So often, when God gets still and our prayer seems lost somewhere between heaven and earth, we jump to the conclusion that God is not listening, not caring, not moving.
We start to believe we’ve come to a dead end, that this is “just the way it will always be.” We place a period at the end of our hope, the end of our dream, the end of faith.
And yet, so many times, when we can’t sense God working, when everything is still, when we feel as though God has said “no”, God is simply pausing. Pausing until the circumstances are right, the answer is right, and the timing is right.
We want it at this very moment, God wants it the moment it should be. We want it now, but God wants it perfect. We want what we want, God wants what is best.
Don’t mistake God’s comma for a period. While you are pausing, while you are waiting on God, keep trusting, keep hoping, keep believing. In the end, it will be worth the wait.
Resurrection morning is proof that even in the pause, even in the comma places of our life, God is still there working all things for good and for His glory.
When God is all said and done, all you will be able to say about what He has done is “Thank you, God”. ~
1 It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb 2 and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,’ she said, ‘and we don’t know where they have put Him.’ 3 So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. 4 They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. 6 Simon Peter, following him, also came up, went into the tomb, saw the linen cloths lying on the ground 7 and also the cloth that had been over His head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. 9 Till this moment they had still not understood the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead.
This summer I will have another birthday… hopefully. My brother stopped his seven years ago, and my twin brother has too. I have been debating whether to get a tattoo – maybe one with barbed wire and a skull. But at my age, perhaps a tattoo with my home address and phone number would be a better idea. I have been around. I may not look my age, and I certainly don’t act it. “Father, you’ve seen a lot and done a lot.” Yes. I can’t tell you much about it, but I have. If I did, I would have to kill you. It’s nothing personal, just business. “Father, what is the most interesting thing you have seen that you can tell us about without having to commit mass murder?” Well, I’ve seen people rise from the dead. “Really? Father, you better cut back on the meds.” No, I really have seen people come back from the dead and be restored to life. Not in the way Jesus rose (Matthew 28:5-6), and not in the way Lazarus (John 11:1-44), Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:21-43), and the widow’s son (Luke 7:11-17) rose. No, not in that way. “Father, how did they rise from the dead?” Good question. Their souls were dead because of repeated venial sin or mortal sin. They were dead. They had no divine life in them. But they were restored to life through the grace that comes from our Lord’s Passion, death, and resurrection, which opened the Gates of Heaven, bestowed upon Mother Holy Church the means to effect resurrection, and gave the grace to wash away all sin from the soul, and return it to life. No matter how bad it is, all sin can be washed away.
The most powerful instrument ever known is the blood of Christ. Go back to the Passion on Good Friday, and we see the power of our Lord’s blood being poured out for us, drip by drip. I have seen many come back from the dead. Their lives are returned to them through Holy Communion. Does a resurrection happen? It sure does, every day. You would be surprised where it happens. People will say, “Father, may I talk to you?” Sure! This is usually what I do – I see the older, sicker patients in the hospital. I say to them, “Would you like to receive the Anointing of the Sick?” If they say, ‘yes,’ I say, “By the way, when was the last time you went to Confession?” I don’t ask if they want to go. I use an authoritarian tone and ask them when the last time was. It pushes them over the hump of fear they are hiding behind so that life can be restored to their souls, and they can spend eternity in Heaven with Christ.
This is the good news of the Resurrection: that Christ has died, and He is alive. He gives that life to the soul so that we can live for Him in this world and go to Him in the next. Eventually, we will get our bodies back, hopefully in better shape than they are now. When you have the divine life, what else do you have? Joy. Christ wishes to live in all of us. He made our souls for only one thing, and that is not sin. He made our souls a fitting resting place for Himself.
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.
Meditating on a reading from St. John Chrysostom, we recall that Jesus’ victory over death is eternal. Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to take comfort in keeping eternal things eternal and temporary things temporary. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Resurrection and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
In the mystery of the Resurrection, Jesus and the angels bring the same message: do not be afraid. This is a sign of the joy and confidence with which the Father wants us to encounter life. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina, encouraging us to find this hope and joy in the message of the Resurrection. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Resurrection and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
How do you celebrate Easter? Fr. Mark-Mary provides listeners with a challenge, reminiscing on the moment he realized just how important Easter is, and how much hope the truth that Christ is Risen can give us. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Resurrection and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.
In the Resurrection we are given an opportunity to see the glorified reality that is our destiny and our hope. Fr. Mark-Mary pulls from Pope Benedict XVI’s writings to explain glorified reality and what is spiritually occurring in the mystery of the Resurrection. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Resurrection, and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.
People say, “Women have no power in the Church.” No, but women have more courage. Look at the Gospels and the courage of women. Can you imagine how the women who went to the tomb felt? That is the transforming power of faith. Now, I know we have law enforcement here. We also have medical people, the fire department, and combat veterans. They can tell you what would happen to a dead body after three days in the Palestinian heat especially one with open wounds. You aren’t going to want to be near it. Whew! There is no amount of Vicks Vapor Rub or Febreze that will cover up that stench. But their love for Christ triumphed over their natural reluctance to do what we would say is disgusting. Their love for the Lord gave them the courage to overcome their reluctance to go to the tomb and anoint the Body of Jesus. I’m sure they knew exactly what they were getting into. During that time, life was a lot more brutal and harsher than it is today. We live a much cleaner life. That’s what faith does. Faith can transform our fear into love. The women were going to the tomb to do a proper work of mercy for our Lord. They didn’t have to, but they did. And because of their love, these women were the first to behold the empty tomb and the resurrection. Afterward, they brought Peter and John to the tomb, and Peter went inside.
I’m old enough now to hide my own Easter eggs. As time passes by, you realize that your celestial discharge is approaching. We have a natural fear of death. We were never supposed to die. Our first parents are responsible for that; however, we have helped with the sins we have committed after baptism. Sin brings fear, and sins committed after baptism increase that fear. But the love of God can transform that fear and turn it into a longing, not to leave our loved ones behind, but to go be with the Beloved. God wants us to be with Him, and He offers His love to transform our fear into love. In the Gospel of Saint John, Jesus said, “I am going now to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you to myself, so that you may be with me where I am” (John 14:2-3). We will go to join our good Lord, all those who wait for us, and all the saints who prayed for us.
I had an interesting episode of God’s Mercy last Thursday while doing my rounds at the hospital. We have a new hospice chaplain, and when I saw him, I wanted to say, “I was here before you came, and I’ll be here after you leave. You’re the sixth hospice chaplain I’ve seen come through here.” I’ve been at the VA hospital for quite a while. But he’s a great guy, and he told me there was someone for me to see in the hospice unit. I said, “Okay.” So, I went in to talk to the patient. He was in very bad shape and did not make it to the weekend. He had been in Vietnam. He had been Baptist, became a Catholic, became a priest, left the priesthood, was laicized, and got married. I’m not sure where the lady was, and I didn’t bother to ask. But he made his peace with God. Father Elkhart from Sacred Heart came over and heard his confession. I talked with him for a while, or as much as I could because he was in such discomfort. I gave him the Apostolic Pardon because I take care of my own. He was a soldier, and I was a soldier. That is God’s mercy. He wants us to be at peace.
The resurrection is true, and its power is still alive and active. Our Lord offers us His life. If the resurrection wasn’t true, then all of this would be worthless. He gives us the gifts to change what we have caused by sinning. Even sin cannot compete with God’s plans. All He asks for is our cooperation to draw ever closer to the Sacred Heart of His Son so that we can be transformed. Those fears we have, and we all have fears, of leaving this life and going to God will be changed. The transforming power of God’s love elevates us above and beyond our natural fears and limitations. The resurrection is true. His power is still active. Christ is risen.
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.”
When you read about the apostles in Scripture, you see the great transformation that happened to them after Pentecost. Before Pentecost, they always questioned our Lord. Jesus wanted to see Lazarus who had died. But the apostles said, “Hey Lord, he has been in the tomb for three days. He’s way past the sell-by date. I wouldn’t do that if I were You.” The apostles were always questioning Him. Questions are good, but not when you doubt the authority of the one making the request. Jesus told them to feed the loaves and fishes to the crowd. “Okay, but it’s not going to be enough.” Jesus told them to go into town and preach the Gospel, heal the sick, and expel demons.” They came back to Him surprised that it had actually worked. They always doubted His Word. In the Gospel, Jesus instructed Peter to walk toward Him on the water. Peter did as he was told, but he became afraid and began to sink. Our Lord asked Peter, “Why did you doubt?” Basically, our Lord was saying, “Did I stutter?” Our Lord said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” “Whoa! What do you mean?” It’s a declarative sentence, and He did not stutter. Deal with it.
We think that we are smarter than the average bear and that we know more than our Lord. We think that what He asks of us is impossible. Even though the apostles saw all these miracles, the raising of at least three from the dead – one who was a very dead Lazarus – they still doubted the Resurrection. Only until they were filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit did they believe that the Resurrection really happened. Why did Peter allow fear to paralyze him? The devil uses fear to take us away from our good Lord by saying, “Oh, His commands are impossible” which makes us think, “Oh, I cannot do that.” Our Lord does not require us to do the impossible. He only asks for good things which draw us closer to Him. In the law, if something is impossible, the law does not apply, and you are not culpable. If you can’t do it, you can’t do it. Peter was sinking and cried out, “Lord save me.” They weren’t miles from shore. This wasn’t Lake Michigan. Look at the map of Israel . . . there are no Great Lakes in Israel. There is no Lake Erie. So, they were not far from shore. What happened in the Gospel? Peter jumped into the water, and because he was only a few yards from land, he swam to shore. Peter was a fisherman, and he could swim.
Fear will paralyze us, and the devil uses it. “I can’t do that.” “The Commandments of God are too hard.” “The Church must change them.” “God obviously didn’t know what He was doing, else He wouldn’t ask us to follow His Commandments now in the 21st Century.” And that’s not true. His Commandments are not burdensome. “If you love Me, keep My Commandments.” That’s all the Commandments are . . . a test of His love and belief in His Word. They may be inconvenient because we have our own agenda. But God will never tell us to do something that is impossible or something that will hurt us. Quite the opposite. When we don’t fulfill His Commandments, we do self-harm because we cut ourselves off from His love slowly by venial sin or abruptly by mortal sin.
So, keep your eyes on the Lord and what He said. Don’t try to overthink it as some do. “I’m going to fall. I have sinned!” You’ll be fine. Do not be afraid, which is the most common phrase in scripture. Do not be afraid. Our Lord asks us to keep His Commandments if we love Him. They are not burdensome. “Oh! I have to go to Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days! Oh, it’s so hard!” Oh, please. If you had a free ticket to the Panthers game, you’d be right there in Charlotte with 70,000 other crazy people fighting traffic. Yeah, that really sounds like fun. I haven’t had so much fun since I was in the gas chamber. Are you kidding me?
Just think about what we trade for the love of our good Lord. And what we trade for the very presence of God, Himself, in the Most Blessed Sacrament and the Second Person in the Holy Trinity Who talked to Moses as one man talks to another. I use “man” in the Latin sense of the word meaning “mankind” – not male – the way Scripture was originally written. What is better than that? No admission fee . . .even better. No trouble parking . . . even better than that. We have to listen to our Lord, and that can be tough. Do you know what class of people find it really hard to listen to the voice of our Lord? Priests. There was evidence of that 20 years ago when I arrived here and was looking around. There was orange shag carpet in the church bathrooms. Yeah. I don’t think the good fathers ever listened to the women in the parish. In their defense, they probably got a deal on it. Fathers, you gotta listen. You may be an expert on the Gospel, but you have to listen else you become deaf. You always must listen for Him amidst the loud noises of our busy lives. Do what our Lord commands. And if we think His Commandments are burdensome, perhaps we need to love Him more and ourselves less.
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.”
Together, with Fr. Mike, we arrive at the “nugget day” or summary for the Catechism paragraphs on the Resurrection and the Christian vision of death. Fr. Mike emphasizes that in the face of death, we must not grieve as though we have no hope. He also points out the importance of preparing for the hour of our death. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1012-1019.
Together, with Fr. Mike, we unpack some of the questions surrounding the resurrection of the dead. The Catechism clarifies who, how, and when each person will rise from the dead, body and soul. We also examine how we are already somewhat in participation with Christ’s death and resurrection through our Baptism. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 997-1004.
