Father Matthew Wiering Podcast

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time: Choosing God’s Will instead of My Will

St. Luke introduces the story of Zacchaeus by telling us that Jesus intended to pass through Jericho. But he doesn't pass through. He sees Zacchaeus and stops in his tracks. Jesus's heart goes out to this one "who was lost", and he changes his plans: Instead of passing through Jericho is dines and stays at the home of the repentant chief tax collector. Are we so flexible when God is asks us to change course? When God's will is different than my will, do I give immediate and cheerful assent? Am I willing to allow my plans to change in order to reach out to someone in love? Will I become more like Jesus?

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time: The Importance of the End of our Life

Today St. Paul tells us that his life is poured out like a libation. He has reached the end of his life, and now the race is coming to an end. Another saint whose memorial we celebrated this weekend also ran the race all the way to the end, St. John Paul II. He allowed the world to accompany him as his physical health and appearance declined. May we run the race all the way to the end as these saints have!

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time: What does it mean to ”Pray Always”?

The Gospel writer Luke introduces today's Gospel by telling us that in it Jesus is communicating the necessity of "praying always". This is illustrated in dramatic fashion in the first reading when Moses's servants prop his arms up so that he can be "always praying" and the Israelites will win the battle. What does it mean for you and me to "pray always"?

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time: God Blesses Those Who Humble Themselves

Today's first reading features the story of Naaman the Aramean from the 2nd Book of Kings. Rereading this story from the 5th chapter of 2 Kings is well worth the time, as the story is highly symbolic and contains many nuggets of truth. Do we recognize that we are sick (physically or psychologically or morally or spiritually) and cannot help ourselves? Do we have the humility to seek the help that we cannot achieve for ourselves? Do we have the humility to seek Christ's healing in the Sacraments of His Church?

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Does Prayer Change God’s Mind?

Today Jesus tells his disciples that if they have faith "the size of a mustard seed" they could perform miracles, even of commanding a mulberry tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea! In the lives of the saints we see many examples of miracles performed through confident prayer to God -- miracles in the natural world but also the much more important miracles of conversion in the hearts of men. Today we explore what happens when God answers our prayers ... and what happens when he does not ...

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time: What do we Owe the Poor?

Today's Gospel of the Rich Man and Lazarus is a culmination point in a theme that Luke has been developing throughout the Gospel. We finally see the consequences of everything Jesus has been warning us about. Instead of using his money prudentially (by assisting the poor man in his need), the rich man squanders it (by keeping it to himself). Instead of being welcomed by Lazarus into eternal dwellings he find himself in torment. Lazarus, conversely, is welcomed into the bosom of Abraham. Such will be our destiny too if we do not use our "dishonest wealth" wisely by giving it to the poor.

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time: The Perplexing Parable of the Dishonest Steward

If you are confused by today's Gospel, you are in good company! A steward is accused of squandering a rich man's money, and before the steward is fired, he writes off a bunch of the debt owed to his master, and he is commended by his master for doing so. This makes very little sense, until we realize that we are the subject of this parable -- our wealth, which is merely "on loan" to us until we die, we can either squander by using it just for ourselves or we can make friends with it by giving it away -- and these friendships, unlike the wealth, will last into eternal life.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time: The Prodigal Son: Which Brother are We?

In today's Gospel, Jesus responds to the Pharisee's accusation that he is too chummy with tax collectors and sinners by giving the moving parable of the Prodigal Son. In it two sons are juxtaposed -- one son's sins against his father are public and obvious (similar to the tax collectors and sinners) and one son's sins of the heart are more hidden but no less serious (like the Pharisees and scribes). What is the similarity and what is the difference between the two son? Both sons are sinners, and only one son repents. Which son will we be?

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Put Jesus First

In today's Gospel Jesus has a shocking message for us: If you want to be his disciple, he must "hate" his parents and spouse and children and everyone else and also himself. While Jesus is clearly using the Semitic rhetorical technique that we would call "hyperbole", what does Jesus mean by this? 

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Are We Friends with the Poor?

In today's Gospel on humility, Jesus indicates a remedy for pride, which is choosing to associate ourselves only with those who can offer some kind of "return" on our investment in them--people who have connections or influence or benefit us in some way, or people whose company we enjoy. But Jesus tells us today to have friends who do not provide us this "return", but rather cannot give us anything back because of their poverty and neediness. Do we have friends who are poor? This is what Jesus invites us to consider today.