Tag: Resurrection

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Sermon Notes – March 31, 2024 – “He is Risen”

“He is Risen”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

March 30 – 31, 2024

Gospel: John 20:1-9


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.”

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Sermon Notes – August 13, 2023 – “Did I Stutter?”

“Did I Stutter?”

 Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 12 – 13, 2023

Gospel:  Matthew 14:22-33


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.”

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 138 – Summary of the Resurrection of the Body


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.

Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/mBFaMN2OL0E

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 136 – Questions of Resurrection

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.

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

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 135 – The Resurrection of the Body

Fr. Mike explores the essential element of Christian Faith that we “look forward to the resurrection of the dead.” We examine how this belief in the resurrection of the dead means that both our mortal soul and our mortal body will come to life again, that eventually every single human being will get their body back. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 988-996.

Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/_8wquHIbm7w

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 93 – The Meaning of the Resurrection

The Catechism wraps up its discussion surrounding Article 5 of the Creed (“He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead”) and asks the question, “What does Jesus’ resurrection mean for me?” Fr. Mike points out that Christ’s resurrection proves—definitively—that he is the only begotten Son of God. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 651-658.

Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/HQ-0WYYmwJc

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 89 – Jesus Christ Was Buried

When he was crucified, Jesus experienced a real human death, the separation of his soul from his body. Because of his divinity, though, Jesus’ body did not see corruption, and his body and soul were reunited in the Resurrection. The risen Christ is the meeting point of death and life. We learn that as Christians, in Baptism, we die to sin, are buried with Christ, and then in him, we rise to new life. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraph 624-630.

Click on the link to play video: https://youtu.be/Nx2_W9Jv1_w

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 81 – Christ’s Paschal Mystery

Fr. Mike begins his examination of the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and ultimate Resurrection. He emphasizes that all of Scripture points to this Paschal Mystery, and that through our faith, we can try to examine the circumstances of Jesus’ life to fully understand our own redemption. We also explore Jesus’ relationship with Israel and our own relationship with our Jewish forefathers. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 571-576.

Click on the link to play video: https://youtu.be/Imp5kfJ-V_g