getter.  But once you have their attention, encourage them.  In religious life, we call that fraternal correction.  However, it is usually infernal correction.  Our Lord said, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?”   We tend to think of ourselves as superior because, well, we are us.   I like to use fraternal encouragement.  Most people know they’ve made mistakes, so you don’t need to remind them.   They need encouragement to try to do the right thing to get back on, and stay on, the path Christ has set for us.  It’s hard to take up our daily crosses.  So, we need to encourage one another.   That’s why God gives Himself to us in the Sacraments.

I remember once running a Physical Training (PT) test.  The Army has since then changed the rules, but before when someone was failing – and you don’t want anyone to fail – when nobody was looking, you would pick them up and run with them.  Their feet would barely touch the ground.  And if an official was around, we would set them down and say, “Now run.”   We were running this one PT test, and I had my assistant run back to encourage the stragglers because nobody wants to take the test again.  This one soldier said, “I can’t do it, Sir!  I can’t do it!  I’m going to be sick!”  Shut up!  You can do it.  She made it, and she made it within the timeline.  And true to her word, she was ill.  Oops!  Later, she came back to me she said, “Thank you for helping me.” 

We are called to encourage one another with our crosses on our way to salvation.  A couple of things about our crosses and encouraging others with theirs is that we all have them, and we are no more holy than anyone else.  Even if someone is at fault, and even if it approaches the level of Civil Law, you cannot make it public because doing so would be scandalous and sinful.   Bishops are very good at scandal.  They really are.  You have to give people a way back and a way to regain their good name.  It is very hard for some people in the Church to do that even though, according to Civil Law, you can have your record expunged.  We have to allow people a way back because we are men, not angels. 

A priest once told me he had been suspended.  Now, I’m not a Canon lawyer, but I’ve seen one on television.  I asked this priest if he had received a letter.  He had not.  I told him that once he received a letter, it would tell him what he had done and what he needed to do to come back.  This is a medicinal remedy and not a punishment.  We are not in the punishment business; we are in the helping people obtain salvation business.   Remember, the amount of mercy we show is the amount of mercy we will receive.

Father’s Reflections . . . Monday is the anniversary of 9/11, and it reminds me of a quote by George Orwell: “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”  And having worked with some of them, yes, we did.

I had an interesting phone call the other day.  Usually, the calls I get go like this: “Father, yada yada yada, blah blah blah.”   And my response is, “Oh not again!  Please, just leave me alone!”  But this call was really nice and interesting.  The person said, “Father, I’m not a member of your parish, but I have Covid, and it’s terrible.  Would you please pray for me?”  Thank you!  I love messages like that.   It was a really nice phone call which is better than the ones I usually get. And yes, I did pray for the caller.   

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.”

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 246 – Mercy and the Mystery of Sin

Jesus reveals God’s offer of loving mercy to sinners. To accept this gift, we must identify and admit our failings. Recognizing our sins enables us to further cooperate in our redemption. Sin can be understood and categorized in several ways, but every sin wounds our nature and damages our relationships with God and neighbor. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1846-1853.

Click on link: https://youtu.be/2Mr4na4vOGc?si=Uy1Z3LOgWEZ8SJtt

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Sermon Notes – October 30, 2022 – “If They Can Do It, So Can We”

“If They Can Do It, So Can We”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 October 29 – 30, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 19:1-10

1 He entered Jericho and was going through the town 2 and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man.  3 He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see Him for the crowd; 4 so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot He looked up and spoke to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.’ 6 And he hurried down and welcomed Him joyfully.  7 They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house,’ they said.  8 But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’  9 And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

This week we are celebrating All Saints Day and All Souls Day.  They are feasts of the Church because they fall within the science of the Church called Ecclesiology. . .a sacred science.   Ecclesiology falls under what?  Christology, because the Church is not a “what” or an “it”.  “Itt” was the member of the Adams Family who had a lot of hair.  The Church is a Who.  As scripture tells us, it is the Body of Christ.  And we do not refer to a body as an “it.”  Calling the Church an “it” is blasphemy.  Making a mockery of things that are holy or sacred is blasphemy and a sin.  There are three parts of the Church.  We are the Church Militant because we are still working on our salvation.  This week we are mindful of the other two parts of the Church:  the Church Triumphant (souls in Heaven) and the Church Suffering (souls in Purgatory).

On All Saints Day, we call to mind all of those who have used the means of faith to reach their goal of salvation.   They leave behind for us an example and a map of the mine field to follow.  “This is how I got through the mine field.  Walk where I walked, and if you don’t see a footprint, do not step there.  Follow in my footsteps, and you will be fine.”  The saints leave us with that, so we have the same means and opportunities as they had.  Time is insignificant to God.  So, when we read about the lives of the saints, we are encouraged because they suffered so much, and we can see our sufferings in theirs.   And if they can do it, we can too. 

On All Souls Day, we pray for all souls that are not in a perfect state of grace and cannot yet enter Heaven because nothing imperfect can reside with the Perfect.  “Well, that’s unfair.”  No, not really.  Would you like a little bit of listeria (a bacterial infection) in your salad?  How about a bit of botulism?  Maybe some Covid?  How about a smidgen of the norovirus (vomiting virus)?   No?  The Feast of All Souls gives us consolation.  It is a feast of God’s love because it is a feast of God’s mercy.  You have to be judged before you can receive mercy.  You cannot just walk down to the courthouse and say, “I’m throwing myself on the mercy of the court.”  The judge will say, “Great.  I appreciate that.  What have you done?” You have to be guilty of something before you can receive mercy.  Mercy is a manifestation of God’s love after death.  So, while those in Purgatory are cleaning their baptismal robes, we can help them enter Heaven sooner by our prayers and sacrifices.  Going back to the courthouse story, if you are found to be guilty, the judge will say, “Sorry, you are guilty.  You have to pay $1,000 or do 30 days of eating bologna sandwiches in jail.”   You say, “I don’t have a $1,000, so I guess I’ll take the bologna special.”   But then the judge says, “Here is $1,000 bucks, you can go.”  Thank you!  Would you be grateful that you wouldn’t have to spend 30 days in jail eating bologna sandwiches or the square fish at Felon University (FU)?   Oh yeah!  That is how the souls can be helped, because in Heaven our love is not only purified but it is expanded to all, not just our friends and family but to the entire Church.  We don’t realize it, but we have countless intercessors in Heaven.  They are always praying, 24/7 and 365, before the Father on our behalf for our temporal welfare, but most importantly, for our spiritual welfare – that where they are we shall also be.  

Perhaps, especially on All Saints Day, we can say “thank you.”  Saying “thank you” is one of the greatest things about prayer that is neglected.  Thanksgiving is one of the five points of the Mass, but is often neglected because it is the last part of the Mass.  As soon as the Communion is finished, there is a race to the door to leave.  And I ask Doc or Stump if I gave them permission to leave.  No!  What is happening in Albemarle that people are in such a hurry to leave?  I know it is legal now to walk around town with booze. . . just what this town really needed.  What’s the draw?  Where’s the “thank you”?  If someone came to your house and got dessert but left while you were getting the coffee, you would be hurt, wouldn’t you? So, stay a few more minutes to say, “thank you, God.”  Even in your prayers, stop to say, “thank you.”  When you get up in the morning, thank God for another day.  Thank Him for not letting you have a heart attack, get sick, or commit a mortal sin.   Say simple prayers just like that.  On All Saints Day, we could offer our prayers of thanks and just be aware of how many people love us. . .billions upon billions of those in Heaven are expressing their love.  In the words of Saint Therese de Lisieux, “I will spend my eternity in Heaven doing good on Earth.”

Father’s Reflections. . .
It’s Halloween, and I had this spooky thought.  I remembered about a time when I was overseas in the first Gulf War and Desert Storm which turned into Desert Shield.  The XO, the second in command of the battalion, ordered everyone in the battalion to fill out their death certificate.  We completed the form except for our date of death.  We kept that form in our wallets in case we had the whack put on us.  Thank you, sir!  I’ve gone to bed with happier thoughts.  I still have that form.  When we were being deployed to the Middle East, my assistant saw me take one of the two dog tags I wore around my neck and put it inside my boot.  He asked me, “Sir, why are you doing that?”   Well, in case one part of my body gets separated from the other part there will be something to send home to my parents.  He said, “Oh.”  Do you know what we do for a living here?  We work in a very dangerous neighborhood!

How will you apply this message to your life? ______________________________________

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Learning From Mistakes

God is quick to forgive, and he’s given us the gift of confession so we can return to a relationship with him after sin. But this love he has for us is so great that he never wants us to be caught by sin again, which is why he allows our sins to have consequences. Just like your parents would teach you why something is wrong, God helps us build knowledge of sin and its consequences by letting us experience them. Without learning from our mistakes, we would just keep falling into the same sins, separating us from a relationship with God.

Today, Fr. Mike explains why God lets us learn from our mistakes, and how it shows the depth of his mercy.

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Sermon Notes – February 20, 2022 – “Without Judgement, There is No Mercy”

“Without Judgement, There is No Mercy”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 February 19 – 20, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 6:27-38

I was tidying up some stuff as I’m prone to do from time to time, and I found some military/Army papers.  Oh, this could be important, but not likely since it’s going on nine years since I retired.   I don’t think they miss me, and I don’t miss them either.  They tried to kill me.  It wasn’t personal…just business.  So, I looked at the document and it was orders for REFRAD or Release From Active Duty.  I read through the document, and it was a stroll down memory lane.  For my education, “high school or the equivalent” was listed.  Well, that’s pretty close.  I told you I was the village idiot, and the military knew.  Except that I could not have been an officer without a college education, and I could not have been a chaplain without a master’s degree.  Welcome to the Army.  Anyway, I thought it was hilarious.  I’m not the brightest bulb in the circuit, but I did study and pass tests because I have initials after my name.  

Some days I went to class, and I remember a discussion about sin.  By the way, the Church is still against sin.  A lot of people use as an excuse for having no morality that we cannot be judgmental.  I have heard people in Confession say, “Bless me Father for I have sinned.”   Okay.  “I have judgmentalism.”   So, I have a degree in Philosophy.  I have a degree in Divinity.  I have a minor in Military Science and one in Western Civilization.  But I have no idea what you are talking about.  I have absolutely no clue.  There is no such thing.  If you look in the two books on Moral Theology, it’s not there.  There is the sin of rash judgement but not judgmentalism.  We are called to judge.  In my house I have to judge a lot.  I open the refrigerator and if I see bushy green stuff, I have to make a judgement.  Is that stuff supposed to be green?  It’s always a question in my mind.  So, we make judgements all the time because we are supposed to.  Physicians and healthcare workers make judgements.  Our Lord said you will know them by their fruits.  You are supposed to judge actions.  Actions are objectively evil or good.  Very few actions by a moral agent are neutral.  We are all moral agents.  So, all of our actions are good or evil.  They can be objectively wrong.  This one bozo passed a State Trooper going 55 mph in a 35 mph zone.  Hey dude, you are about to meet a new friend!  He was wrong, and he was stupid.  But we are not to judge beyond God’s mercy. 

We are all called to make judgements.  Sometimes in my former line of work, before I was here with you folks, I had to make instantaneous judgements.  Otherwise, I would have lost my breathing privileges.  In some fields, it’s the same.  We are called to make judgements.  We cannot judge anyone beyond God’s mercy.  We don’t know the crosses they carry.  We judge and treat them according to their actions.  That’s the moral law. 

I’m trying to get away from here for a little while because my cousin has cancer.  We are hoping for a miracle although it doesn’t look promising.  But, what the heck.  Never asked, never granted.  My cousin is a very gifted woman.  She’s an artist.  She can sing.  She’s a nurse.  She’s a beautiful woman.  All women are beautiful, and my cousin is exceptionally so.  My family has good looks and no money.  Damn.  Her father – my godfather – had his problems.  He was a gambling addict and an alcoholic.  He was a great engineer and absolutely brilliant.   Some of that is genetic.  Although 30+ missions as a waist gunner in a B-17 over Nazi Germany during WW II probably didn’t help much.  My cousin grew up in a home like that.  Her father tried.  I can tell you that he struggled with his crosses because when he was near death, he asked me to hear his confession.  That was faith.  People who judged him would say that he was a worthless drunk and everything else.  No.  God did not forget him, and he did not forget God.  It’s just that his crosses were so heavy that he fell a lot.  Other so-called Christian religions believe they know who is in Heaven and who isn’t.  That’s not true.  We don’t know.  We just work like heck and hope we get there. 

We have to practice judgementalism on ourselves.  We judge ourselves guilty of sin.  Why don’t people go to confession?  Some say, “Well, I don’t really have any sins.”  Then you shouldn’t come to Communion.  Huh?  Communion is not a door prize for just showing up.  Who do you receive in Holy Communion?  You receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Who is Jesus Christ?  He is our Savior.  Okay.  Two for two.  What does He save us from?  Sin.   So, if you have no sin, you do not need Jesus.  Let me know if you do.   We judge ourselves guilty in order to receive Him.  We cannot judge who is in Heaven.  Remember, the good thief stole Heaven at the last minute.   A man who thought he was smarter than the average bear was playing games with Bishop Sheen.  He wanted to know if Jonah was really swallowed by the whale.   Bishop Sheen said “I don’t know.  When I get to Heaven, I’ll ask him.”  The man said, “What if he’s not in Heaven?”  Bishop Sheen said, “Then you ask him.”  Do you know what the three biggest surprises in Heaven will be?  Who is in Heaven.  Who is not in Heaven.   And, that we are there.

How will you apply this message to your life? 

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to http://AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com/ and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”   Sermon notes can also be found on the church Facebook page by searching for “Facebook Our Lady of the Annunciation Albemarle”

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Sermon Notes – August 8 – The Apostles Had a V-8 Moment

“The Apostles Had a V-8 Moment”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 August 7 – 8, 2021

Gospel: John 6: 41-51

On Friday, the Church celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration.  Ten days before His Passion, our good Lord took three of the twelve apostles – Peter, James, and John – up to the mountain to give them the final revelation of who He was …the final miracle before His Passion.  He did this to strengthen them for the trial that was to come.  On the mountain, Jesus lowered the veil of His humanity to show them His divinity.  Remember, Jesus was one Who and two What’s . . . one person and two natures.  The human nature that He took from the Blessed Mother was assumed into His divine nature.  On the altar, when I put one drop of water into the chalice with the wine, it symbolizes two natures in one person.  The wine is consecrated and turned into the Most Precious Blood on the altar.  We have a foretaste of what Heaven will be like. 

Now, the apostles saw Moses and Elijah, but how did they know it was them? There were no pictures.  There were no selfies back in the days of the Old Testament.  There were no statues.  So, how did they know?  Their minds were enlightened in the presence of God.  Moses and Elijah talked to our Lord like one man to another just as we will when we are in Heaven.  They talked about what would happen in future events.  How?  Because Heaven is the eternal now.  God said, “I who I am.”  He is the eternal now . . . no past and no future . . . the eternal present.  It’s a foretaste of His gift.  Our Lord gave the apostles this great gift to strengthen them for the terrible scandal of the cross.  And, what happened?  Even though they had seen three years of miracles and the revelation of who Jesus was, they all took off.  They had not comprehended the lessons.   Afterward, they realized that this is what He is.  They had a spiritual V-8 moment.

Our good Lord, as He did for the apostles, He does for us.  Before our great trials, we have a sense of God’s presence when He manifests Himself to us.  He also does that every now and then to remind us of His love.  Oftentimes, like the apostles, we miss it.  We are too busy, too wound up, and too distracted, so we miss it.  I read a book about 40 years ago by Father Adrian Van Kaam.  In the book, he said, “God speaks to us with ordinary signs like the wind and the stars, and we often miss it.  We are looking for something else.”  With these terribly ordinary signs that we miss, God is telling us that He loves us and is with us. 

During this big crisis we have right now, it may be comforting to think that in ages past it was much better.  Ahh…No.  You know why we think the past was better?  Because we didn’t live in it.  That’s why we think it was much better back then.  But it wasn’t   You weren’t there.  Name for me any time period since the beginning of the world that was much better.  You can’t, because there isn’t one.  Everybody has their crosses in this world.  We are much better off today except for our being so self-absorbed especially during this time.  Now that the Corona virus has mutated into the Delta variant and the Lambda variant, people are panicking.  “Oh my God! We are all going to die!”  Well, I hate to bust your spiritual bubble, but we are all going to die.  “Oh!  This is terrible!”   The Corona virus has a 99% survival rate.  Okay?  It’s much better than anything else we could possibly get.  When I work in the hospital, doctors often tell patients, “We can’t fix you.”  And, they panic.  You know, when you panic, you make wrong decisions.  Fear paralyzes you.  “But, the virus is out there!”  So, what are you going to do about it?  You will take the ordinary precautions and move on with life.  Do not be trapped by fear.  That’s a tool of the devil.  When you listen to his suggestions, it causes you to make bad judgements.   God is always present and giving you signs of His love.  That’s why I never stop the Mass when something happens. . .they are signs that God is with us.  Would I like to be sick?  No, I’d rather not.  I’m not a very good sick person.  I’m not a very good person, in general, but I’m really not a very good sick person.  Besides my personality disorder of being a pain, you know why?  Because I’m a soldier.  I can soldier my way out of this.  Ask Stump or Doc or anyone else who has served in the military.  When I had to undergo anesthesia for a couple of procedures, I thought, “I’m good. I can drive.”  I couldn’t walk, but I thought I could drive.  I’ll be fine!  Like a soldier, I do my job…a sign that God is with me. 

If you stare at something with intent, you will miss the obvious, because you are looking at something else. Keep in mind that every now and then, you will see something extraordinary. Remember that our Lord is constantly with us.  He is always present and desperately trying to get our attention.  Whether it’s through a sign by our Guardian Angel or the Blessed Mother, our Lord shows us that He is present and never far away and may even be right next to you.  God talks to us through people, places, and things.  I’m great at loving myself.  Sometimes, I wonder if God loves me as much as I love me.  I’m pretty sure He loves me more.  My vocation tells me that He does.  We can show human kindness to others through Corporal Works of Mercy.  We can act as Christ would have us act.  Perhaps, we can be nice while driving and let someone in.  Maybe, we can let someone go ahead of us in the checkout line at Wally-World or Harris Teeter . . . just ordinary, everyday things.  Showing extra courtesy is so extraordinary these days..  We can show courtesy not by just doing things, but by not doing things.  If someone cuts you off in traffic or is going ten miles below the speed limit or doing what I call “the slinky” . . . their speed goes from 40 to 58 to 25 to 52.  Yo, dude, you’ve got cruise control on that car.  Use it!   If it’s an older driver, you don’t know what’s going on with them.  They may be crackers, so you need to practice patience.  Say the Rosary.  Also, if they are really old people – if you can’t see them over the back seat – they are probably on their way to Florida.  They are like a Q-Tip driving a car.  All you can see is this puff of white hair over the seat.  But they may have just buried their husband.  They may have just buried their wife.  Wouldn’t we love for someone to show us extra courtesy?  We have our troubles too.  So, if we are willing, God can use our human nature, like He used the one He took from Mary, to show His love to the world and make it visible.

How will you apply this message to your life? Will you show human kindness to others through the Corporal Works of Mercy? 

 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 page).  There is also a search box if you are looking for a specific topic.

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Haven’t Been to Confession in a While? A Couple Tips

Learn more about Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson’s Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation: https://tinyurl.com/yhwfakge

Confession is a place of never ending mercy and forgiveness, and is one of the most beautiful parts of our Catholic faith. But for many, it can also be a very daunting experience, especially if it’s been a long time since your last confession. Whether it’s the first time you’ve gone in a year, or it’s the first time you’ve gone in your life, God is ready and willing to forgive your sins. All we have to do is let him into our hearts.

Today, Fr. Mike explains how to approach going to confession for the first time in a long time.

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Sermon Notes – June 20 – Look Busy!

“Look Busy!”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 June 12 – 13, 2021

Gospel:  Mark 4:26-34

The only thing we should have pride in is the mercy of our good Lord.  From His pierced heart, flows the river of Sacramental love so that we may have life and have it to the fullest in this life and in the next.  It is our means of salvation.  What we should be proud of, and the only thing, is our Savior’s love.  It’s not a sin or a debauchery. 

Now, let me tell you what you must do to get to heaven. You have to do one thing, and it’s extraordinary.  You know what it is?  You may be thinking, “Oh, God!  Father, please, I’m having enough problems with the ordinary stuff!  What the heck are the extraordinary things?”  Well, although it’s extraordinary, it’s not hard.  God doesn’t ask us to do hard things.  The extraordinary thing we have to do is do ordinary things ordinarily; in other words, do routine things routinely.  Do the same things day after day after day. 

Jesus said, “If you love Me and wish to be My follower, take up your cross every day and follow Me.”  So, we take up our cross and follow Him.  Now, our goal is progress…not perfection.  This includes saying our prayers, not choking the you-know-what out of someone who desperately needs it, and practicing spiritual and corporal works of mercy.  When I say “practicing,” I mean practicing just like doctors practice medicine.  It’s not perfect, but they keep trying.  Another way to carry our cross is by going to Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days, and maybe even on other days of the week.  The doors are open, and on weekdays, we don’t take up a collection.  So, you’re welcome to come in and get extra credit.  You also can carry your cross by going to Confession once a year…every three months is better.  Who wants to walk around with all that doodoo staining your soul that affects the body, mind, and spirit.  You’ll have a much better attitude.  We have much better vision and self-awareness when our souls are bathed in the most precious blood of Christ.  These are the ordinary things we can do ordinarily…the routine things we can do routinely, and that’s the extraordinary part. 

Because we do ordinary things, some may be tempted, and it’s a grave temptation, to stop, because they think that they are not progressing, they think they aren’t good at it, or they believe it’s not benefitting them.  All of that is a lie by the devil.  “I don’t think my medicine is helping me get well, so I’m going to stop taking it.”  That’s not going to lead to a good outcome.  Likewise, if we stop doing ordinary spiritual works of mercy, that also won’t lead to a good outcome.  The extraordinary part is when we keep doing it and doing it…whether we enjoy it or not.  We embrace the suck.  I don’t enjoy eating fish. But, I have to eat it, because it was prescribed by my doctor. That’s doing an ordinary thing ordinarily.  If I don’t follow my doctor’s advice, it’s a sin against the Fourth Commandment and a sin against the Fifth Commandment, because I would be endangering my life unnecessarily.     

Is doing ordinary things ordinarily a lot of fun?  No.  “Father, you’re a professional.”   Yes.  “Do you always enjoy your prayers?”  No.  If you catch me in the morning around 7:30, I’ll be over here saying my prayers.  You will notice, if you see me day after day, that I’m not walking on air.  I’m not levitating.  I’m not in mystical ecstasy every time I say the Rosary.  I’m not always happy.  Do my prayers always thrill me?  Oh, heck no!  Do I want to listen to one more whiner who comes in to complain?  “Oh, Father, it’s too hot in church!” Oh, shut up.  Do I want to listen to that?  No.  But, remember, everything we do should be focused on Him, our Beloved.  The things we do are acts of love to our dear Lord and are not done to please ourselves.  When you are tempted to stop doing ordinary things ordinarily, the focus is on you.   I’m not much but I’m all I think about…that’s one of my favorite sayings.  Whatever we do, whatever our gifts of love for our Lord are, big or small, they are acts of love and devotion to our Savior. 

Now, as you know, in the Oval Office at the White House, there’s a phone that goes from the United States to the Soviet Union in case there is a nuclear war so that people don’t end up in a mushroom cloud.   In the Vatican, there is also such a phone.  Remember the bat phone?  It’s kind of like that.  This phone doesn’t go from the Vatican to the United States or to Russia.  It goes from the Vatican to Heaven.  It’s not used, but occasionally the housekeepers come along and dust it like any other piece of furniture.  This phone had never rang, but, one day it did.  Whoa!  I doubt it was a wrong number.  Everyone was too scared to touch it.  No one but the pope could answer the phone, so, they found the Holy Father, brought him in, and he picked up the phone.  The pope said, “Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.”  The pope smiled and put the phone down.  By that time, everyone in the Vatican had gathered around.  “Holiness, who was it? Speak to us!”  The pope said, “It was God.”  “What did He say?”  The pope responded, “He’s coming back soon.”  “Holiness, what should we do?”  The pope answered, “Look busy!” 

How will you apply this message to your life?  Are you doing routine things routinely?  Are you coming to weekend Mass and going to Confession at least once a year?  Are you practicing corporal and spiritual works of mercy?   

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 page).  There is also a search box if you are looking for a specific topic.

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Saint of the Day – February 11th

Blessed Bartholomew of Olmedo (1485-1524) was a Spanish Mercedarian priest, and the first priest to arrive on Mexican soil in 1516 at the age of 31. He was chaplain for the expedition of Spanish Conquistador Fernando Cortés, who began the Spanish colonization of the Americas and the downfall of the Aztec empire. Bartholomew was well-liked by the native people. He taught them the Christian faith and exhorted them to end their practice of human sacrifice. He also defended them against injustice and restrained Cortés from acting out in violence against them. Bartholomew taught the native Mexicans devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Mercy, which they embraced. Blessed Bartholomew of Olmedo baptized more than 2500 people before he died in Mexico in 1524 at the age of 39. He was buried in Santiago de Tlatelolco. His feast day is February 11.