“You are Rich Beyond Measure”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

 September 17 – 18, 2022

Gospel:  Luke 16:10-13

Jesus said to His disciples: “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?  If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?  No servant can serve two masters.  He will either hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

In all 12 step programs, the same steps are used from the original 12 Step Program for how to get sober.  The fourth step is to take a fearless, moral inventory of ourselves.  That is the fourth step in every 12 Step Program, and you must do it to get sober, clean, or recover from whatever the addiction.  When people take a moral inventory, it’s usually an immoral inventory.  The next step is to tell someone, and I’ve heard a number of them recount all the bad things they’ve done.  And that’s good so they don’t have to use whatever they are addicted to kill their conscience. 

So, where did this idea originate?  They got it from the Catholic Church.  We make an examination of conscience before going to Confession.  I was taught in Catholic school to make an examination of conscience at the end of each day.  In our nightly prayers, we said the Act of Contrition.  And that’s so important to do.   Also, make a moral inventory.   Why are you are saying that you are sorry?   Because of the great gift that you have, the gift of Catholic Faith that was given to you by God.  Perhaps because of the auspices of your parents, family, others who came later, or free will, you have the gift of God.  You have the beautiful gift of the Catholic Faith that brings hope and joy to this life.  This is the reason for rejoicing.  He gives you joy, and no matter how much you have in your bank account, you are rich beyond all imagination. 

The gifts offered to you can bring happiness and peace.   It’s not found in a bottle.  It’s not
found in a big bank account.  It’s found in a Person.  If I had a big bank account, I would know where to shop.  I know where the Bentley dealer is. . .it’s over in High Point.  I know a good real estate agent and if I were rich, I could buy a house in Martha’s Vineyard for about $4.5 million.  But that doesn’t buy happiness.  Once you have a Bentley, you worry about keeping people away from your car.  If you have a house at the beach, you’ve got to take care of it and pay taxes on it.  Then there are the relatives who want to come stay with you.  It ain’t worth it!  The happiness you have is the hope in following the precise steps for how to get to Heaven.  You come here to participate and to offer yourselves in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  And if you are able, to receive the Most Precious Body of our Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion by the hand of Christ which is the priest. 

What did we do to deserve that?  When we fall from the weight of our crosses, due to our imprecision in following the steps of Christ, what do we have?  We have the Sacrament of Penance in which He forgives and forgets all our sins.   We have the Sacrament of Confirmation which strengthens us in carrying our cross and fulfilling our primary vocation which is to become saints.  Did you know that?  I have given the Last Rites twice in the last two days.  When we are raised up onto our final cross to endure our own Passion and death with Christ – during the last three hours or so of our lives – Christ’s consoling love, strength, and forgiveness is granted to us.  The Apostolic Pardon is a full pardon for all of your sins and a plenary indulgence that wipes it all away and gives you a totally clean slate.  I hope you get it.  There are things in my 201 file that may be a little sketchy.  But we have hope.  Plus, we have the gift of faith, and we are never alone. 

People ask me to pray for them, and I do.  But you have to realize that the whole Catholic Church is praying for you 24/7.  That’s over one billion people.  Listen to the words of the Mass.  They are always in the plural.  The whole Church is praying for you during the Sacrifice of the Mass.  Not only the entire Church on Earth, but the entire Church in Heaven, which is countless, is always praying for you.  You belong to the Body of Christ which is present throughout the world.  This is not just some little church or faith community.  You belong to the Body of Christ present throughout the world.  If you wanted to get married at the Vatican in Rome, and you have the money and the time, I could give you the paperwork to do that.  That is your church.  It belongs to you.  Italians in white robes are just caretakers of it for you. You are not alone.  By the gift of Catholic Faith, you are united with all God’s people who are praying for you. 

Such are the great treasures we have, and too often we forget to say, “thank you.”  We reduce them to something almost like play-acting in church.  This is not playacting.   We have lost the sense of wonder and awe.  This great prayer you have come to offer is one in which you come to offer yourselves in the sacrifice of Christ.  How wonderful is our Faith.  That is the greatest gift.  People ask for forgiveness of their sins, and that’s what we should do.  But we should also say, “thank you.”  Thanksgiving is one of the ends of the Mass.  So, realize how rich you are.  You are rich beyond your wildest dreams.  Embrace that richness, as clear as your bank account, and everything else will find its proper place.

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”