Tag: pride

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Sermon Notes – April 27, 2025 – We Are as Sick as Our Secrets

Sermon Notes
           
   “We Are as Sick as Our Secrets”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

April 26 – 27, 2025


Gospel:  John 20: 19-31

One thing you learn as a priest after the 2nd week is that nothing will surprise you, especially confessions.  People will try to blow the good stuff past the new guy.  They come into the confessional booth and say, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.  I have lied, gossiped, committed adultery, and failed to say my prayers.”  We call that the classic “Oreo confession.”  Sometimes they will say it really fast, hoping I won’t hear it. “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I have lied, gossiped, committedadultery, andfailed to pray.”  Hold on.  Let’s go back to that one you tried to blow by.  That’s kind of important because I cannot forgive what I do not know.  Our Lord said, “Whatever you bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven” (Matthew 16:19).  So, which sins do we forgive – the sins you are trying to hide or the sins for which you are trying to make amends?  For instance, during premarital counseling, if a couple tells me they are living together, I tell them that unless they are living together as brother and sister, one of them must move out.  If they say they can’t or they won’t, I tell them I cannot perform their wedding, and they get really upset!  Hey – this is a rule of the Church.  You are living in a state of objective mortal sin, and I cannot condone that.  I would be cosigning fertilizer.  It’s the same thing with Baptism – they don’t like it either.  You wouldn’t believe the harsh things that people say to me, and that’s not just the staff – it’s people in general. 

Guilt, pride, shame, fear, and remorse.  If you can put a name on it, someone else has done it before you.  As priests, we take a moral theology course to prepare for the Sacrament of Penance.  We learn about consanguinity and affinity, which outline who you can marry on your family tree.  You cannot marry your first cousin, and you have to have permission to marry your second cousin.  It’s a southern thing.   They must have known I was going south. 

I have to know your sins.  You do not prescribe aspirin for a brain tumor.  In 12-step programs, a saying is, “You are only as sick as your secrets.”  Having secrets can derail the recovery of addicts who need to admit publicly the nature of their wrongs.   I performed the funeral service for a veteran.  I asked the funeral director what happened to this person, and he said she died from kidney failure.  She was only 31 years old.   Now, I’m not Dr. House, but I’m not stupid either.  She did not die of kidney failure.  Whenever I do a funeral, I am required to put a note in the medical record.   So, I looked at the diagnosis, which they now call the “problem list.”   That was one heck of a problem – she’s dead.   While I was in her medical record, I looked at the doctor’s notes.  She had a deep, dark secret that was never addressed, from which she never received help, and she eventually committed suicide.  We are as sick as our secrets.   Just like your physician, I have no idea what medicine is needed if you don’t tell me where it hurts.           

I listen and occasionally I ask questions, but that is very rare.  Most people tell me way too much.  If I have a question after 40 years of hearing confessions, I’ll let you know.  Okay?  There may be mitigating and aggravating factors.  The habit of sinning is a mitigating factor, and pride is an aggravating factor.  There are all sorts of things I consider in applying medicine for the soul.  But I have to hear the sin.  God is offering His forgiveness.   When we sin, we take back our love of God.  “I will not serve.”  Yet, when we say, “I don’t want to tell him everything, that is only partially giving our love back to God.  Would you want a half-apology if someone hurt you?   We need to totally give ourselves back to God for the forgiveness of our sins.  Not just a little bit.  “Can I go right to God for forgiveness of my sins?”  Yes, if you are in danger of death, yes.  If you have appendicitis, can you go right to God for healing?  That’s probably not the best idea.  You could say a prayer on your way to Atrium Hospital, but I would definitely get to the hospital first.  God has ways and means by which to dispense His love to us.  What holds us back is guilt, pride, shame, fear, and remorse.  When I go into a hospital room, some people get very modest.  I have been doing hospital work for over 40 years, so I have seen more body parts than you will ever have.  However, sometimes patients are a bit more casual than I care for: “I’m too sexy for the sheet.”  No, you’re not. 

God gave His healing power to the Apostles, and to the bishops and priests after them, the power to forgive sin and to anoint the soul with the Most Precious Blood to restore it to life.  But to heal, I must know what hurts to apply the appropriate remedy.  “But it’s embarrassing.”  No, that’s the guilt, shame, and fear of the Four Horsemen following you and causing you to stay away from the Sacrament of Penance.  It’s all a lie.  How liberating it is to finally get out from underneath all that sin, no matter what it is.  Sin affects the body, soul, and psyche, the three parts of man.  So go to our good Lord’s clergy, his priests and bishops, and get out from underneath all that garbage.  Go to Confession and get it all out of your system.  Your sins will be forgiven, and the appropriate remedy to heal your soul will be given.  You will feel a heck of a lot better, and I promise I won’t collapse during confession. 

How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and 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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Sneaky Ways to Be Prideful (and How to Stop)

“I don’t… think… I’m prideful…?”

Great! If you examine your actions and intentions and you don’t detect any obvious pride, that’s a wonderful thing. But as each one of us grows deeper in relationship with Jesus, he will reveal ever more nuanced ways that pride can sneak its way into our lives, giving us opportunities to reveal those places to Jesus and letting him perfect us.

Today, Fr. Mike uncovers some of those sneaky areas of our life where pride can burrow itself and cause major problems.

https://www.youtube.com/@AscensionPresents

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Sneaky Ways to Be Prideful (and How to Stop)

“I don’t… think… I’m prideful…?”

Great! If you examine your actions and intentions and you don’t detect any obvious pride, that’s a wonderful thing. But as each one of us grows deeper in relationship with Jesus, he will reveal ever more nuanced ways that pride can sneak its way into our lives, giving us opportunities to reveal those places to Jesus and letting him perfect us.

Today, Fr. Mike uncovers some of those sneaky areas of our life where pride can burrow itself and cause major problems.

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Let’s Wrestle with Humility

The Saints and the Scriptures tell us over and over again that Pride is the worst sin, maybe the root of all sin.

But maybe when we realize we are struggling with pride the realization is that it’s not that we think too highly of ourselves but that we instead are struggling with a weak self image and poor self worth.

Today, Fr. Mark-Mary defines what the virtue of humility is, as the antidote to pride and how we can grow in it and wrestle with it.

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Meditation of the Day – Some Make Light of Their Faults

“Some beginners, too, make light of their faults, and at other times indulge in immoderate grief when they commit them. They thought themselves already saints, and so they become angry and impatient with themselves, which is another great imperfection. They also importune God to deliver them from their faults and imperfections, but it is only for the comfort of living in peace, unmolested by them, and not for God; they do not consider that, were He to deliver them, they would become, perhaps, prouder than ever.”
— St. John of the Cross, p. 9

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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.