Father Matthew Wiering Podcast

Peace in the Storm

Jesus's calming of the storm at sea is one of the few events in his life that is recorded in all four of the Gospels. This tells us that the memory of this episode lived on in the minds and hearts of the disciples. Amidst so many miracles, why was this one so important? Perhaps it is because it is so relatable. In the midst of the storms of our life, Jesus desires us to keep our eyes on him so that, in trustful surrender, he can be peace in the midst of the storm.

Small, Hidden Acts of Faithfulness

Jesus uses several images to describe the Kingdom of God that involve planting seed. The seed itself is so small and humble. Its looks so insignificant yet contains within itself a generative power. A farmer must be faithful to the humble work of planning, and then he must let God do the rest. How much is this an analogy for our life! Serving God in small and hidden ways, in faithfulness and love, planting the seeds that, with God, can bear great fruit. Such is the Church and such is our lives!

Why We Struggle so much in Relationships

Today's return to the Sundays in Ordinary Time gives us one of the foundational biblical texts: The story of the aftermath of the Fall. While God created the man and the woman in a state of perfect harmony with Himself and with one another, we see how quickly these relationships fall apart when the man and woman commit the original sin. May we be convicted that sin always brings disorder and seek to encounter continually the only One who can heal us from the disorders of our heart, the New Adam, Jesus Christ!

What is the Catholic Mass?

We go back to the basics today on this Corpus Christi Sunday with our Gospel reading from the Last Supper. The Apostles would not have understood Jesus when he took bread and said, "This is my body," and when he took wine and called it "the blood of the new covenant." Yet less than 24 hours later the Apostles would have seen Jesus shed blood and offer his body on the altar of the cross. At every Catholic Mass, which is done in response to Jesus's command, "Do this in memory of me," the Cross and Resurrection is made present again, and grace upon grace is poured upon all who are there for the mystery.

The Most Fulfilling Thing We Can Do

In today's Gospel, in the context of their loving relationship of deep friendship, Jesus invites Peter to make a gift of his life. In this homily from the last Mass with our graduating seniors, we explore what truly satisfies us in life.

Am I Hearing the Holy Spirit or the Evil Spirit?

On this Pentecost Sunday, the Church gives us as a second reading Paul's list of the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, self-control, etc. These are the signs that accompany the Holy Spirit. St. Ignatius of Loyola, in his "Rules for the Discernment of Spirits," gives us something very similar: A basis for how we can tell whether it is the Holy Spirit we are listening to or the Evil Spirit.

Be Joyful and Get to Work!

The Ascension of Jesus is a great mystery, and we realize this as we reflect on the reaction that the disciples have to witnessing their friend and lord Jesus depart from this earth. Instead of being downcast, the Gospels tell us that the disciples were joyful and immediately got to work preaching and witnessing to the Resurrection of Jesus. They understood that Jesus's visible presence was now passing into the Sacraments and, via the Sacraments, into them. May this be our cause for joy and action, too, that Jesus is Risen and we are his witnesses!

What does it mean when the Bible says "God is love"?

There are religions that claim that God loves or does loving things, but it is only Christianity that makes the strange claim that "God is love". In this homily we talk about what this means and apply it to our lives.

On Grapes and Vines (Remaining in Jesus)

Today we celebrate the 1st Communion of a number of our young people, and we have the perfect Gospel to prepare us for this gift. Jesus gives us the very familiar biblical images of grapes and vines, which tell us so much about how we must live in imitation of Jesus (by being willing to be crushed like grapes) and how we have the strength to do this (by remaining on the vine that is Jesus).

The Grace to be a Good Shepherd

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we take a closer look at St. Peter, who gives a fiery speech to the religious authorities in the 1st Reading from the Acts of the Apostles. There is no better example of the transformation that can come from grace than St. Peter, who went from denying even knowing Jesus out of fear to fearlessly witnessing to him in front of those who could imprison or even kill him. At the Last Supper, Jesus says to Peter, "I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brethren." Jesus's prayer remains efficacious today, as we look to the Successor of St. Peter, as the guardian and guarantee of the faith of Jesus.