Father Matthew Wiering Podcast

A Theology of Wine

After three straight weeks of Jesus telling parables featuring a vineyard and its landowner, we have to explore why vineyards, vines, and wine appear all over the Scriptures from the Old Testament to the New Testament. What are the spiritual lessons that the Lord is trying to teach us?

Astonished by God’s Love

In today's Gospel, as well as the one from last week, we see through the parables Jesus tells that God is inviting into his Kingdom those we would least expect him to invite. Last week we saw how the landowner didn't just want the responsible and industrious laborers who showed up at dawn. He also wanted the ones who didn't roll out of bed until noon or bother to make themselves useful under the end of the day. Today we see how both the religious leaders are invited in the Kingdom (although the refuse) as well as the ones we would least expect: public sinners like prostitutes and corrupt tax collectors. Jesus tells the chief priests that the prostitutes are going to heaven before them! How wonderful it is that Jesus wants to include all in his Kingdom, including those who seem, at least on the outside, the least disposed to it. And how astonished these reformed sinners must feel by God's love and choice of them. May our Church embody this radical inclusion of Jesus, which calls all to experience God's magnificent love and leave behind our former lives of sin.

God Also Wants Lazy People

Hearing today's Gospel, we might feel some injustice as those who worked for ten hours in the vineyard receive the same recompense as only an hour. What amazes me, however, is that the landowner is relentless in his search for workers, which yields both responsible ones who are ready to work at dawn and lazy ones who don't bother to get out of bed most of the day. Obviously the quality of work will be affected. Yet, we learn something about God from this: God loves all of his children and wants all of his children with him in his kingdom and is relentless in his search -- going out at six and nine and noon and three and five -- to track down every one.

What Jesus Wants His Church to be Like

In our Sunday readings over the past month or so we've heard Jesus talk about the church a couple times, which is significant, because they are the only two times that Jesus uses the word "church" in all four Gospels. Zooming out of our readings, he gives us a vision of what he desires his church to be: A Church in which we take responsibility for the material and spiritual needs of its members. A Church in which we are willing to have difficult conversations with each other so long as we do so out of love with the commitment of accompanying each other as we grow in holiness. A Church of mercy, non-violence, and forgiveness. May we accept the grace to be the Church Jesus wants us to be!

What to Do When Someone has Sinned Against Us

In today's Gospel, Jesus gives us practical instruction on how to handle conflict. We must go directly to that person (instead of going to Facebook or gossiping to other people). A closer look at the text allows us to see that Jesus is not just talking about personal conflict but what we must do when our brother or sister in Christ is struggling with sin. We have a responsibility not just for the material needs of the members of the Church but also the spiritual needs. Jesus gives us a blueprint for the responsibility we must take when a fellow Christian is living a sinful life. To "admonish the sinner" is one of the spiritual works of mercy. If we really care for one another in the Church, then we will intervene not only when the bodily needs of our members are concerned but also the spiritual needs.

St. Peter, Pray for Us!

Since the Church has given us two episodes having to do with the Apostle Peter the last two weeks, today we’ll reflect on this important character from the Gospel. His humanity – including his protective love for Jesus, his zeal, his impulsiveness, and his fear – makes him one of the most relatable figures in the early Church. While we see him at times trying to avoid suffering for himself or his master, at the end of his life, and now filled with the Pentecost gift of the Holy Spirit, we see Peter going all the way to crucifixion in order to live a life of loving imitation of Jesus. St. Peter, faithful disciple of our Lord, pray for us!

Christ’s Church is on the March

I’ve always marveled at what Jesus says after he gives Peter the keys to his kingdom. He says “the gates of hell will not prevail against it”. He is talking, of course, about the new Church, founded on the rock of Peter. Often we think of the Church and her mission being on the defensive. But Jesus‘s image that he gives is quite the opposite: The Church is on the march. The light of Christ will seek out and dispel the darkness of the world. There is great comfort in his words, and we must join him on this mission!

The Consistency of the Church’s Teaching on Mary

The Solemnity of the Assumption each year on August 15 gives us the opportunity to reflect on the Church’s rich teaching on our Blessed Mother Mary.

Where is God in the Storm?

In today's Gospel, the disciples are rightfully terrified when their boat is being tossed about by a violent storm at sea. Adding to their angst, they were sent across the sea by Jesus himself, who was not with them in the storm. So where was he? He was praying on the mountain, from a vantage point where he would have been watching the storm, aware of everything that they were going through. At his own time, he walks on the water towards them and, after allowing Peter to walk on the water, calms the storm. Will we recognize that Jesus sees the storms in our own lives and comes to our rescue in his own time?

You are the Light of the World

In today's Feast of the Transfiguration we marvel once again at the weird and wonderful account of Jesus shining like the sun on Mount Tabor with the disciples as witnesses. "I am the Light of the World," Jesus says in John's Gospel. Interestingly, in Matthew's Gospel, we hear Jesus say, "You are the light of the world." So who is it? The light is always the light of Jesus, but as the light of faith increases and grows within us, we begin to be radiant with Christ's light. It's his light shining in us.