Tag: Real Presence

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Sermon Notes – June 2, 2024 – “We Walk the Talk”

“We Walk the Talk”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 1 – 2, 2024

Gospel: Mark 2:23-3:6

Now, we Catholics are funny people, strange people, according to some. Do you know why some people think we are weird, exotic, and other less attractive adjectives?  Besides the yard sales, bingo, and all of that, we believe what Scripture says.  We are a bible-believing and bible-practicing Church.  “But, Father, a lot of churches are bible-believing.”  Really?  “Well, you don’t know what Scripture says.”  We existed before Scripture was ever written down.   The first scripture was written three years after the fact, and the last one – the Book of Revelation – was written 60 years later.   Catholics put the New Testament together in the 4th Century.  So, we should know what it means.  We see the words and do what the words say.  I’ll give you a few examples: 

 1)    In his epistle, Saint James says, “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (Jas. 5:14–15).  Saint James is referring to the Last Rites, which I have given a couple of times this week.

2)    In the Gospel of Luke, there is veneration and devotion to our Blessed Mother.  In her Magnificat, the Blessed Mother said, “From now onwards, all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48).   That is a command in the black part of Scripture if you care to look it up.  So why are we the only church that does that other than Orthodox?  “All generations will call me blessed.”  That is called a task; it’s not a choice.

 3)    Our Lord breathed on His apostles, and He said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained” (John 20:22).  That’s what we do in Confession.  Nobody else does that.  We are celebrating the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, which is also known as the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.   Transubstantiation changes the bread into the Body of Christ and the wine into the Blood of Christ for the salvation of souls.  “Oh, transubstantiation is such a big word!”  Yes, and first graders learn it; you’ll be fine.  This happens when, during the Mass, the priest, acting in the person of Christ, says, “This is My Body,” “This is the chalice of My Blood.”  Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53).  After that, everyone but the 12 Apostles left Him.  Wordsmiths say, “Well, He meant that metaphorically.”   First, the word “metaphorically” never appears anywhere in Scripture.  Second, the original word means “eat, chew, or masticate.  That’s why His disciples thought He was talking about cannibalism.   

How many of you will go home tonight after Mass, and instead of making dinner, willread a cookbook?   Would that fill you up?  “Oh, my gosh, I am so full.  I cannot read another bite!”  Really?  When you have a headache, do you go to the medicine cabinet, read the label on the aspirin bottle, and put it back on the shelf?  “Oh, I feel much better now.”  No.  Medicine does you no good if it’s still in the bottle on the shelf.  Jesus said, “Eat My flesh and drink My blood. Otherwise, you have no life in you.”  You must take the celestial medicine our Lord has offered us and take it internally for it to have a healing effect.  We read the words He says and follow them.  We’re kind of funny that way.

4)    We believe that God made male and female.  “A man will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two of them will become one body” in marriage for life (Genesis 2:24).  That’s what it says in the black part of Scripture, so that’s what we do. 

5)    If someone is not Catholic or is not in a state of grace, they cannot take Holy Communion.  “But that’s cruel.”  Jesus said it.  In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul said, “Whoever eats and drinks the body and blood of Christ unworthily is guilty of His death” (1 Corinthians 11:27).  That’s also in the black part of Scripture. 

This is what we believe.  “Oh, you have too many rules.”  Not really.  They are guidelines for our own well-being and salvation.  Some are precautionary so you don’t step off a cliff thinking you can fly.  Besides, all these so-called RULES are what God said.  This is our Faith, and it is what we have believed from the beginning.  We are a bible-believing and bible-practicing Church.   We do as Scripture tells us to do, and by doing so, we have life. 

 If you visit the Catacombs in Rome and go into some of the tombs of the saints, there are pictures of grapes and wheat . . . ancient symbols of the Eucharist and the Real Presence.  Those pictures aren’t just artwork, they reflect the saints’ belief in the Real Presence.  This is why we are silent in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and during the Mass.  We are in the presence of the actual Body and Blood of Christ.  God Himself is here. 

Father’s Reflections . . . Lonnie, a patient at the VA Hospital, was a glider soldier on D-Day.  I said to Lonnie, “Soon, it will be the anniversary of your walking tour across France and Germany.”  Another soldier told me he got to Normandy on June 6th, D+2.  He said the water was still red from all the blood, and he had to step over bodies on the beach to get to where he needed to be.

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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The Catechism in a Year – Day 188 – Christ’s Presence in the Eucharist

Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore the reality of Christ’s true presence in the Eucharist. Fr. Mike unpacks what actually happens during the celebration of the sacrifice of the Eucharist, specifically, transubstantiation. He explains that during the Consecration, the whole substance of bread and wine becomes the whole substance of the Body and Blood of Christ. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1373-1377.

Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/Qqh8ohW4UcQ

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Sermon Notes – April 23, 2023 – Either It is What It is or It Isn’t

Either It is What It is or It Isn’t

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

April 22 – 23, 2023

Gospel:  Luke 24:13-35


In the Gospel, there are many points.  So, start with the minor ones and then go on to the big ones.  Jesus taught us how to study Scripture.   He also taught us what we must do before Mass.  What must we do before Mass?  A famous word from one of the great spiritual directors is “Shut-Up!”  That’s because every time the apostles talked about the Bible, they got it wrong.  Every time our Lord asked them a question, they got it wrong.  The apostles were discussing Scripture one day while in Jerusalem and when our Lord showed up, He asked them, “What are you doing?”  They said, “Talking about Scripture.”  What did He tell them?  “You got it wrong!”  Then, for the better part of two hours, He taught them Scripture, because He is Scripture.  And in the presence of God, they listened.  He explained to them the meaning of the Bible.  Scripture study is not people sitting around a table and asking, “What do you think this is?”   It’s not that.  The Church teaches what Scripture is . . . not what we’d like it to be.  It’s a lot more complicated than just reading a book and saying, “Oh yeah.  I can do that.”  You have to listen to the experts. 

What resulted from the apostles’ time with Jesus?   During the Breaking of Bread (the Mass), their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him.  This is our faith.   Jesus is physically present on the altar and at the altar during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  What happens when we see our Lord in the Breaking of Bread during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?  The same as what happened to two of Jesus’ disciples as they were going to Emmaus which was near Jerusalem.   They were tired, but in the middle of the night they walked seven miles, most of it uphill.   Now most people are afraid to go outside at night even though we have great law enforcement.   Back then, there was no 911.   And the Roman soldiers didn’t patrol at night.  So, you were on your own . . . good luck!    But the disciples were no longer tired.  Instead, they were filled with joy and couldn’t wait to tell people, “We have seen the Lord.  We recognized Him in the Breaking of Bread.”  

This is what we preach for conversion.  Transubstantiation and the Real Presence of our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  This is our Faith.  This is what we preach.  This is what brings people to church.   And this is how we get converts to the Faith.   A good friend of mine, a Catholic priest, took Philosophy 101.  He said that during the first week of class they learned that “a thing is what it is or it isn’t.”   There is no in-between.  Would you want to eat a slightly poisonous salad?  Would you want to get slightly sick on Listeria?   No.  Either the food is good or it’s not.  Either it is or it isn’t.  A wrench is a wrench or it’s not.  You can’t use a pencil as a wrench.  It won’t work.  So, either you believe what Scripture says or you don’t.   
Christ is present in the Eucharist.  His true Real Presence is what draws people to the Faith.  We recognize Him with the eyes of faith and intellect.  Sometimes it affects the whole body . . . sometimes not.   But we recognize Him.  In church, everything is pointed to the Real Presence.  That’s why we kneel, stand, and genuflect.  Some people rather blasphemously call it Catholic aerobics – up and down, up and down.   By the way, do you know why we stand for the Gospel?   We stand out of respect for the Word of God because the Gospel contains the actual words of Christ.  So, we stand out of respect for His words, and we pray with our hearts.  This is what we proclaim.  This is what we profess.  And this is what we teach.  Paul came to that conclusion.  Paul taught people, and he admonished them that “Whoever eats and drinks the body of Christ unworthily is guilty of His death.”   If it’s just a symbol or just a community builder as some blasphemous people say, how can we be convicted of His death?  How can we be like Judas and be guilty of His death?   If His Body and Blood is just a symbol, then what’s the big deal?   

So, this is what we believe.  This is what we profess.  And this is what we tell people.   This is the good news.  What happened to the apostles and what happened to the two disciples enroute to Emmaus, is the same joy and the same Presence we have before us.

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” then “Menu” and then “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church Facebook page at facebook.com/ola.catholic.church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”