Tag: Mystery

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Sermon Notes – June 4, 2023 – The Trinitarian God


The Trinitarian God

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 3 – 4, 2023

Gospel:  John 3: 16 – 18

16 For this is how God loved the world: He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.  17 For God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through Him the world might be saved.  18 No one who believes in Him will be judged; but whoever does not believe is judged already, because that person does not believe in the Name of God’s only Son.

In life, there are two ways in which we are able to learn.  One is by instruction, and the other is by experience.  Notice that I said, “able to learn.”   That doesn’t mean we always learn – just that we are able to learn.  During instruction we are taught stuff that we have no possible way of knowing about.  We know it exists and that’s about all.  

Pope Leo XII said, “The most sublime of all the mysteries is the Trinity through which all the other mysteries flow.”   Indeed, we cannot know who God is unless He reveals Himself to us.   And He does.  Throughout Scripture, He has revealed who He is. . . one divine nature and three Persons.  He revealed His love on the Cross.  Beyond that we probably can’t comprehend who He is because we are able to comprehend so little.  However, we gain greater knowledge of Him through experience.  And that experience is gained by letting Him become a part of us . . . to become one with Him.   Unfortunately, some people don’t learn through experience.  Look at any drunk.  The first time they get sick from drinking too much most people say, “I’m not doing that again!”   On the other hand, the drunk says, “Hey, that was great!  Let’s do it again.”  They did not learn from the experience. 

 If we allow His nature into our sinful bodies, our souls, which have been disfigured by original sin and the sins committed after Baptism, are transformed into His own image and likeness.   The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest gift of all.  If you were a salesman and you had the greatest product in the world, you would approach people and say, “Hey, I’ve got the greatest product in the world, and you’re going to love it!  This is what it does for you.  Try it.”   It’s the same with me and bacon. . . if I have some, I want more and more.  So, people will try your product because it is the greatest thing, and they will want more and more of it because of the benefits.  

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest thing because we see the nature of God.   We see Heaven on the altar.   He is love itself, and He offered His Son on our behalf.  The most sublime act of love happened at Calgary before the Father and made present for us.  Through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, He gives us the fruits of that love which is the gift of Himself.  We receive the nature of God through the Seven Sacraments.  It becomes part of us if we let it.   But you have to cooperate. 

Now, through the Sacraments, we receive the whole God and not just parts of Him . . . the whole Trinitarian God becomes a part of us as long as we remain in a state of grace.   Do we understand it?  No, and we never will.  But we become one with God.  We have His nature inside of us.  By perfecting our human nature, we will grow ever more holy.  This is how we experience Trinitarian love through the Sacraments.  It is how we preach Trinitarian love . . . by having God within us and taking His love to the world by living Christian lives.  This is how we should evangelize. 

When you receive any of the Sacraments, you receive the whole God.  Some will say, “But at Confirmation, you receive the Holy Spirit.”   Yeah.  Each Sacrament contains a particular grace.  Another bad teaching is that Jesus Christ is received for the first time at Confirmation.  That’s not true.  You receive Jesus Christ for the first time at Baptism.   However, you receive the whole God in all of the Sacraments . . . not just pieces of Him.   Each of the Sacraments has a specific purpose in which a part of God’s love is more emphasized than in the others.  For example, the precious blood of Christ is given at the Sacrament of Penance; however, you receive the whole Trinitarian God. 

We become more aware of the nature of God as we conform our souls into His likeness which is brought about by the grace given to us.  God offers to share His very nature with us which is love.  This is the greatest gift of all.  He shares the Trinitarian God . . . the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  When we do good things as a response to the grace God has given us, those acts are Trinitarian because we do it out of love for the whole God.  And that is how we can bring God’s love to 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.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church Facebook page at ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 73 – Christ’s Life is Mystery

Many of the things we’d like to know about Jesus’ life we don’t know, but remember, as Fr. Mike has told us, a Christian mystery is not “a case to be solved.” It’s a beauty to bathe in. The Catechism explains the three characteristics common to each of Christ’s mysteries: revelation, redemption, and recapitulation. Fr. Mike shows how we are to participate in the mysteries of Christ. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 512-521.

Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/7mHQi3rGwCg

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Sermon Notes – The Mystery of Our Faith

“The Mystery of Our Faith”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 13-14, 2020

Scripture: John 6: 51-58

On Saturday afternoon, I was on my way to make a house call to an 88 year-old man who has cancer. So, I’m driving out in the country, and I see a hearse coming the other way. Hmmm…maybe I should have called first. He is fine.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Every priest and bishop in the world has heard, “Father, the Church has too many rules; why can’t it get rid of some of them?” You know, that’s a fair question, and it could be true; however, it comes to mind that Jesus gave us a few rules too and so did the apostles. We are just following what they taught. “But, why do we have to follow all these rules?” First of all, if you don’t, I’ll break your knee caps…that’s from the Italian School of Instruction. Boom! What are rules? Rules are the teachings of the Church. What is the purpose of these rules? They are designed to focus our attention on the core of our faith…that Christ is physically present in the Most Blessed Sacrament and that He offers Himself to us…the most precious body and blood at Holy Communion. The mystery of transubstantiation is the same one as in the Upper Room. We are fed by the hand of the bishop or priest the same Holy Communion, body, blood, soul, and divinity, as the apostles. There is no difference. The sacrifice that He offers us from the cross before the Father is given everyday by every priest throughout the world. This is the central mystery of our faith.

You see references to John 3:16 a lot around the county. If they read further in the gospel, they would know that our Lord said, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. …” (John 6:53). “Well, they meant something else.” But, that’s not what the original version says. It uses the word “masticate” which means we must chew and take it inside ourselves. That’s the meaning of the original Greek word. That’s what we do, and that is the mystery of our faith. When the apostles received Holy Communion, did they taste the flesh and blood? No, and neither do we. I don’t taste the drugs when I take my meds. Do you? All these rules are there to guide us and remind us of the central mystery of our faith. They help us focus on the truth.

The rules the Church teaches were not made up out of thin air. Rules about showing respect when you enter the church include genuflecting, no eating or drinking one hour before Mass, no gum chewing, this is not a cafeteria, no cell phone use, and being quiet in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. You’ve heard me say “Shhhh” a few times. What is the purpose of showing respect? It points to the central mystery of our faith. The most precious body, blood, soul, and divinity is here in the Real Presence of our dear Lord. Every rule we have focuses on that central mystery of our faith. The sacrifice of our Lord comes down to us, is given to us and is present for us in the most Blessed Sacrament. This is the central mystery of our faith. Everything in the Church points to that. “Well, Father, why can’t other people, non-Catholics and those not practicing the faith, receive Holy Communion…It’s the most loving thing to do.” Saint Paul says we aren’t supposed to do that. Now, if you think you are greater than Saint Paul, be my guest. However, I’m going with what Saint Paul said.

We follow and profess the Real Presence and have since the beginning. This is the true body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Unless you eat and drink from it, you may not have eternal life. We have believed this from the beginning. Christ Himself, the apostles, and the Doctors of the Church down through time have remained unchanged. This is our faith. You know, I took four vows: Poverty, Chastity, Obedience, and a vow to protect the Blessed Sacrament with my life. This is why I don’t let lay people give communion. “I’m a Eucharistic Minister…I want to take communion home to my wife.” Uh, no. I’m going to hurt your feelings real quick. No. Are you a priest? “No.” Then, too bad. We practice what we believe. All of our so called “rules” point to the one central mystery. Do you think I like going “Shhh” to people? Well, yeah, I do, but besides that….I’m trying to do better…but besides that…Everything we do here points to our Good Lord. The beauty of our church, the beauty of the vestments, and the beauty of the sacramentals all point to what we believe. This is the central mystery of our faith. So, all of those rules that you see being taught…I know, like you, I don’t like to be taught, because I think I know everything…they all point to the central mystery of our faith. The mystery of our faith is what? Well, I’ll give you credit, because the question is unfair. You get extra credit if you realized that. The mystery of our faith is a “Who.” It is Jesus Christ, and it is He who has given us the divine nature and appearance of the most precious body and blood for centuries. People say they want to receive Holy Communion like it’s an “it.” Holy Communion is not an it. Holy Communion is a “Who.”

How will you apply this message to your life? Do you follow the rules of the Church?