Father Matthew Wiering Podcast

11/27/16: 1st Sunday of Advent: 2 Things We Can Do to Live Advent Intentionally

Advent is easily left to the wayside because of our busy-ness and because of the way we tend to anticipate Christmas in our culture. Here are two concrete things we can do to live Advent intentionally this year and not just let it blow by us!

11/20/16: Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe: A Most Unlikely King!

In today's Gospel passage, a most unlikely image of our king appears: not one who has everything that we spend so much time and energy striving for--heath, weath, power, popularity, pleasure--but one who dies in poverty and embarrassment. Yet a thief who is crucified next him sees in him his Lord and King. And so have men and women across the centuries, including the 14 year-old newly canonized St. Jose Sanchez del Rio, who, right before being executed, shouted, "Viva Cristo Rey!" "Long live, Christ the King!"

11/13/16: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Jesus's Comforting, End-of-the-World Message

At the end of the church year we always hear from the apocalyptic texts of the Scriptures. Today we hear from the prophet Malachi and from the Gospel of Luke where Jesus is talking about the end times. What does God want us to feel when we hear these readings? Does He want us to be afraid? In today's homily I explain why I believe God wants us to be comforted by Jesus's end-of-the-world message.

11/6/16: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Why There is not Human Marriage in Heaven (Spoiler Alert: It's Good News)

In today's Gospel, Jesus says that in "this age" people marry and are given in marriage. But in the "coming age" no one will marry or be given in marriage. Why this is GOOD news!

11/1/16: Solemnity of All Saints: The Three Reasons We Have Devotion to the Saints

The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council reminded us of the three reasons we have devotion to the saints: intercession, example, and friendship. Befriend a saint today!

10/30/16: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time: How does Jesus Seek and Save the Lost Today?

At the end of today's moving Gospel of Zacchaeus, Jesus says this: "For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save what was lost." Sometimes we might wonder where God is in our life. Does Jesus continue to seek and save the lost? The lost like me? It is precisely in the Sacraments that we encounter the Risen Jesus who has been seeking us out and desires to save us through this healing encounter.

10/23/16: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Real Relationship Requires Being Real

Are we superficial with God or are we real? When we don't admit that we're wrong, when we don't reconcile with our spouse, what happens? We slide into a superficial relationship. The same thing can happen in our relationship with God when we do not admit our sinfulness, when we do not confess our sins and receive his forgiveness.

10/16/16: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Being Persistent in Prayer

In today's Gospel we encounter the Persistent Widow. Do we ask--persistently--of God for what we need? Jesus is asking for our faith and PERSISTENCE in our prayers.

10/2/16: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Faith (Trust and Confidence) Only Comes from Relationship

In today's Gospel Jesus talks about faith. We can make the mistake of thinking that faith is simply intellectual--head knowledge. But it's actually heart knowledge. Faith in God is trust and confidence in God and can only come about as the fruit of a relationship. 

9/25/16: 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time: If We Are Open to the Poor, We Are Open to Jesus

Today's challenging Gospel directs us to open our eyes to recognize the poor among us. We will be judged according to how we treat them. (St.) Mother Teresa tells us that the poor are among us here in the United States--not those who are hungry for bread but those who are hungry for love.