Father Matthew Wiering Podcast

Easter Sunday: What's your Jesus Story?

Happy Easter! I've finally been watching "The Chosen" series, and I love it. Although it goes far beyond the Scriptural narrative, it makes me think about the personal stories of those who surround Jesus. How did they come to follow Jesus? What is their story? As we hear about the bravery of Mary Magdalene this morning, who not only accompanied Jesus on the Way of the Cross but also courageously visited his tomb on Easter morning, we can wonder, "What is her Jesus story?" What is mine? What is yours?

Good Friday: The New Adam Enters the Garden

In today's Passion account from John's Gospel, the author goes out of his way to tells us that the narrative begins and end in a garden. Obviously, the author is hearkening back to the beginning of Genesis and the Garden of Eden. It was there, as a result of man's disobedience, that man lost favor with God and was exiled from the garden. But now in this new garden, the New Adam has responded to God with obedience, thus cancelling out my death sentence for my own disobedience. Let us venerate the cross today with great gratitude, as Jesus has suffered for my sins in order to bring me healing, wholeness, and reconciliation with God.

Holy Thursday: What Happened at the Last Supper?

Tonight the Church gives us the Gospel of John, which gives us a unique account of the Last Supper. Jesus washes the feet of the disciples, and then tells them that they must do the same. Tonight we celebrate the Institution of the Priesthood and two of the Sacraments that only the priest can celebrate: Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

A Passion Sunday Reflection

Today as we reflect on the Passion narrative from Luke's Gospel, we can't help but see how the totality of evil and human dysfunction flood over Jesus. But we also can't help but see what comes from Jesus during the Passion: healing and forgiveness and mercy. May we always see the Passion as our safe harbor and refuge as Jesus suffers the consequences for our sins and reconciles us to the Father!

Lent 5th Sunday: What is my Identity?

In today's 2nd reading from Philippians, Paul tells us that he considers all of this as "loss". If we open our Bibles, we realize what is the "this" he is talking about: Paul has a pure, Jewish heritage, and he has been a faithful follower of the Law. For much of his life he took pride in this privilege and accomplishment. Yet, when he met Christ, he was radically changed. From thence forward, he knew that his righteousness would come from Christ and not from his own achievement. May we too leave not only a life of sin behind but also a life of identifying with our own achievements. May we discover our true identity only in Christ, the beloved son or daughter of the Father!

Lent 4th Sunday: In Christ You are a New Creation

This Sunday's amazing readings bring us back to the heart of our faith: Christ has accomplished his Passover for us, and we have been saved by the baptismal waters. Yet we remain in a period of trial and testing until we ourselves reach the Promised Land. What rejoicing there is in heaven when we repent and return to the Father, who makes us into a new creation: His Son.

Lent 3rd Sunday: Repentance

Jesus responds in a most surprising (and off-putting) way to those who bring him the news of yet another atrocity committed against believers by the Roman legate Pontius Pilate: Instead of saying, "Oh, how terrible that he did that to those people," he says, "Unless you repent you will all die as they did." Jesus's unmistakable message today is, "Repent!" May we respond during this Lenten season to this urgent command of our Savior!

Lent 2nd Sunday: Grace Makes us More Human

In the Transfiguration of Jesus, Christ's divine nature shines forth in a strange and wonderful way. Interestingly, this revelation of his divinity does not diminish or destroy Jesus's humanity in any way but it is precisely through and out of Jesus's humanity that the divine light shines forth! In our life, too, grace does not lessen our humanity but rather it elevates, enlightens, and glorifies it.

Lent 1st Sunday: Jesus begins his Rescue Mission

As Adam was driven into the wilderness because of sin, so Christ goes out into the desert wilderness to rescue us from our exile.

A Reflection on Lent

Homily from Ash Wednesday 2025.