Father Matthew Wiering Podcast

Epiphany: What the Magi Teach Us about our Journey of Faith

The identity of these Magi "from the East" is very mysterious, but what we know for sure is that they were seekers, looking for God. Once they recognize Him in the sign of the Star, they take action, making the long and difficult journey to Israel. Losing sight of the Star, instead of succumbing to discouragement they seek out the direction that they need. Soon the Star reappears, and they "rejoice with great joy". Upon finding the Christ, they worship him and offer gifts in sacrifice. Finally, they start back for their home country, but they do so as changed men. Now themselves are lights who will lead others to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. How much do these Magi have to teach us about our own journey of faith!

Holy Family 2023: Not Understanding but Believing

Today's first and second readings for the Feast of the Holy Family have to do with the person of Abraham, called the "Father of our Faith". God called Abraham to leave his ancestral home and go to the place God had prepared for him. Abraham obediently left but without knowing where he was to go! But he believed that the One asking him to go was trustworthy, and so he went. When God told Abraham that his wife Sarah would conceive and bear a son in her old age, Abraham did not understand how this was possible, yet he believed God. He trusted, even when God told him to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham is the Father of Faith because he believed God, even though he didn't understand. Do we not see the same faith in Mary and Joseph? Is not God calling us to believe and  trust Him, even when we do not understand?

Christmas 2023: Babies and Happiness

Whether our heart is tender and sensitive or cold and hardened, we all of love babies. Even the frostiest heart can't help but melt when a sleeping baby is placed in their arms. It is one of the most simple and basic human experiences, but to hold a baby is to experience happiness. At Christmas, this prompts us to ask: Since God chose to make Himself visible (for the first time) as a helpless baby, what does this tell us about God? Does it not tell us that God is revealing Himself to be Happiness itself? And that loving God and being struck with wonder by Him is simply to love humbly my humble Jesus?

Rejoice! The Lord is With You

On this last Sunday of Advent we meditate on the first words that the Archangel Gabriel says to Mary at the Annunciation: "Hail!" "Full of Grace!" "The Lord is with you!"

Recognizing Jesus

In the dialogue between John the Baptist and Pharisees in today's Gospel, John makes a devastating comment regarding the ultra-religious Pharisees. He says, "I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie." It's an astonishing accusation that these most (externally) religious in Judaism would not be able to recognize the One whom they have been awaiting. While the Pharisees are so focused on the following of the Laws, truly they have gotten something seriously since they do not recognize the Giver of the Law when he comes to dwell among them. Would we too not recognize Jesus if he were to walk among us? Do we recognize Jesus when he comes to us in the Eucharist?

A Highway to our Heart (a.k.a. Confession is in the Bible)

The vocation of John the Baptist was to prepare the people for the coming of Christ. How did he prepare the people to receive the Lord? Two ways: He baptized them and had them confess their sins. If we want there to be a highway to our heart, opening the way for God, then we also have to acknowledge our need for God’s mercy through the confession of our sins.

Not Out of Fear but Love

Today Pope Francis said something intriguing about today's Gospel, which features a man who leaves his servants in charge when he is away abroad. He expects that when he arrives back the servants will be doing their assigned tasks and not lazily asleep. Pope Francis said that servants can be obedient to their Master out of fear. Or they can be obedient out of love. This is true for us! We can serve God out of fear or merely out of a sense of obligation. Or we can serve God because we love him. What does God hope for? That when we do out duty -- living our vocation, practicing our faith, serving one another, attending Mass, etc. -- that we do so out of love for God and not out of fear of punishment. Let us pray for this grace as we celebrate this First Sunday of Advent!

Why I’m Thankful for Purgatory

Traditionally, November is the month when the Church emphasizes the importances of praying for the souls of the dead, sometimes referred to as the "Poor Souls" in Purgatory. In recent decades, one hears much less about the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory: Perhaps this is because our modern religious tendency is to immediately canonize anyone who has died and presume an easy judgment for them and a swift and sure entrance into the eternal reward. Or perhaps Catholics are reticent to speak of purgatory because it is one of the most misunderstood teachings of the Church and one that is not supported by most Protestants. Today, on one of the last days of this month of November, I'd like to give my full-hearted support for this teaching of the Church and talk about why we must pray for the souls in purgatory and be so grateful that God has created it in the first place!

The Distressing Disguise of Christ the King

As we come to the end of another liturgical year and conclude our weekly meditation on the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the Church gives us Jesus's parable on the Last Judgment. Jesus brings to the fore the mandate that we have as his followers to perform the Corporal Works of Mercy: Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, care for the sick, etc. But the radically of today's Gospel message lies in the fact that Jesus himself so identifies himself with his beloved poor that he unites himself with them, such that he can say, "Whatever you did (or did not do) for these least ones, you did (or did not do) for me." Imbibing this truth, Mother Teresa would tell her sisters that when they went out to serve the poorest of the poor, they were encountering their Lord "in his distressing disguise." Our conviction that Jesus makes himself truly present at the Mass leads us to seek him there. But when Mass is finished, we must continue to seek him out where we know him to be -- in his poor -- by performing the corporal works of mercy. According to Jesus, our salvation depends on it!

Not Successful but Faithful

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus gives us the parable of the Talents. In it, the Master praises and rewards the servants who make a return on their Master's gift. But they are praised not because they have been "successful", but rather because they responded with faithfulness to their Master. In fact, their success is their fidelity. May we, too, respond with fidelity to all of the grace and spiritual gifts that God is giving us!