//Office of Family Life – Diocese of Charlotte//
Fasting from . . .
Sermon Notes – February 18, 2024 – “Someday Tomorrow Will Begin Without Us”
“Someday Tomorrow Will Begin Without Us”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
February 17 – 18, 2024
Gospel: Mark 1:12-15
Occasionally and according to my physician’s wishes, I have to go to the local pharmacy to get prescriptions filled. They always ask for my date of birth. I say, “It’s 7-11-53, and yes, I’m on the waiting list for Hartsell’s Funeral Home.” They all laugh. But it’s true. Now I’m not much, but my two brothers were geniuses, and both had Mensa cards to prove it. The cards each cost $500. You paid $500 for a card? I’m smarter than them . . . I’m going to save 500 bucks! But I can read a calendar, and I watch the pages turn. I know my time with you on this Earth is limited. So, I try to use the time that God has given me to improve what teachers used to call my permanent record. Remember that? “This is going on your permanent record!” Where the heck is this so-called permanent record? But God sees all. The Season of Lent is the time for us to work on our permanent records because we don’t know when our time will come. Many people who have been given a terminal diagnosis outlive the prognosis. Some live way beyond it and others even get discharged from hospice – not a celestial discharge – they go home. So, we don’t know. But someday, tomorrow will begin without us. I am very fortunate to have made it this far because I traveled with a rough crowd. I didn’t know any better – yes, I did.
On the day that begins without me, I will see my Savior come to take my soul from this world to Himself. So, I would like for my soul to be as beautiful as it was when He first gave it to me. To that point, especially during this Season of Lent, I try to refresh my soul and make it beautiful again and unmarred by my sins and the sins of others. I do that with prayer, almsgiving, penance, practicing the Sacraments, and confession. I went 10 days ago. I don’t ask you to do something that I haven’t done. His coming for us should make us happy. You all love God because you are here. I’ve been here long enough to know the magnitude of your love and generosity to God and His people. All the improvements to the church happened because of you. That’s all you. Grow in that love so you will not be afraid when God comes to take you home.
I was over at the criminal university (prison) the other day, and I talked about almsgiving to my felons. Of course, they don’t have wallets because they have no money, and they are limited as to what they can do outside. They are monitored and rightly so. So, they looked at me like I was stupid and said, “What can we do?” There is plenty you can sacrifice. Just think about what you are going to eat tonight. Square fish. They call it sewer bass and sewer trout. I swear I can smell it from the parking lot. I thought the gas chamber was bad, but that’s just not fair! Some of the ladies who work there said, “Yeah, we can tell when any of the women are pregnant because they smell that and go bleagh!” Breakfast is at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning. “But I like to sleep in.” Not anymore. The State does have a sense of humor. You can offer that up and all the other irritations you endure. You know, some folks in this institution are not as nice as you. Offer it up as almsgiving because that is what you have. Give what you have.
Tax season is coming soon, and we must tell the Federal Government how much we made which could be true or maybe not depending on whether an Italian did your taxes. Some of us were blessed with great finances and have been very good to the church and charities. This is not an appeal for money. I don’t do that. That is why there’s no collection on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. There are no second collections, period. I know that not everyone is well off and has obligations. I know very well, especially in my own life and I’m no different than you – well, you are better looking, I’ll give you that – but I know that we all have crosses. Many crosses. Heavy crosses. And they hurt. They frustrate. They irritate. But they can all be used for good not only to mortify our souls to keep us humble but also to be offered for someone else. Saint Paul said, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the church” (Col 1:24).
You can go in and pay someone’s court fines. The court doesn’t care as long as you have the cash. Likewise, you can pay for other people’s sins by your own sufferings. You can pay for the sins of your family, friends, souls in Purgatory, and especially for those who do not like you. They may not have anyone to pray for them. This is how wonderfully rich we all are. This is the almsgiving that we can all give, that we are rich in and that we can give up for others. We are all rich. All that suffering that we bear can be offered up for others. Use those riches God has given us wisely while we have time for an interior beauty treatment. Scripture tells us that giving alms covers a multitude of sins. By giving alms, we refresh the soul and make it beautiful. Through penance, confession, prayer, the Sacraments, and almsgiving we can begin to restore our soul to its original beauty when Christ gave it to us. This is so that when Christ comes for us whether it is tomorrow or many years from now, and I hope it is many years from now, we can run to Him with our arms around Him and His around us and be in paradise forever.
Father’s Reflections . . . To the child in the audience who wants her mother – I felt the same way when I received my draft notice. Mom!!
I may have gotten a compliment the other day. One of the nurse practitioners at Hospice said, “Father, you should have gone to medical school.” Thank you! That was very nice. As I walked away a thought occurred to me. Did she mean as a student or a cadaver? Either way, I get to take the Gross Anatomy class, and it really is gross.
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.”
Not For the Faint of Heart
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Rules for Doing Theology
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Sermon Notes – January – 14, 2024 – “Heart Speaking to Heart”
“Heart Speaking to Heart”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
January 13 – 14, 2024
Gospel: John 1:35-42
I visit a lot of different groups. Remember the song, “The In Crowd”? We’re all old enough to remember that song, right? I have two different groups that I’m “in” with . . . the shut-ins and the lock-ins. This sermon has been approved by my lock-ins at the gated community whom I saw on Wednesday. In the gospel, Jesus said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas” – which is Greek and translated as Peter” or “Rock” (John 1:35-42). This was a big deal. Go back to the Old Testament when God called Abram. What did God do? He said, “You will be called Abraham, and you will be the father of My holy people.” God wasn’t like me who gives people nicknames. This was a dramatic shift. However, He had reasons for changing people’s names.
What is the secret to prayer? In the Gospel, Samuel said, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). That is the whole secret to prayer. I am guilty of speaking so quickly that most times my mind has to catch up with my mouth. I don’t often see a prayer like the one to Saint Jude for hopeless causes. Sometimes I read in the newspaper that if you pray a certain prayer nine times for nine days, you’ll get what you want. Over the four years of seminary, I was probably sick for a day or two. But I never heard about celestial extortion. Really? “I’ve got the secret to prayer. Light a candle and put on a prayer shawl.” Why? Are you cold? Do you honestly think God doesn’t know what we need? He knows what we want and desire. But He keeps us alive by saying “no” sometimes to our prayers even if they are perfect. If He gave us everything we want, we might not stay close to Him. Probably the reason I haven’t made Monsignor after 40 years is to keep me humble. Well, that didn’t work. We come with our prayers and rattle them off. Of course, I say mine very quickly, and I have a whole laundry list of things to tell God. Whew! I’m done with my prayers. But apparently, God isn’t listening because I asked Him about this yesterday, and it’s still not done. He has fallen down on His job. Maybe He forgot. I know He’s busy but come on! I’m a busy guy too, and I have things to do! If He would just do what I ask, things would be so much better. It’s good to get all these things off our souls by telling Him what we need, what we want, and what we think He should do. He laughs. You have to admit when we tell God what He needs to do, with His divine sense of humor, it cracks Him up. “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. Thanks a lot; I really appreciate it.”
So, what is prayer? Bishop Sheen said prayer is heart speaking to heart. Prayer is not a monologue. It is not a one-way conversation. It is two-way communication. You can’t communicate with someone who won’t shut up. Hey! Zip it! We must listen, and listening is the hardest part. Listening takes different forms through meditation, quietness, and being interiorly open. We need quiet inside and out. Do you know who is perfect at listening? Nobody; not even monks and religious sisters. It takes a lot of practice. We may be sitting there with our minds racing. Look! Squirrel. But let the other heart speak to you on the other heart’s terms. God speaks to us in ordinary ways at His choosing, in His way, and in His own time. When you tell God what you want, He says, “Thank you very much, Sir. I’ll get right on that order.” No. You’ve got the flow chart on how it works all wrong. It’s a conversation. We should sit and listen, which is the hardest part. It takes time. When you go to Mass at other churches, they may have a prolonged silence after the readings. You know, they didn’t go to school, and if they did, they need to get their money back. A good and proper meditation takes 20 minutes. We did that in seminary. We had nowhere else to go, so why not? We must learn how to quiet ourselves and to listen. It’s tough because we are all so busy. Sometimes when we listen, we really don’t like the answers. However, He knows what is best for everyone, and He loves us more than anyone. When you receive an answer, be sure to authenticate it because satan will tell us stuff just to make us go off the deep end. “Well, God told me to do this.” Uh-Huh. A friend of mine was a chaplain at a prison in Louisiana. One of the inmates told him that God had called him to preach. Really? Aren’t you the guy who sexually abused his granddaughters? You might want to rethink that. You always have to make sure the answer is coming from God. He does not contradict Himself or what He revealed in Jesus Christ.
When you come to church, be like the French farmer. Saint John Vianney was the pastor of a church in a small town in France. He came to the church to hear confessions. He saw this little guy sitting there in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Oh good! He heard some confessions and when he came back, the guy was still sitting there. Priests are trained to notice the unusual. So, Saint John asked the man, “My son is everything okay?” The man answered, “Yes, Father.” Saint John said, “My son you’ve been here for hours. What are you doing?” The man answered, “I am looking at God and God is looking at me.”
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.”
The Catechism in a Year – Day 359 – The Seven Petitions
In the Lord’s Prayer, we make seven different petitions to our Father in heaven. Together, we examine what makes each set of these seven petitions different. Fr. Mike unpacks how the first three petitions emphasize love of the Father, the next two concern us in the present world, and the final two concern the battle of prayer. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2803-2806.
Click on link: https://youtu.be/sXGUnxvMbI0?si=zvY5LX3-9eGZ3Xvt
The Catechism in a Year – Day 354 – The Prayer of the Church
Through the Catechism, we learn more about the Lord’s Prayer and how it should be included in our personal prayers as well as in community during the liturgy of the Mass. In giving us the Our Father, Jesus models how we are to use this prayer to speak directly with the Father. Fr. Mike drives home that we receive the words to pray and also receive the Holy Spirit when saying this prayer. Together, the words and the Holy Spirit enable us to pray like Christ and become more like him. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2765-2772.
Click on link: https://youtu.be/0tg3e8T2wkc?si=Iwa7qzNUh5P4kx8r
The Catechism in a Year – Day 351 – The Prayer of the Hour of Jesus
Looking at the prayer of the Hour of Jesus, we learn from the Catechism that it “embraces the whole economy of creation and salvation, as well as his death and Resurrection.” This prayer summarizes everything: “God and the world; the Word and the flesh; eternal life and time; the love that hands itself over and the sin that betrays it; the disciples present and those who will believe in him by their word; humiliation and glory. It is the prayer of unity.” Fr. Mike reiterates that this prayer from the Son to the Father allows us to pray as sons and daughters of Christ and give glory to the Father. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2746-2751.
Click on link: https://youtu.be/X21EWIhmgg8?si=HXSl44Fc8MNfH3eW
The Catechism in a Year – Day 350 – Persevering in Prayer
The Catechism teaches about the effectiveness of prayer and how to persevere in prayer. Fr. Mike explains that although God already knows what we need before we ask, he wants us to pray, and he extends us dignity by allowing us to pray and ask for what we need. In the process of prayer, we are able to learn the heart of the Father, grow closer to him, and become more like him. The Catechism goes on to state that when it comes to prayer, it is always possible, a vital necessity, and inseparable from the Christian life. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2738-2745.
Click on link: https://youtu.be/M-55R0sOEnI?si=fGuUhp1WKcRXwLZq
The Catechism in a Year – Day 349 – Temptation, Trust, and Prayer
What motivates our prayer? Do we see God as our “divine genie,” or do we look to him as our Father? We learn that the most common temptation in prayer is a lack of faith. Another major temptation is acedia or sloth. In the face of these temptations of presumption and discouragement, we must respond with filial trust in God our Father, the giver of all good gifts. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2732-2737.
Click on link: https://youtu.be/kX78YMw1Lpw?si=g6ydkNZ6NbRItAaj