Father Matthew Wiering Podcast

We might be surprised by the Gospel reading for the first Sunday of Advent, which has very little to do with the birth of Jesus (the 1st Coming) and everything to do with the Last Judgment (the 2nd Coming). This homily explores how Jesus's dramatic words apply to our lives here and now.

After Pilate asks Jesus if he is a king, Jesus asks Pilate who is the on really asking: Is it he himself or other? In other words, does the question arise from Pilate's heart? Jesus the King is not merely interested in slavish obedience or outward conformity but rather a heart that believes and loves the "King and Center of Hearts."

Today's 2nd reading from the Letter to the Hebrews says this: "Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins." The author is not referring to priests of the New Covenant here but rather the Temple priests who would assist day after day in animal sacrifice being offered in atonement for sin. The point is that the offering of these thousands of animals over the course of many years did not accomplish its stated purpose. Rather, it was only when Jesus Christ, the true high priest, offered himself on the altar of the cross that the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God was finally achieved, once and for all. Now, priests of the New Covenant stand by their altar day after day offering the Mass, which is the re-presentation of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. The Mass transports us back through space and time to the Cross and makes Christ's sacrifice present to us here and now. Why would we ever stay home from Mass?

Often we think of the Mass in terms of our reception of what God has to give us in the Eucharist. What we faith to realize is that the Mass is also the place that we give of ourselves.

A little reflection on friendship and what happens when we are friends with Christ.

The blind man Bartimaeus, sitting and begging outside of the town of Jericho, symbolizes for us someone who suffers spiritual blindness and destitution because of sin. But he also shows us the only remedy: Crying out for the healing touch of Jesus. May we follow his example when we are in need of spiritual healing! And may we encourage others to come to him as well.

At the beginning of today's Gospel the Apostles James and John make a startling demand of Jesus. They say, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." This presumes, of course, that whatever they think is best for them is actually what is best for them. But how does God want us to pray? Like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Father, take this cup away from me; but what I will, but what you will." Jesus is happy when we bring our desires to him, but always with a heart that accepts what he gives -- believing that God's will is best for us -- whether it is what we wanted or not.

In today's Gospel, a young man goes to Jesus and asks him how he can achieve eternal life. Jesus inquires if he is keeping the Commandments, and the young man assures him that he is. The young man is desiring more from his relationship with God. So Jesus looks at him, loves him, and shows him what is lacking in his heart and thus an obstacle to divine life: He is attached to his possessions. If we want an intimate relationship with Jesus, we must not only keep the Commandments and follow the precepts of the Church -- which constitute the foundation of our life with God -- but there must also be nothing in our heart competing with God for first place. When Jesus identifies an attachment in our heart that inhibits our relationship with him, he will attach that attachment with the relentlessness of a jealous lover.

In today's first reading we hear the second creation story (found in Genesis chapter 2), where God creates the man and places him in a beautiful garden surrounded by everything he could possibly need. Yet something was not right. The man was alone. Out of God's merciful love, God responded to the man's need and created for him a helpmate: woman. The story helps us to see the Truth that God did not create us for independence but rather to for dependence: on God and on another. This is why he gives us the great gift of marriage.

In today's readings we have a couple examples of jealousy and factions within the believing community. What is really helpful for us is how Jesus responds to this -- by pointing back to himself. If we keep our eyes on Christ and his love for us we will be able to avoid these pitfalls.