Father Matthew Wiering Podcast

Who is the Needy Person right at your Door?

Today's fascinating Gospel is full of symbolism and vivid details that stick with us as we grapple with the meaning of Jesus' story and reflect on its implications for our lives... A rich man lives in lavish luxury, and he does nothing to help the impoverished man who is, literally, lying in his doorway. The rich man did not share with the poor man, and he was judged accordingly. Who is the needy person whom God has put in front of me?!?

Investing for Eternity

Today's Gospel contains one of the strangest and challenging of Jesus's parables. A steward is about to get fired for stealing his Master's money, so he gives his Master's away, and his Master approves of the action! We reflect on this confusing passage and how God is directing us to think of eternity and invest wisely today.

Gazing at Jesus

Today's first reading from the Old Testament is very strange. The people Israel sin against the Lord, and, as a result, serpents invade the land and bite the people, killing many. As a remedy, the Lord directs Moses to make a serpent out of bronze and mount it on a pole; whoever gazes at the bronze snake will be healed. It wasn't until the Passion and Death of Jesus that this mysterious episode was better understood: Just as the people gazed upon the consequence of their sin mounted on a pole, so now, we gaze upon the One who bore the weight of our sin -- "becoming sin" on the Cross as Paul said -- and in gazing at Jesus, we are healed. On this Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, may we appreciate anew this tremendous gift of the forgiveness of our sin and our salvation!

Witnesses of Christ's Gospel: Two New Saints for the Church (and They're Young!)

Today we celebrate this morning's canonization in Rome of new Saints Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati. These saints lived today's Gospel: That to love God first means to have our hearts expand so that we love others as we ought.

God (and People) Love the Humble

Our readings today revolve around the theme of humility, and this gives us the opportunity to reflect on the place of pride in our lives. The question we will focus on today is, "Am I willing to ask for the help that I need?" Am I willing to be vulnerable before others? Our experience (and the Scriptures) tells us that, when we are willing to share our struggles openly and honestly, we are loved more, not less. By God and by the people who care about us.

Summer School: What to do in Spiritual Desolation

In this third and final "Summer School" presentation, we explore how St. Ignatius's "Rules for the Discernment of Spirits" help us to navigate those times when we are in spiritual desolation.
For the text of the Rules, please visit the following link.

God is Fire

Today Jesus's Gospel message challenges us! He tells us that he did not come to bring peace but rather "division", particularly between family members. To understand this difficult teaching, we explore what Jesus means at the beginning of the passage when he says, "I have come to set fire to the earth!" The Scriptures and the Tradition often speak of God as fire, and as we get close to Him, we will experience the effects of fire: illumination, warmth, and purification. The fire is God's love that does not want to leave us in our impurities and attachments but must burn those things away, so that we can belong completely to Him and become the person that He made us to be.

Summer School: Spiritual Consolation and Desolation

In this second talk of three in our series of prayer, we examine the first four rules of St. Ignatius's Rules for the Discernment of Spirits!

Assumption: To Be the Person I've Always Wanted to Be

The dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary tells us not only about the life of Mary but also about herself, who will follow in her footsteps. We, too, will be in heaven body and soul, healed of every impurity and blemish, finally the person that we've always wanted to be and the beautiful creature God created us to be!

What does it mean for Jesus to "Gird his Loins?"

The expression "gird your loins" comes up a number of times, most notably in the account of the Passover. Israel must be ready to be on the move, to get to work, at the moment the Lord commands. It makes sense, then, when Jesus tells his disciples to gird their loins. They too must be vigilant and ready to get to work, waiting for his arrival and command. But for Jesus to gird his loins? This means that the master has become the servant.