Tag: Miracles

Posted on

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.

Posted on

Daily Message from Pope Francis – He Can Do a Lot With a Little


FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2021
“Why take away from one person what is not enough to feed everyone anyway? In human terms, it is illogical. But not for God… This is a great lesson for us. It tells us that the Lord can do a lot with the little that we put at His disposal. It would be good to ask ourselves every day: “What do I bring to Jesus today?” He can do a lot with one of our prayers, with a gesture of charity for others, even with one of our sufferings handed over to His mercy. Our small things to Jesus, and He works miracles. This is how God loves to act: He does great things, starting from those small things, those freely-given ones.” Pope Francis

Posted on

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.

Posted on

Saint of the Day – February 19th

Bl. Alvarez of (Córdoba) Cordova (1350-1430) was born to a noble family in Zamora, Spain. He joined the Dominican Order and preached throughout Spain, and served at the court of Queen Catherine. He went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and upon his return preached the crusades against the Muslims. He founded the famous priory of Scala Caeli (Ladder of Heaven) at Cordova, a convent of strict observance, and it is said that angels helped provide its building materials. He erected pictures of the holy places in Jerusalem in its gardens, popularizing the custom of the Stations of the Cross. He lived a life of great austerity and begged for alms even though he could easily obtain what he needed from the royal court. Numerous miracles are attributed to him. It is told that he once found a dying beggar, wrapped him in a blanket, and carried him back to the convent. Upon unwrapping the cloth he found only a crucifix. Blessed Alvarez was dedicated to Christ’s Passion and helped spread devotion to the Way of the Cross throughout western Europe. He also successfully led a resistance against the anti-pope and brought Spain under allegiance to the true pope in Rome. His feast day is February 19.

Posted on

When You Need a Miracle…

Of all the miracle breakthroughs you might be praying for today, which is the one that is most on your heart right now?

I encourage you to take a few minutes to ponder how you would answer this probing question. Generalities won’t do. Be specific about the miracle you need from God.

If you could ask God for anything, what would you request?

I meet so many people who are frantically seeking a miracle of some kind. They’re desperately hoping for a turnaround in their finances, their health, their family, or their emotions.

The problem is many of them are seeking a miracle by their own strength and ingenuity. They want His answers but they’re not seeking them from the one true source: the King of kings, the Lord of glory. This approach nearly always results in frustration – not because God is unwilling to give people a breakthrough, but because He wants them to receive it from Him.

Look throughout the Bible, and you’ll see men and women who knew God as their source for every blessing and breakthrough. As a shepherd, David understood that sheep cannot survive very long on their own – they need a shepherd, both to lead them to provision and to rescue them from danger. That’s why he joyfully proclaimed, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

Today the Lord of breakthroughs is beckoning you to draw near to Him. When you do, He promises to also draw near to you: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). And when you come boldly to His throne, He says you will “find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

What kind of miracle do you need today? More love? More power? More peace? More provision? You can receive all of these things – and much more – when you draw near to the Lord of breakthroughs.

The Power of His Presence

Remember the ark of the covenant and what a powerful symbol of God’s presence it was? In one instance during King David’s reign, “The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had” (1 Chronicles 13:14).

Today, we don’t have the physical ark to which we can draw near and receive God’s blessings. Yet something far better has occurred to bring us into the very presence of the Lord. You see, when Christ died on the cross, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51). Now we can come “boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Believe it or not, when you choose to draw near to the Lord, one of the great rewards will be His blessing on your life. What God did for the household of Obed-Edom, He will do for you! His presence brings blessings!

Everything We Need!

God wants us to be dependent on Him every day…to receive a fresh experience from Him daily in His presence, in His Word, in prayer, and in worship. He desires day-to-day intimacy.

How can we expect to be fed and nourished by Him if we don’t spend time with Him?

This is why – whether you realize it or not – you may be starving to death spiritually. Your spiritual life is malnourished and lacking the power you need to live a life of happiness and peace. That changes when we choose to faithfully spend time with the Lord every day!

Everything we need can be found in God’s presence! Physical healing…financial breakthroughs…freedom from fear, depression, and anxiety…or the restoration of a relationship with a loved one…our life and circumstances can be transformed in an instant!

Look at what happened to Jacob when he drew near to God (Genesis 32:24-31). After a transformative experience of wrestling with the Lord, Jacob’s name was changed…his walk was changed…his outlook was changed…and even his destiny was changed! Instead of merely seeking the blessing, Jacob became a blessing!

Your Battle, Lord, Not Mine

Don’t ever underestimate the power of drawing near to Him. That’s where you will find complete contentment, and it’s where you will be empowered to overcome the devil and fulfill God’s purpose for your life.

King Jehoshaphat once faced seemingly insurmountable enemies, but the Lord told him, “Do not be afraid…the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15). So how did God instruct Jehoshaphat to win the battle? Through praise and worship!

He appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His loving kindness is everlasting.” When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who were totally defeated as a result (2 Chronicles 20:21-22 NASB).

Just as King Jehoshaphat learned, God can use our time of worship as a powerful weapon to rout our spiritual enemies and give us overwhelming victory!

Drawing close to Him causes us to surrender the things in our life that have brought us fear…frustration…anxiety…confusion…and pain. Through it, we recognize that He alone is able to solve our problems and transform our lives.

It lifts us up and out of the things of this world and places us in the realm of God’s Spirit. There the Lord showers us with His mercy, love, and grace, and He confirms that He’s in control of everything! What a wonderful experience and privilege it is to step out of our earthly cares and into the supernatural presence and provision of Almighty God!

As you go about your daily routine today, I encourage you…draw close to the Lord. Find time to pray and be in God’s presence. No matter what you are facing today, the Bible says you don’t have to be anxious or stressed out about anything. Instead, you can “let your requests be made known to God.” When you do, He promises, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Whatever your need may be today, remember that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you and who keeps His promises. Even if there’s a miracle you’ve been awaiting for a long time now, I am praying God’s answer is on the way.

Remember: You can ask Him for anything! His goodness is real…and His faithfulness is everlasting!

Posted on

Sermon Notes – Miracles are Free Acts of Will by God

“Miracles are Free Acts of Will by God“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 23-24, 2018

Why does He perform miracles? Because He loves us. And…there are no requirements for His love. He doesn’t ask us if we have been to church lately or how much we have given. He intervenes in our lives because He loves us. We will never know the extent of how great His love is. Regrettably, many of us never take the time to give Him thanks.

Never give up praying for miracles. Some of God’s “epic” miracles include:

• Feeding the 4,000: “Then He took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied.” Matthew 15: 36-37

• Walking on water: “Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: ’Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’” Matthew 14: 25-27

• Turning water into wine: “Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’ They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.” John 2:7–9

The Lord gives us miracles all the time, although not as obvious as those mentioned above. Often, we are too busy to notice them, or perhaps we do not understand that a miracle has occurred. We need to pay more attention to the ordinary events happening around us.

Some examples of “ordinary” miracles: people coming into our lives exactly when we need them; a job, family, and friends; good health; volunteers who sit with hospice patients so that they don’t die alone; police/fire personnel who sometimes risk their lives to keep us safe; a blue sky and white clouds; the changing of the seasons; etc.

God always answers our prayers…perhaps not in the way we wanted or expected. His greatest act of love is inviting us to participate in a divine life. His greatest gift is the gift of Himself.

God is an Olympian; He will always pursue us and will be waiting for us at the finish line. God is not subject to time. Matthew 28:20 “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”