Tag: Sacrament

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Sermon Notes – September 14, 2025 – There is Only One Truth

“There is Only One Truth”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

September 13 – 14, 2025

Gospel: John 3:13-17


Years ago, I took a course taught by Father Buckley who was both an interesting and brilliant man.  One day while he was doing academic counseling, a student came into Father Buckley’s office and asked him if he wanted some cake.   The student had some chocolate cake left over from his birthday.  Father Buckley said, “Cake bad,” and he opened a window and threw out the cake.  The only problem was that directly below the window and two stories down was the department director’s car.  Oops!   I remember that while we were taking our final exam on the New Testament, and after we had said the opening prayers, Father Buckley fell to his knees and said, “Saint Jude!”  Oh God, this is not going to be good!  One of the questions on the exam was: “What does this mean?  Jesus was a stumbling block to the Jews and a folly to the Gentiles.”   What that means is that we do not want to suffer for the Savior even though He made suffering the way to salvation. 

Many times, during Christ’s ministry, people reacted negatively to His teachings and left Him.  When He said that marriage is between a man and a woman and that it is until death, what happened?  Everybody left him.  When He said, ““Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life within you,” what happened?  Everybody left him.   When He suffered and died on the Cross to open the gates of Heaven, what happened?  Everybody left Him.   Peter even asked Jesus to knock off all the talk about suffering because they were losing people.  What was Jesus’ response?  He called Peter satan.   

At His crucifixion in Golgotha, the high priest said, “Come down from the Cross now, so that we may see and believe” (Mark 15:32).  Anything but suffering or renunciation of self.  Paul did not preach that while he was in Greece.  How many people did he get after preaching in Greece?  Two.  After reviewing the after-action report, Paul decided to preach about Christ crucified and then what happened?  Christianity was spread throughout the world.  We preach Christ crucified, not social justice.  We don’t need more civil laws.  We need more moral people. 

Jesus reaches down from the Cross and asks us to grasp His hand.  When we grasp His hand, we have a choice to make.  Will we pull Him down from the Cross to our level or will we allow Him to raise us up to the Cross so that we may have eternal life?  That’s the choice.   People say, “I love Christ, but not the Church.”  That is impossible, because you cannot separate Christ from the Church.  In Acts 9:4, when Saul was on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians, Jesus appeared before him and said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”  We don’t need to change what the Church teaches.  Every time it has been tried, it hasn’t worked.  In Protestant churches, there are 10,000 different denominations all proclaiming their own versions of the truth.  Now if you have studied Philosophy, you know that there cannot be 10,000 variations of the truth. The truth is the truth.  

We are not called to change the Church.  We are not called to change the Sacraments.  We are called to change ourselves, and we should start by seeking the Savior to change us.  People say, “Well, we need to change things because God wants us to be happy.”  In the next life, yes, but not in this one.  In this life, we will always have our difficulties.  I can no longer eat bacon, so do not tell me about your problems!   When I got out of my car the other day at the Breakfast Nook, the aroma of bacon was so thick that I teared up in the parking lot.  We will all have troubles in this life, but Jesus is reaching down from the Cross and saying, “Come up to Me, and I will take you to Heaven.”

Father’s Reflections . . . Now, we do not celebrate 9/11, a day on which many people died.  But we do honor the day.  On the Sunday after 9/11, I went to my parish in Statesville and said to them: 

“I will be leaving you very shortly. I am waiting for orders to be called back to active duty overseas. I realize that all of you want payback for this horrendous act of war against us.  Give us your sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters, and we will take care of business.  Although, I must tell you that some of them will come home to you in a box.  So be careful what you wish for. “

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 219 – Marriage in God’s Plan

Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin the section on the sacrament of holy Matrimony. We unpack two elements of the sacrament, namely marriage in the order of creation and marriage under the regime of sin. Fr. Mike emphasizes that marriage is a partnership between man and woman that is oriented towards the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1601-1608.

Click on link: https://youtu.be/NnggjPbIOM8

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 210 – The Sacrament of Holy Orders

The Catechism enters Chapter Three on the “Sacraments at the Service of Communion” which include both Holy Orders and Matrimony. As it introduces the sacrament of Holy Orders, Fr. Mike reminds us that every vocation is a gift, and that—no matter what state of life we are in or have been called to—we should read this chapter with an open heart and a grateful spirit. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1533-1538.

Click on link: https://youtu.be/-YHKb4n8efc

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 209 – Summary of the Anointing of the Sick

This summary of the Catechism’s teaching about the Anointing of the Sick is concise and rich. This holy anointing brings us hope and courage as we endure illness and the difficulties of old age. While we pray for healing of body and soul, this sacrament also prepares us for death. Fr. Mike ends this episode by explaining three practices of the Church that help her members prepare for death. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1526-1532.

Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/MaEcNSqc3SA

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 174 – Summary of the Sacrament of Baptism

In this summary of the Church’s teachings on Baptism, the Catechism relays the heart of the sacrament. If you needed to quickly explain Baptism to someone on the street—Fr. Mike says—this would be your guide. Fr. Mike hones in on the fact that Baptism is “a grace and a gift of God that does not presuppose any human merit.” Today’s readings are paragraphs 1275-1284.

Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/ZJt92SgTRYg

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Ascension Presents: The Secret about Sex and Holiness

As St. Thomas Aquinas writes: “As often as a husband and wife enter into the sexual embrace in a state of grace, they are growing in grace and in glory.”

Today, Fr. Mike delves into one of the greatest secrets of Catholic morality and the sacrament of Matrimony, namely that when spouses share the marital embrace that they are growing in holiness.

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Saint of the Day – September 16 – Saint Cornelius

(D. 253)

Saint Cornelius’ Story

There was no pope for 14 months after the martyrdom of Saint Fabian because of the intensity of the persecution of the Church. During the interval, the Church was governed by a college of priests. Saint Cyprian, a friend of Cornelius, writes that Cornelius was elected pope “by the judgment of God and of Christ, by the testimony of most of the clergy, by the vote of the people, with the consent of aged priests and of good men.”

The greatest problem of Cornelius’s two-year term as pope had to do with the Sacrament of Penance and centered on the readmission of Christians who had denied their faith during the time of persecution. Two extremes were finally both condemned. Cyprian, primate of North Africa, appealed to the pope to confirm his stand that the relapsed could be reconciled only by the decision of the bishop.

In Rome, however, Cornelius met with the opposite view. After his election, a priest named Novatian (one of those who had governed the Church) had himself consecrated a rival bishop of Rome—one of the first antipopes. He denied that the Church had any power to reconcile not only the apostates, but also those guilty of murder, adultery, fornication, or second marriage! Cornelius had the support of most of the Church (especially of Cyprian of Africa) in condemning Novatianism, though the sect persisted for several centuries. Cornelius held a synod at Rome in 251 and ordered the “relapsed” to be restored to the Church with the usual “medicines of repentance.”

The friendship of Cornelius and Cyprian was strained for a time when one of Cyprian’s rivals made accusations about him. But the problem was cleared up.

A document from Cornelius shows the extent of organization in the Church of Rome in the mid-third century: 46 priests, seven deacons, seven subdeacons. It is estimated that the number of Christians totaled about 50,000. He died as a result of the hardships of his exile in what is now Civitavecchia.

Reflection

It seems fairly true to say that almost every possible false doctrine has been proposed at some time or other in the history of the Church. The third century saw the resolution of a problem we scarcely consider—the penance to be done before reconciliation with the Church after mortal sin. Men like Cornelius and Cyprian were God’s instruments in helping the Church find a prudent path between extremes of rigorism and laxity. They are part of the Church’s ever-living stream of tradition, ensuring the continuance of what was begun by Christ, and evaluating new experiences through the wisdom and experience of those who have gone before.

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Sermon Notes – “When a One Man Band Gets Hit in the Butt by a Beer Truck, the Music Stops“

“When a One Man Band Gets Hit in the Butt by a Beer Truck, the Music Stops“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

Holy Thursday – April 1, 2021

Gospel:  John 13:1-15

Without the institution of the priesthood, the gift our Lord gave the apostles would have ended when He took the human nature He received from the Blessed Mother to Heaven on Pentecost.  When a one man band gets hit in the butt by a beer truck, the music stops.  He took the human nature of the apostles and made them into Christs.  This was part of their ordination at the Last Supper….to continue the gifts of His love and the fruits of His sacrifice and to feed His people with His most Precious Body and Blood as they were fed.  The hands that fed the apostles of Christ so too are the hands that feed you when the priest gives you Holy Communion.  The priest acts in persona Christi, in the person of Christ, to feed you the exact same body and the exact same blood.  Outward appearances vary, but it is the same Christ who feeds you.  It is the same Christ who enters your soul through participation in the Sacraments.  It was so great an honor for the apostles, that He reminded them when He washed their feet. Washing feet was a dirty, disgusting job that was left to slaves to do.  But, Jesus showed them His humility and told them that they must do the same.  “You have been given a great gift.  I have chosen you; you have not chosen Me. I have chosen you for the possibility of cooperating with the grace of great teachers, healers, and evangelists of the world.  But, to do so, you must be like Me who humbled Himself by taking the form of a slave.  You, too, must be willing to do the work of a slave.”

This gift I have been given as a priest, which has been passed on from generation to generation, is not for me.  It’s not a reward for my parents for raising a nice little boy.  It’s not a reward for me for passing all my courses in seminary.  I really did.  My degree was not honorary, contrary to popular belief.  I really earned it.  This gift is not a reward because I could pass tests.  It was given for you so that you may have Christ in you and the fruits of His death given to you.  It was given so that you could receive the fruits of the Mass by being fed His body and blood.  It was given so that your souls could be washed in His blood in the Sacrament of Penance.  It was given so that you could be united in the Sacrament of Marriage, strengthened in Confirmation, and healed on the way to salvation by receiving Last Rights.  In the past week, I have administered five.  It’s been an interesting week.  But, this gift is for you.  The gift of priests is a gift to the Church.  To bring salvation and the gift of the Real Presence of our Lord, body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Most Blessed Sacrament. This is our faith.  I am vowed as a priest to protect it with my very life.  Priests never talk about that vow.  They talk about the promises they made, but they never talk about their vow to protect the Most Blessed Sacrament. 

God loves you so much and wants to be with you to help you bear the crosses of this life so that you may have eternal life.  That’s His great love.  That’s why He gave these gifts to the Church.  That’s why He instituted the priesthood – not for me so that I could have a fancy title before my name, but to administer His Sacraments, to teach, sanctify and lead people to Him.  These gifts were given for you so that you may have life and have it to the fullest.  And, one day after courageously bearing your crosses, and not only courageously bearing them, but getting back up after you’ve fallen, you will enjoy the fullness of His love.  Pray for that last Sacrament to be given. 

As Saint Simeon said, “Now let Your servant go in peace; Your word has been fulfilled.”



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Sermon Notes – Stump the Chump

“Stump the Chump“

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

February 13-14, 2021

Gospel:  Mark 1: 40-45

On occasion, as I go about my day, I have people come up and say, “Father, may I ask you a question?” Sure!  Sometimes, people have very good questions.  Now, these questions generally fall into one of two categories.  The first category includes the faithful who are seeking understanding.  This happened on Tuesday when someone asked me, “Father, why do we call you father?  I never really knew why.”  The first good reason is my mother told me to, and if you don’t obey her, you know what happens.  The second reason is scriptural.  Paul said in his epistle: “I am your spiritual father.  I beget you in Christ. I baptized you and gave you spiritual life.”   Then, there is this other group of people who try to see if I’m the village idiot.  I’m not, but I qualify for the top ten.   I call this game “stump the chump.”   “Father, where does it say in scripture that we are supposed to kneel?”  Well, that’s easy enough… Matthew 27, Psalm 95, Romans 14, and Revelation just to name a few.  I mean, come on!  Really?   I’m not the brightest bulb on the circuit, but that’s an easy one.  They are trying to get me to prove that Catholicism is wrong.  That or try to convert me.  I already know I’m not going to convince them to become Catholic.  “Have you ever heard about the precious blood?”   You know…I believe I have.  I stayed awake that day at seminary.  These are all “gotcha questions. 

How do you tell people about Christ? The best way to evangelize is not by giving someone a bunch of information.  They could get that online or look in the Catechism of the Catholic Church…it’s all in there.  So, how do you tell people about Christ?  Do we tell them to read the book?   Well, the book doesn’t contain everything about Jesus Christ.  The book is a “what” not a “Who.”  But, we can pass on the “Who” to people by telling them what Jesus has done for us.  If giving people a book brought people to Christ, we could give everyone a copy of the Catechism and fill the church with converts.  But that doesn’t happen.  If that worked, we could all read a medical book and be the epitome of health.  We have to tell people what’s in the book and bring it to real life.  We have to tell them about God’s grace and what He has done in our lives. Today’s gospel shows us how to evangelize.  Jesus cured that leper from a death sentence.  He went away and could not stop telling people how Jesus had restored his life.  Like the leper, we also have to tell people what God has done for us. 

We see proof of God’s love so often that sometimes we become immune to it and ungrateful.  Each time you go to Mass, you receive the Most Precious Body and Blood just like the apostles did at the Last Supper.  You can come to church during the day and speak to our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament as one person speaks to another.  But, because we have become so accustomed to the gift of His love, we forget to be thankful.  I’m thankful for a lot of things.  I’m thankful for indoor plumbing.  I’m thankful for clean clothes.  I’m thankful that McDonalds is open 24-7.  I’m thankful about not having to go outside in a rain storm to take a shower.  That’s nice and a big change.  I’m thankful for many things even those that are unpleasant like the COVID test.  I get it every week, so I don’t want to hear any whining.  “Oh!  That’s terrible!”  Well, thank God we have that test.  “But why, Father?”  We could have the Chinese test instead.  Come on!   We are also grateful for the geniuses who have worked tirelessly night and day to develop these tests and vaccines so that we can maintain our health and delay what will eventually come. 

God has given us our life, and when we lose it by sin, He gives it back to us.  This is how we tell people about the truth and meaning of our faith.  Not in an obnoxious way, but by telling them what the Lord has done in our lives and the great gift He has given us…the gift of Himself.  Not that we deserve it, but because He loves us.  He brought me back to life through my baptism.  He feeds me the Precious Body and Blood in Holy Communion.  When my soul is dead with sin, and I may lose Heaven if those sins are not forgiven, He gives my life back to me through the Sacrament of Penance.  He forgives and He forgets.  My soul is washed in His blood. 

The Blessed Mother was the first to be washed in His blood.  She was standing beneath the cross and was spattered with it.  When they took Him down from the cross and laid Him on her lap, she was covered with His blood.  Once you are dead, your blood stops coagulating. So, Mary was covered with the blood of Christ.  “Why do you honor Mary?”  She was the first human being to be covered in the Precious Blood.  She was also the first to receive a miracle.  Remember the wedding at Cana?  That was a direct intercession of God.  “Son, they have no more wine.”  Boom.  And, there was wine.

This is how we tell people about our faith.  We don’t use obnoxious evangelization techniques when we talk to them.  We just tell them about what God has done for us.  But, we keep trying to reinvent the wheel.  If we do it differently, will things be better?  No.  We do what works.  What happened when God performed His miracles?  The recipients of those miracles told others.  And, what happened?  Look at the last line in today’s Gospel.  Jesus went to deserted places, but people kept coming to Him from all sides.

How will you apply this message to your life?  Are you grateful for His love or have you become immune to it?  Will you tell others what God has done in your life?

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 the page).  There is also a search box if you are looking for a specific topic.