Tag: 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 – June 29, 2025 – “Christ Came to Build His Church … Not to Write a Book”

“Christ Came to Build His Church … Not to Write a Book”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

June 28-29, 2025

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

Pop quiz: How many of you love Scripture?  Let’s try that again.  I’ll give you a do-over.   How many of you love Scripture?  Alright, I’m seeing hands being raised.  If you do not love Scripture, we need to have a chat, and it will be a one-way conversation.  Scripture is the revealed Word of God.  So, if you love Scripture, and you have all indicated that you do, then you must love the Church.  Do you know why?  Because the Church wrote it.  The Church knows exactly what is in Scripture, so she can both interpret and teach it.  Now, Scripture only contains what is necessary for salvation.  It is not a handbook for engineering or medicine, and dinosaurs are never mentioned.  Basically, the Gospel is Ecclesiology, or what the Church is.  By the way, the Church is not a “what,” but a “Who.”  Jesus revealed that to Paul on the road to Damascus when He said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4).  We are the Body of Christ, so when you persecute the Church, you are persecuting Him. 

When you study Scripture, you must study it in the original language because English is a terrible language in which to study it.  When I first began my work in Hospice, I went to Nancy, who was one of the nurses, and I enrolled in Nancy’s College of Medical Terminology.  I asked Nancy what I needed to know so that I could become a better hospital chaplain.  Nancy gave me some books and papers to read.  This was because during treatment meetings, the medical staff would use all these big medical terms, and I was thankful that I could ask Dr. Google what they meant.  One of the doctors said, “Father, a veteran has Cheyne-Stokes respirations. Go see him.”  That is the kind of breathing you do until you don’t.  So, it was essential that I learn the language used by the medical staff. 

Likewise, we need to learn the words of Scripture, but we must learn them in the original language.  When Jesus said, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18), Jesus renamed Simon, son of John.  In the Old Testament, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham to reflect his mission.  So, the Apostles understood what changing Simon’s name to Peter meant, and that was when they began to feel a bit of resentment.  When Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build My church,” He used the Greek word “Ecclesia,” meaning “you.”   In English, the word “you” can be singular or plural.  In French, there are two words that mean “you” – vous (plural) and tu (singular).  That doesn’t happen in the English language.  Christ said, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build My church.”  He said, “You.”   He did not say “through the power of the Apostles,” as the Episcopalians claim, nor “as a profession of faith,” but rather “you” personally.

Christ came to establish and embody His Church, which has continued throughout time.  The Catholic Church wrote the New Testament scripture, and it codified the Old Testament.  The Jews only had the first five books of the Old Testament, but after Christ established His Church, we now have a few more.  The last books of the New Testament were not written until around 90 A.D. The Church was present throughout the Roman Empire. A couple of generations of martyrs had already died for the true Faith.  The book wasn’t codified until the 4th Century.  Before that, we never had a book.  Jesus came to establish His Church and not to write a book.  It was the Catholic Church that wrote the book that became essential for salvation. 

In the Old Testament, Jews were called Katoikos, meaning “settler.”  In the Gospel, which was written in Aramaic, there is a Greek word, ” ekklesia,” commonly translated as “church.”  There is a big difference between “settler” and “church.”  Now, you older people will remember this and thank God that you are old, because many of our contemporaries never had the opportunity.  Do you remember the group, Peter, Paul, and Mary?  They sang “Puff the Magic Dragon.”  Many people thought that “Puff” was a synonym for marijuana.  Peter Yarrow, who was a member of the group and wrote the song, said, “I’m Puff’s daddy. Puff was a dragon; he was not marijuana.”  Likewise, you cannot read into Scripture; you must read what is there.  It’s like us when we get a pimple, and we consult Dr. Google.  “Oh my God!  I’ve got leprosy!”  And we run to the doctor who says, “You’ve got a pimple. Go home and wash your face. Grow up. You’ll be fine.”   Don’t read more into Scripture than what is there.  Let the Church, which wrote it, help you interpret it. 

Christ appointed Peter to build His Church.  Why?  Was Peter the brightest?  No.  That would be Luke, who was a physician.  Why Peter?  He was dumb as a rock, but he was the most able conduit of God’s grace.  God chooses us to serve, as He did Peter, not because we are the biggest and brightest in the class, but for our ability to be a conduit of His grace. 

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 – November 3, 2024 – “Things I Wish I Could See – Part 2”

“Things I Wish I Could See – Part 2”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 2 – 3, 2024


Gospel:   Mark 12:28-34

Let’s see how your memory is.  Remember last week when I talked about vision?  Okay, obviously you don’t remember but there are Sermon Notes at the back of the church.  Pick one up and refresh your memory on what I said.  What I said was that I wished I could see what truly is.  Dr. Billingsley is great, but there is just so much he can do.  I want to see our good Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, in the Confessional, in the Mass, and in the Sacraments.  By the way, do you know why deacons cannot perform the Sacraments?  Because only those who can celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are allowed to perform the Sacraments.  The Sacraments come from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  Anyhow, I want to see our Lord as He truly is . . . the brilliant light that is the light of the world. 

I had my picture taken in New York for an Army advertisement, and I had to put on makeup.  That was the first and last time I will ever wear makeup outside of the box.   I was a member of the 101st Airborne . . . so hell no!  You wouldn’t believe all the lights they shine on you to put on the makeup.  While I was sitting under all those lights, I felt like a rotisserie chicken.   That’s the same kind of light here in the church – the light of truth – that shines on us as we sit in front of the Most Blessed Sacrament and in the Confessional.  That light allows us to see ourselves.  We see ourselves in three ways:  how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how we truly are.  It takes humility to see ourselves as we truly are.  That’s why the vision to see ourselves as we truly are is so necessary for advancement in spiritual life.  

We find that vision by seeking the light of Christ whether it is in front of the Blessed Sacrament or in the Confessional.  In His light, we see ourselves as we truly are . . . our crosses, our failures, our talents, and our abilities.  Too often we avoid His light because we see ourselves with all these problems.  “God, I have all these problems.  I’m not good enough for you Lord.”  First of all, we cannot earn God’s love.  I don’t care how good you are, you cannot earn His love because God’s love is free.  Look at all that God has given us, including our crosses which are actually gifts.  But when we look at our crosses, we see pain. We see all our troubles, all our failures, and all our wants and desires. 

In spite of everything, we are all loved by Christ.  Nothing that we have done can stop God’s love for us.  Nothing.  God will always love us.  How we love God is another matter, but that is up to us.  But God will always love us.  We are children of God.  When I was in Hospice the other day, I was talking to this man while the EMT’s were with him.  I asked him if he would tell me his religious denomination so that we could take proper care of him.  He said, “I’m not Catholic; I’m Baptist.”   I said, “May I tell you a secret?”  He whispered, “Yeah, go ahead.”  I said, “You are a child of God, and no one gets better than that.” 

As you sit here in church, you are sitting in the presence of God, Himself, in the Blessed Sacrament.  You are also sitting in His presence during Confession.  It is then that we see ourselves as we truly are – loved by 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 – March 17, 2024 – “We Want What We Want When We Want It”

“We Want What We Want When We Want It”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

March 16 – 17, 2024

Gospel: John  12:20-33

Our Good Lord said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:24).  He calls us to be grains of wheat.  But why must we die?  I’m glad you are interested, otherwise the sermon would be over.  It’s so that we may bring forth life.  The means to do it is really easy; it’s right in front of us.  Keep the Commandments.  By keeping the Commandments, we die to ourselves.  Dying to ourselves is the resignation of the will.  De-egotazation is the basis of every 12-Step group.  De-egotazation steps are the keys to recovering from whatever addictions people have.  However, it’s not just obeying the Commandments – there are more than 10, and those 10 have a lot of other things in them.   

There are two ways in which to obey the Commandments.  One way is objectively by obeying the law.  For example, if you are driving to Misenheimer you will go through Richfield.  Near the VFW, there is usually a highway patrol officer or deputy sheriff sitting there.   So, you reduce your speed, and once the coast is clear, you kick your speed back up to 65.  But when you get to the university, you slow back down in case a Misenheimer police officer is hiding behind the bushes.  Once you are on the other side of the university, you floor it again to Salisbury.  When you don’t want to get into trouble or get caught, that is objective obedience.   But that is only the beginning of de-egotazation. 

People say, “We are studying scripture.  What do you think this means?”  Every time our Lord asked the Apostles a question, they always got it wrong.  Peter got it right once, but Jesus said, “My heavenly Father revealed it to you” (Matthew 16:13-19).  So, we cannot say we know what ‘this’ means.  Jesus said only male and female were created and for that reason, a man and a woman shall leave their families and the two shall be as one.   During the first week in Latin class, we learned the words male and female.  It’s really easy!  Yet now, in principle, people say, “Well, I think that means this, and we can change it.”  No!  He said it.  That’s like telling Christ, “You were wrong.”  How is that for ego?  “You were wrong.”   Really? 

The second part of obedience is when you truly die to self.  Spiritual growth really takes over with interior ascent.  This is not just the objective obedience of simply following the law but the interior ascent.  “I do it because of my love of the Lord.  I resign my will to Him.”  That is the hardest part of all.  Soon, I will have been a priest for 40 years, and because I can take tests, I’ve got some letters after my name and some titles before it.  I’m a really big guy.  Sometimes the bishop will say, “I want this done.”  Are you kidding me?  Granted, his Excellency has more information than I do.  But sometimes I think, “Is he telling me how to do my job?”   That is the ego speaking.  It’s like pastors who don’t take suggestions or even listen to people.    Look at the history of this place, and you realize that previous pastors never took any advice from anybody.  That’s why we have had to fix everything in the past few years – because they built it wrong.  They wouldn’t listen. 

Subjective obedience is the most difficult because it’s when we truly die to self.  The first one, the objective part, is tough enough.  I can handle driving 65 in a 55 . . . I really can.  However, in North Carolina, law enforcement can give you a ticket for driving 56 in a 55.  I don’t think a judge would hear it, but according to the law, there is no grey area.  It’s the ego – not just the objective ego but also the subjective.  And that is the hardest part of dying to oneself.  The objective is hard enough, but the subjective is worse.   That’s where real spiritual growth exists. 

We bristle at rules.  “Oh, the Church has too many rules!”  Well, flying has a lot of rules too.  I suggest you follow them, otherwise we will be coming by with a squeegee to clean up your body parts.  There are a lot of rules in a lot of things.  Pharmacology has a lot of rules.  Trying it on your own usually doesn’t work out well.  Rules are there to keep us from doing stupid stuff.  They are there to warn us that something will hurt really bad, and we won’t be able to fix it on this Earth.  Rules are there to keep us safe and to point us in the right direction.  But we don’t like the rules because of our egos.  I want what I want when I want it!  Our daily dying to self: “Yes, Lord.  I will try to do what you ask of me not only because it’s for my own good, but it will also enable me to love You even more.” 


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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Sermon Notes – December 10, 2023 – “Oh, the Sorrows I’ve Seen!“

“ Oh, the Sorrows I’ve Seen! “

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

December 9 – 10, 2023

Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending My messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths.” John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of His sandals. I have baptized you with water; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Here’s a little quiz from the Gospel: What do grasshoppers taste like? Chicken? No. They taste like grasshoppers, and the best dipping sauce is honey mustard. Just putting that out there for you. I’m hearing eye-rolls out there.

In the second reading of the Divine Office, there are writings from Saint Charles Borromeo who wrote that Holy Mother Church prepares the faithful for Christmas and the coming of Christ through hymns, readings, and liturgies. And that’s true. They all focus on the great mystery of His love.

During the Christmas season, we think about our past Christmases. Some were really good, and some were maybe not so good. We wish we could have Christmases like in years past. But all of those are temporary, although very teachable moments. The fulfillment of the joy of Christmas will come later. This is just a taste. All of those that disappointed us with all that pain, sorrow, and regret will be gone and transformed by the love of Christ. Christ is love Himself.

Some people ask me what my best Christmas was. I don’t know. I’ve had a lot of nice ones. Growing up, I had a great family despite me. One not so good Christmas happened when I was overseas, and I ran out of Spaghetti’Os. Oh, the sorrows I’ve seen! “Father, how about when you came home from overseas?” Well, it was quieter; I’ll give you that. It was also nice to have fresh plumbing; I’ll give you that too. “But don’t you have a favorite Christmas?” Well, I haven’t had it yet. My favorite Christmas will be when Christ comes to take me from this world and, hopefully, I will be found worthy to be possessed by Him. That will be my favorite Christmas. All the other Christmases are a foretaste, an encouragement, and mere teaching moments. So, keep your eyes fixed on the last Christmas to come.

Father’s Reflections . . . The Christmas parade yesterday was very nice. It was a long one, lasting over an hour, and continued during the Mass. People from our parish were volunteers. They did a fantastic job, and I want to thank them for that.

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.”