Father Matthew Wiering Podcast

Ascension Sunday: Heaven is not in Space

One of the interesting descriptions of Jesus's ascension into heaven is in Luke's account in the Acts of the Apostles where he tells us that "a cloud took him from their sight". Whenever this language of a cloud is used in the Scriptures it is code for an intense manifestation of the Divine Presence. Essentially what the author is telling us it that Jesus went into God. This tells us, literally, what heaven, the "place" to which Jesus ascends, is: Heaven is to be in God. This is good news for us! Where the Head goes, the Body will follow.

You Do It!

Today's 1st reading from the Acts of the Apostles is fascinating on a number of levels. First, we see that the Messianic mission of Jesus to unite the dispersed tribes of Israel is fulfilled with the preaching of the Gospel in Samaria. Second, we see how Jesus fulfills this Messianic mission: He does not do it himself directly but rather through the ministry of the Apostles. Third, how are the Apostles able to do the work of Jesus? He gives them the Holy Spirit through baptism and the laying on of hands (i.e. the Sacrament of Confirmation). This is why, at the beginning of the book of Acts, the Apostles ask Jesus when he's going to restore the Kingdom of Israel, and he says, "You will receive power from on high, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The Priority of a Priest

It's very interesting to see the hierarchy at work in the early Church in the Acts of the Apostles with bishops (a.k.a. the Apostles), priests, and deacons. Interestingly, the decision to order another order of men (the deacons) comes from the unique role of the Apostles, who were also the first bishops and priests. Instead of diving more into the administrative and pastoral work of the Church when problems arise, the appoint (i.e. ordain) other men to do this work so that they can remained focused on prayer and the ministry of the Word. May Bishops and Priests always make prayer and hearing God's word their first priority, so that they can share God's love and Word with the people whom they serve.

Jesus is the Pasture

Today's Gospel on this "Good Shepherd Sunday" is taken from the beginning of the 10th chapter of John's Gospel. There Jesus calls himself the "Good Shepherd" as well as the "gate" for the sheep. The Good Shepherd leads the sheep through Himself in baptism out to the pasture where the sheep are nourished with food and refreshed with drink. Here we see that Jesus is not only the Shepherd leading us to pasture but also the pasture itself: He leads us to Himself and gives us Himself to eat and drink that we may be nourished and refreshed.

Back on the Right Path

In today's Gospel two disciples lose hope in Jesus and leave Jerusalem and walk in the opposite direction. They go astray. Can we relate to these disciples? Disillusioned, disappointed, we too can feel like Jesus has let us down, that he is not the one we thought he was. Losing our hope in him, we too can walk the wrong path and go astray. In today's Gospel we see how Jesus comes to walk with those who are walking away from him, and how he leads them, through the Scriptures and the breaking of the bread to an encounter with Him. The encounter with Jesus moves the disciples to turn around and walk in the right direction again.

Easter 2023: They Went to the One they Thought was Dead

In all four Gospels, it is women who are the first witnesses of the empty tomb and the Resurrected Christ. But they did not go to the tomb believing that they would discover Christ alive, but rather they went to the one they thought was dead. They were sorrowful, disappointed, and hopeless. But they went to the tomb anyway. There is much that we can learn from these women. When we are sorrowful, disappointed, and hopeless, let us go to the One we think is dead, so that He who Lives can encounter us and bring our death back to life.

Palm Sunday: How Will You Respond to Jesus?

There's a shocking contrast between the two Gospels proclaimed at today's Palm Sunday liturgy. In the first, heard right at the beginning of Mass, we hear of the crowd accompanying Jesus as he entered Jerusalem the last time. In reverence towards their Messiah-King, they laid down their cloaks and branches. In amazement of him, they sang, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" But in an extremely short time, the crowd in Jerusalem will receive the same Lord with great hostility, crying out, "Let him be crucified!" We ourselves shout this as we participate in the reading of the Passion account. This Holy Week how will we respond to Jesus, crucified for our sins and out of love for you and me?

Jesus, the Remedy for Spiritual Death

Three times in the Gospels Jesus performs the spectacular miracle of raising from the dead. He raises the little daughter of Jairus, the widow's son at Nain, and, as we hear in today's gospel, Jesus's friend Lazarus. The Fathers of the Church saw these resurrections as Jesus's saving response to the spiritual death that is sin. In the little girl, they saw one who had just began to be touched by sin. In the young man, one who had begun to cling to sin more persistently. And in Lazarus, the powerlessness of one completely overwhelmed in their sins. And for each one, Jesus is the remedy. Let us let him be the remedy for our own sin this Lent!

The Man Born Blind is You and Me

Whenever we are reading from John's Gospel, we have to keep in mind that he is recounting stories from the ministry of Jesus using symbolism to communicate a deeper meaning. In today's Gospel Jesus heals a man born blind. This blindness contracted from birth is a symbol of the spiritual affliction that we also have from the beginning of our human existence: original sin. What is the remedy for this? It is the person of Jesus Himself, who communicates to us the divine life from the Sacraments, beginning with Baptism. This is the remedy for the spiritual blindness caused by sin that allows us to enter into a living relationship with God, who helps us to grow in holiness as we walk with him. Let's thank God (and our parents) for this gift of spiritual rebirth in the Sacrament of Baptism and pray for those who are preparing to receive this magnificent Sacrament.

You and Jesus are Thirsty

Today's Gospel takes place at a well where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman. She has to keep coming back to the well over and over because or her thirst, like she keeps going from man to man searching for something that no one has yet been able to give her. The first thing Jesus does is ask her for a drink. He, too, is thirsty. Ultimately, she thirsts for him who has for her living water for her soul. But he too thirsts for her faith. And mine. And yours. Will we quench the thirst of Jesus today?