The Wise Guys Podcast

The Table Flipping Jesus

Jesus is good at blowing up our assumptions and upending our paradigms. In a consumer society, we have become used to a transactional experience of faith, wherein if we do something, we get something in return. Jesus flipped the tables in the Temple because the Father’s House was no longer a house of prayer but a marketplace for consumers. Are we merely seeking the high of a mountain top experience, or do we seek a deep connection to God?  Listen in as we explore the ways we, too, can fall into the trap of a transactional mindset, as opposed to a relational one.

The Sliver and the Log

Jesus’ teaching about judging others is all about the human tendency to project our own faults onto others. What goes around will always come around, which is why Jesus tells us not to judge but to measure others with mercy. Listen in as we explore why we judge others for the very things we ourselves do, and what to do about it.

When Better isn’t Better

Is progress always good? Just because technology makes some activity more efficient, that doesn’t mean our lives are better. Would it be good for us if AI eliminated our need to do math, write, or even create movies with real actors? Would I experience the fullness of life if I didn’t have to mow my grass, drive, do my dishes, or vacuum the floor ever again?  Listen in as we explore the subject of progress from a Christian perspective and why work is so good for us.

The Love of Jesus Urges Us On

The greatest challenge we face in the Church today is that there simply aren’t enough people who truly believe in the love that God has for them. It is the love of Christ that urges us on, to quote St. Paul. At the end of the day, nothing else truly matters except to know the depths of God’s love for us. Listen in as we explore the importance of experiencing this love personally and the reasons that many people struggle to believe in it.  

The Holy Trinity and Christian Humanism

Every technological revolution leads to an urgent need to reflect on human dignity. With artificial intelligence exploding across our cultural landscape, the question of human dignity is again front and center in our public debates. As Christians, our understanding of the human person begins in our understanding of who God is and the image of God that we bear. Join us as we explore why artificial intelligence can never be human, and yet, it might lead to a loss of our humanity. Listen in as we explore how our belief in the Holy Trinity is the key to understanding why.  
 
Father Robert Spitzer: “Science and the Evidence of God”

Spirit Fire: The Great Feast of Pentecost

Listen in as we dive into the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives as disciples of Jesus. The Feast of Pentecost is not simply the birthday of the Church and that spring day we wear red at Mass. Pentecost celebrates the dispensation of the New Law of Charity to the world and the anointing of Jesus’ followers as a royal priesthood sent out to reconcile the world to God’s mercy.

The Ascent of the King: How Jesus Takes Time into Eternity

The Ascension of Jesus is an under-celebrated feast of the Church. So, what’s the point? Why does it matter that the Son of God goes back to heaven? Listen in as we explore this amazing mystery of our faith. We discuss everything from the restoration of David’s Kingdom to the cosmic mystery of time and eternity, the relationship between heaven and earth, the reality of death, and the means by which we can pass from earth into the eternal realm of God. 

Pope Leo XIV: An American Bridge Builder

In this episode, we share our reactions to the election of our new Pope. Join us as we explore the significance of his chosen name and the historical moment that God has chosen for this humble and hidden Augustinian monk to step into the shoes of the Great Fisherman.

(From) Boyz II Men: The Lazy Lion Syndrome

No, not the band! Here we discuss the challenge of developing morally mature men, especially in a culture that does not hold up Godly standards of masculinity. Listen in as we wrestle, even with a bit of frustration, at the difficulty of raising boys and becoming true men ourselves. A boy becomes a man when he no longer wants to be mothered, either by his own mom or his wife. Personal responsibility, conscientiousness, sacrifice, and service are the key markers of morally mature manhood.

The Soil of Your Heart: Fertile or Fruitless?

The Parable of the Sower teaches us about the differing degrees of receptivity in our hearts to God’s word and grace. In order to bear good fruit in our lives, we need to tend the soil of our hearts and become more receptive to the seeds of divine life Jesus wishes to sow in us. Is your heart impervious to the Word of God? Listen in as we explore the many reasons we might not be able to receive the seeds of the divine Sower.