Tag: Saint Joseph

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Sermon Notes – July 7, 2024 – “True Knowledge Leads to Humility”

“True Knowledge Leads to Humility”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 6 – 7, 2024

Gospel:  Mark 6:1-6

Why do we receive an education?  So that we can use our talents to provide for ourselves and our loved ones, for the good of Society, for the good of the Church, and for our own salvation.   One of the greatest fruits of education has a significant impact on spiritual life.   We learn that we don’t know everything and become humble.  The Apostles always had a problem with education.  They said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will believe.”   Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).   The Apostles didn’t understand that, so they had to continue their education. 

Knowledge is a virtue and can produce many fruits.  The people of Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, said they knew Him.  Obviously, they didn’t because if they had, they would have worshipped Him.  True knowledge, used properly, brings about humility.   The more I learn, the more I realize that I don’t know everything.  Sometimes, people read a book and then say, “Father, I know all about this stuff.”  Uh-Huh.  Sometimes people try to tell me what the Church believes.  “Father, I went to a weekend course on Theology.”   Oh, good.  I studied Theology for four years; come talk to me when you’re serious.  It’s pride that says, “I have knowledge; therefore, I know everything.”   True knowledge is the exact opposite.  One of the fruits of education can be seen in the creche at Bethlehem.  You see three kinds of people around Jesus:  the holy – Saint Joseph and the Blessed Mother; the shepherds who knew they knew nothing; and the Wisemen who were educated enough to know they knew nothing. 

People often ask me questions about the Faith, and that’s good.   It may inspire them to read further.   Faith seeking understanding is Theology.   Now, I’m not a learned guy.  I know a few things about a few things.  I know some things about the military and work as a hospital chaplain.  But other than that, not so much.  However, I can refer you to people who are experts in exorcism, Canon Law, and Martial Law.  I’m not an expert in those fields and have only a passing knowledge of them.   Remember our minds are fallen because of Original Sin and sins committed after Baptism.   There is a great book that I read in seminary.  It’s the “Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma” by Father Ludwig Ott.  It’s a very thick book with a very small print.  It helps to have young eyes.  I’ve read and reread that book.  So, when you come to Confession, you know I’m prepared.  But the fruit of that learning is not so that I can bedazzle you with my knowledge.  The fruit of knowledge leads to a holy life so that every day we conform our lives closer and closer to Almighty God. 

We come here to learn how to use our knowledge in works of faith, hope, and charity.  “But Father, I don’t understand everything.”  Perfect.  You’re in the right place.  Will you ever understand everything?  No.  Only when you are in Heaven will your mind be enlightened.  In the meantime, we learn as much as we can and that knowledge, hopefully, will lead us to greater humility.  Saint Thomas a Kempis, in his writing about the temptations of Christ, wrote “It is better to have but little knowledge with humility and understanding, than great learning which might make you proud.” Humility with the knowledge we have is love lived out. 

Last week, I told you a story about our Most Reverend Bishop, who retired after serving for 20 years as bishop.  Although I did not know it, he was very sick.  None of us knew he had only one kidney until after he retired.  Having only one kidney was debilitating for him.  Even as tired as he was after Confirmation here at the church, when I asked him to visit someone in the hospital, he agreed.  I knew it would thrill Genevieve for the bishop of the church to visit her.  As it turned out, besides Genevieve, there was another woman in the hospital who was being sent home to die.  The bishop spent time with them, and he was so compassionate.  He had the knowledge, and he put it into practice.  That is humility.  I’ll say this about myself: I try to do it too.  When I work at the hospital, I’ll help nurses and patients and deal with some things that people would consider yucky.  But it’s not about me; it’s about that person who is sick.  That’s humility, and it’s what I try to practice all the time, but I have an ego as big as the Grand Canyon, so it’s tough.   I have letters before and after my name.  “I fought for my country.”  So did the cook.  Shut up!   If we don’t have humility, all that knowledge we’re supposed to have is wasted. 

Father’s Reflections . . . I will tell you this story so that you know I am almost human . . . almost.  The other day I had a severe temptation.  If you guessed it was for fish, you’d be wrong.  I’m getting older and I’m seeing all these doctors.  It would be great if I could look at my medical file.  I work at the Veterans Hospital, and I can access medical files as part of my work, but I can’t look at my own file.  So, I was thinking that maybe I could ask one of my homeboys to look at it although that would be unethical.  I just want to find out if a wise doctor put in my expiration date just so I can prepare.  But I’m over it.  See, I get temptations just like everyone else. 

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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Saint of the Day – March 19 – Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph’s Story

The Bible pays Joseph the highest compliment: he was a “just” man. The quality meant a lot more than faithfulness in paying debts.

When the Bible speaks of God “justifying” someone, it means that God, the all-holy or “righteous” one, so transforms a person that the individual shares somehow in God’s own holiness, and hence it is really “right” for God to love him or her. In other words, God is not playing games, acting as if we were lovable when we are not.

By saying Joseph was “just,” the Bible means that he was one who was completely open to all that God wanted to do for him. He became holy by opening himself totally to God.

The rest we can easily surmise. Think of the kind of love with which he wooed and won Mary, and the depth of the love they shared during their marriage.

It is no contradiction of Joseph’s manly holiness that he decided to divorce Mary when she was found to be with child. The important words of the Bible are that he planned to do this “quietly” because he was “a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame” (Matthew 1:19).

The just man was simply, joyfully, wholeheartedly obedient to God—in marrying Mary, in naming Jesus, in shepherding the precious pair to Egypt, in bringing them to Nazareth, in the undetermined number of years of quiet faith and courage.

Reflection

The Bible tells us nothing of Joseph in the years after the return to Nazareth except the incident of finding Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41–51). Perhaps this can be taken to mean that God wants us to realize that the holiest family was like every other family, that the circumstances of life for the holiest family were like those of every family, so that when Jesus’ mysterious nature began to appear, people couldn’t believe that he came from such humble beginnings: “Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary…?” (Matthew 13:55a). It was almost as indignant as “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46b).

Saint Joseph is the Patron Saint of:

Belgium
Canada
Carpenters
China
Families
Fathers

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Sermon Notes – December 18, 2022 – “The Silent Saint”

“The Silent Saint”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 December 17 – 18, 2022

Gospel:  Matthew 1:18-24

18 This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.  19 Her husband Joseph, being an upright man and wanting to spare her disgrace, decided to divorce her informally. 20 He had made up his mind to do this when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit.  21 She will give birth to a Son and you must name Him Jesus, because He is the one who is to save His people from their sins.’  22 Now all this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:  23 Look! the virgin is with child and will give birth to a Son whom they will call Immanuel, a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’. 24 When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.

In the Christmas narratives about the birth of our Lord, one person gets short scripted, spiritually speaking.   However, it doesn’t bother him because he’s in Heaven in the presence of our good Lord forever.  He has everything, so he doesn’t take it personally although some of us would.  Who is he?  Saint Joseph the Silent who never uttered a word in scripture.   According to some traditions, Saint Joseph was without sin but that is pious tradition and not de fide.   The Church is silent on that.  But, if you look at the staff he carries, it always has a lily, and the lily is a sign of purity. 

In ancient Israel, when you were betrothed, you were considered married even before you lived together.  You have to read the Gospel in the context of the times because that is when it was written.  Even though events in the Gospel happened over 2,000 years ago, we tend to interpret the events and words as if they were a part of our culture today.  And that’s not true.   An angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream and said, “Have no fear about taking Mary as your wife.”  It is the beginning and the continuing of our redemption because he said “yes” to Almighty God in a dream.  Did he understand it?  No – but he did it.  The obedience of Saint Joseph is a model for what our response should be.  What an example of faith.    

In other dreams, he was told to go to Egypt and to come back from Egypt.  He did a lot of walking.  He had to walk with Mary who rode on a mule or something like it all the way to Bethlehem.  It was shoe leather express all the way.  When he couldn’t find a room for her, he had to put her in a stable.  You may say, “Well, he was poor.”  Scripture doesn’t say that.  Quite to the contrary.  When the Wise Men came, they found the family in a house.  Joseph was a skilled tradesman.  In those days, carpenters were highly skilled tradesmen.  So, he was probably very secure in his finances.   Scripture doesn’t mention that – only that he was a carpenter.  They figured we would know all that.  What a great act of faith by Joseph. .to be told that Mary is with child by God and to take her as his wife.  How can that be possible?  Well, in a few days, we will also wonder how God can become man.  He can because He is God. 

Obedience has two forms.  There is the objective part where you do things out of fear.  Nobody drives 35 mph in town just because it’s the right thing to do.  We do it because the Albemarle Police Department may be close by and watching us.  I always see the Highway Patrol and sheriff deputies at the VFW sitting out of view in Richfield.  They hide really well.  I saw one sitting at the Lutheran Church just over the crest of the hill.  Perfect!   And if law enforcement catches you speeding, they will say, “Come here and make a donation to the State.”   That is objective obedience.  I’ve told you before that the toughest part of obedience is mental interior obedience.  To obey for love of the law giver who wants our service.   It was designed only for our good, and that’s the hard part because our original sin cries, “I know more than You.”    

Joseph never spoke a word in Scripture, but he said “yes” by his actions.  By his actions, he imitated the Blessed Mother’s fiat, “Be it done to me according to thy will.”  What a humble submission of will.  What a humble submission of intellect.  In a few days, we will mark the fruits of Joseph’s cooperation.  What are the fruits of his cooperation?  He was the first human being to hold God in his hands.

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”