Tag: salvation

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Sermon Notes – December 25, 2025 – I got God for Christmas

“I got God for Christmas”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 25, 2025

Gospel: John 1:1-18

Last week, I had to call 911 for a lady who thought she had been bitten by a snake. That was a lot of fun. But it was not the first time – I have called 911 several times for other people. I hope you never have to call 911, because when you do, you are upset, anxious, excited, and all wrapped up in the situation. When you call 911, the operators are very good, and they get all of your information. After you hang up the phone, you wait, and you wait, and you wait. Soon, you begin to wonder why they aren’t there already. As the crow flies, the EMTs are only two miles away. Less than three miles away, there are five fire stations: three regular and two volunteer. Also, less than a mile away, there are two cop shops: sheriff and police. After you call, you begin tapping your fingers and wondering when they will arrive. After what seems like an eternity, you hear sirens in the distance. So, you know they are on their way. They are coming, and they are coming, and they are coming, very slowly, but they are coming. “This is an emergency! Someone is hurt. I need help!” However, the police and rescue squads are constrained by the speeds at which they can drive in the city. That’s the theory, but I have seen sheriff deputies and EMTs whizz by the church. When I see an ambulance scream by on the way to the hospital, I know someone is in really bad shape. When the police, fire department, EMTs, or rescue personnel finally arrive, the healing can begin. They take charge and assure you that they will do everything they can to improve the situation. They work their magic, and your anxiety level lessens.

The same is true about our salvation and redemption. When our first parents hurt themselves and us badly by Original Sin, we needed help. But amazingly, we did not call 911 or GOD. God did that Himself because the offense was so grave that we alone couldn’t make amends. It was a divine offense. In the garden, we walked with God and talked to God. Then we gave God the shaft because we wanted to do what we wanted. But God loves us so much that He didn’t want us to wander away from Him. He said, “I will send you a savior” to remedy the divine offense. This divine offense could be fixed by only one Person – His divine Son, the 2nd Person in the Blessed Trinity. He came to be our Savior. On this day, we commemorate His appearance in the world made visible in the form of human flesh that He took from the Blessed Mother.

When you look at the manger scene, which was originally created by Saint Francis of Assisi, you can foretell the future. Our Lord came to be our Savior and to be sacrificed as atonement for our sins. The wood of the manger became the wood of the Cross 33 years later. The hay He laid on was food for the animals and became our food in the Holy Eucharist. There’s enough just on that for two sermons, but we don’t have the time. He came as our Savior, and that’s what we rejoice in. Today, as we celebrate His coming, our healing has begun. The straying from God is over. God has come to heal the damage in our souls due to sin, to remove the cancer, and to help us live so that we can go to where we were created to be, which is Heaven. He came to heal us and to reconcile us to God. That is the beauty of this day and the great joy we should have.

Who do you see around the Christ Child? You see Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. The wise men wouldn’t come until much later. But wouldn’t you love to have been there at the beginning of the First Century? Well, you don’t have to be envious. Know why? Because you have Him right there in the Tabernacle, although not under the appearance of human flesh, but of the Host. You have Him right here at Mass. What is our Savior’s greatest gift to us? His greatest gift to us is Himself. He offers Himself to us in the Sacraments, which is the greatest gift at Christmas. If you ask, “What did you get for Christmas?” My answer is, “I got God.”

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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Sermon Notes – July 6, 2025 – “You Will Be Amazed!”

“You Will Be Amazed!”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 5-6, 2025

Gospel: Luke 10: 1-12, 17-20

Would you like to be amazed?  If yes, do you want an easy way to do it?   Just do what Christ told you to do.  “Lord, everything worked just like You told us it would!”  Well, duh!  As they say in Italian, “Stunad” (stupid).   “Were you expecting something different?  I’m God, remember?”  Peter had been fishing all night and hadn’t caught anything.  So, when our Lord told him, “Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch,” Peter responded with a bit of sarcasm: “Master, we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if You say so, I will pay out the nets” (Luke 5:4-5).  It was obvious that Jesus wasn’t a fisherman; he was a carpenter.  But what happened?  Because the fishermen did what our Lord told them to do, they caught so many fish that their nets tore.  The Epistles affirm that if we do what God tells us to do, we will get what He promised, and our Lord has never reneged on any of His promises.  But keep it simple – do what He tells you to do just for today, just for this hour.  He tells us exactly where the landmines are on the way to salvation, and He gives us the map.  “Don’t step there . . . it will hurt you.” 

Christ performed many miracles.  He fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish.  So, you would think that the Apostles would have learned, but no.  They were not the sharpest knives in the drawer, nor were they the brightest bears in Jellystone Park.  Remember that old cartoon?  You would think that after our Lord resurrected four people from the dead and performed all the other miracles, the Apostles would have learned to trust Him.  “Do what I tell you, and you will get what I’ve got.”  Our Lord did not say, “My words are just suggestive. You do what you think is best.”  He did not say “Give 10 percent to the Church,” which I appreciate, but He didn’t say that either.   That is nowhere in Scripture.   If you ask, “How does He speak to us in the 21st Century?”  The same way He did in the First Century, Stunad!   Read the black part of Scripture, not the white part.  It has not changed.  Now, believe it or not, no matter how good-looking, intelligent, and talented I am, our Lord does not need my advice.  Whenever the Lord asked the Apostles a question, they gave Him the wrong answer.  We must do what He asks us to do. 

I took three vows when I was ordained: poverty, chastity, and obedience.  Thank God eating fish wasn’t one of them.  Anyway, do you know which vow is the most difficult?  Obedience.  There are two parts to obedience.  One is objective obedience: “Yes, Sir. Very good, Sir.”  You salute and carry out the mission.  There is also subjective obedience.  You give an order, and you hear, “Yes, Sir. Very good, Sir.”  But you know, in the back of their mind, they are patting the back of their head, which is a sign of mockery, and thinking, “I’m doing this because if I don’t, you’ll put me in prison.”   If they don’t obey a command, the First Sergeant will conduct some hands-on therapy.  They don’t do that anymore, but the laying on of hands can help alleviate many problems.   Subjective obedience is the renunciation of the will, in the same way as in marriages.  There is only one law in the married state, clerical state, and single state, or whatever your vocation.  It is the renunciation of self to do the will of the beloved.  For example, if you ask your children to do something, they may ask, “Why?”   When you say, “Because I said so,” they may throw a tantrum because they are not adults.  We do the same with God.  “Why do I have to go to Mass?”  Do you want God’s peace?  “Yes.”  Do you want God’s joy?  “Yes.”  Do you want the promise of eternal life?   “Yes.”  Then do what He told you and you will be amazed at what happens.

Announcement:

We will be getting a new vestment case.  For 20+ years, I have stared at the old one, and I really, really don’t like it.  Recently, I was at another church for a wedding, and when I saw theirs, I thought, “Need one. Gotta have one. Get one.”  It was so beautiful.  A donor has given most of the money for the new vestment case, but there is still room left if you would like to make a memorial donation.  The Misfits will be doing the demolition of the old cabinet, so we will save some money there.  If you would like to help with the cabinet, contact Lori Storms in the office. Her phone number is (704) 982-2910 extension 1. There are pictures of the new vestment case on the church’s Facebook page.  The case will be handmade of white oak and will take approximately seven months to complete.  It will be so beautiful!

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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Sermon Notes – April 6, 2025 – “God is in the Business of Salvation – Not Condemnation”

                           “God is in the Business of Salvation – Not Condemnation”

                                     Father Peter Fitzgibbons

                                       April 5 – 6, 2025

Gospel:  John 8:1-11

In today’s Gospel reading, it is the only time in all of Scripture that our Lord wrote anything.  What did He write?  That’s a good question, but Scripture does not record what was written.  Bishop Sheen talked about it in one of his books.  The woman was caught in the act of adultery, and the law demanded justice.  Jesus said, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7).  In his book, Bishop Sheen suggested that what our Lord wrote on the ground could have been the sins of those men standing around Him.   He knew their sins.  Oops!  And off they went.  Bye-bye!  Some of their sins could have warranted capital punishment just like the woman’s.  

Jesus does not condemn us for our sins.  He is not in the condemnation business; He is in the salvation business.  During the Particular Judgment and the Final Judgment, if our Lord can cry in Heaven, He does.  He created us out of love.  Why?  To live with Him forever.  However, through our sins, we choose not to love Him and are cast off.   Our Lord does not revoke our free Will, so we have a choice to either love Him or not to love Him.   If we love Him, we will stay with Him forever.  But if we do not love our Lord, we will be separated from Him forever.   He wants us all to be saved and not condemned.  

We do not know the situations people are in, but we try to have some level of understanding.   Now the actions themselves may be grossly sinful.  That’s true, but we may not know the reason.  Is there an impediment?  Are there mitigating factors?   We studied those things in Canon Law, and they are considered during Confession.   People play all sorts of spiritual word games.  “Well, this is not a mortal sin because I did this and that.”   I have Spiritual Canon lawyers trying to play with me.  “God knows I love him.”   Really?  You don’t show it for someone who is truly in love with God.   You know the difference between a mortal and venial sin, right?  Well, God doesn’t.   A material sin happens when you hit your thumb with a hammer and let out some verbiage that is probably not appropriate in polite society.  Material sins are instant reactions.  The only difference between mortal and venial sins for someone who truly loves God is the difference between punching and slapping your wife.  There is no difference. 

We judge the actions but pray for the sinner.   The actions can be wrong and very much so, but Jesus told us to love them and to judge their actions.  We will know them by their fruits.  They are not beyond His mercy.  I told you about the man who brought me coffee on Sunday mornings while I was at St. Gabriel’s.  He was a member of the German Schutzstaffel (Protective Echelon) and a bodyguard for Adolf Hitler.   These were the bad boys in the German military.  They were the worst of the worst.  But this man died in the arms of Holy Mother Church.  We are to forgive one another just as God has forgiven us. What is forgiveness?  Forgiveness is an act of the Will.  It is not an act of emotion.  Love is an act of the Will.  It also is not an emotion.   Liking someone is an act of emotion, but love is not.  When you say, “I forgive you because Christ told me to,” that doesn’t mean you are going to invite them to Christmas dinner or send them a birthday card.  That is not required.  Remember all our emotions, faculties, and senses are diminished by Original Sin, the sins we have committed after our Baptism, and the sins others have committed against us.  They can be affected by things like a stoplight turning red just as we approach it, when a blue-haired wonder won’t get out of your way, or the kind of chocolate you had that day.  Those things can immediately change our emotions.  However, our Lord told us how to deal with our emotions, our dislike for people who have hurt us, and those who have neglected us.  Although the effect can be immediate, it is usually not and can be a long process.  We might have to bear emotional suffering all our lives.   It’s like me and my family – they gave me good looks but no money.  But we pray for them just as our Lord said.   By the way, it was not a suggestion.  In the military, a suggestion by a superior has the force of an order.   

Our Lord didn’t say we have to like it.   In fact, it doesn’t matter whether you like to do it, want to do it, or care about doing it . . . you just do it.  You pray for those who persecute you and for those who harm you.  Whatever they have done against you, pray for them.  By praying for them, you may help them with their own problems and help them embrace our Lord.   It also helps you.  Remember, we pray for them not because we want to: “I really want to pray for that guy who scraped my car.”   No, you don’t.  But we pray for them because Christ told us to do so, and it will be better for them and better for us. 

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 Rosary in a Year – Day 87 – It’s All True

The mystery of the Assumption reveals that everything God promised to Mary was fulfilled. Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes that we can place our hope in this: if God’s faithfulness was true for Mary, God’s faithfulness will be true for us. We, like Mary, are invited to share in the blessedness of salvation as heirs of the works of God. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Assumption and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear

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The Rosary in a Year – Day 52 – My Eyes Have Seen Salvation  

Simeon’s words at the Presentation of the Lord, “Now let your servant depart in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation,” are said around the world every day by religious and lay people alike in Compline, also known as Night Prayer. Fr. Mark-Mary shares the story of a blind man who truly knew what it meant to see his savior with the eyes of faith, inviting us to pray our Rosary for true sight like Simeon. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheRosaryinaYear

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Ascension Presents: The Bible in 10 Minutes

The Bible is amazing… but sometimes confusing and hard to read. How can we understand the whole story?

From Ascension and Fr. Mike Schmitz—creators of the Bible in a Year podcast—comes a beautiful, clear, shareable summary of the story of salvation: the Bible in 10 Minutes. If you’ve never had the whole narrative summarized for you (or if you could use a refresher), this video will change your perspective on humanity’s relationship with God.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheBibleinaYear

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 361 – The Kingdom and Will of God

When we pray for God’s Kingdom to come and God’s will to be done, we are asking for the final coming of the reign of God and for his plan of salvation to come to fruition. This petition is most powerfully expressed in the Mass. Fr. Mike reminds us that anticipating Christ’s return should inflame our hearts to continue our mission here on earth and to carry out God’s will with perseverance. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2816-2827.

Click on link: https://youtu.be/Mf6Os0mQjjM?si=K_a_UCyTXjSYFfJ8

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 235 – Human Freedom in Salvation

Together, with Fr. Mike, we examine the reality of our human freedom in the economy of salvation. Fr. Mike emphasizes that the right to freedom does not imply a right to say or do anything. Rather, it is the power to choose the “right.” He also emphasizes that the moral law actually allows us to live with freedom and joy, and that when we violate the moral law, we violate our own freedom. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1739-1748.

Click on link: https://youtu.be/JP4BCdM2gzg?si=3_ego_ZeiJ-zhIru

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 118 – The Church and Non-Christians

Fr. Mike examines the relationship between the Church and non-Christian religions. He discusses that while there is some degree of goodness and truth in every religion, the fullness of truth exists in the Catholic Church. Fr. Mike concludes with a reflection on the statement from the early Church Fathers that “outside the Church there is no salvation.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 839-848.

Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/0kGYUsciaO0

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The Catechism in a Year – Day 117 – The Church is Catholic

We continue our examination of the four marks of the Church with today’s mark: catholic. Fr. Mike explains that “catholic” means that the Church is universal in two senses. The first is that Christ is fully present in her, and so receives the fullness of the means of salvation. Second, it goes out to all peoples; everyone belongs. Today’s readings from the Catechism are paragraphs 830-838.

Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/3enRAXivMvU