The Wise Guys Podcast

Miracles are one of the most fascinating parts of Christianity, but what are they for?   In this episode, we explore what miracles actually are, why Jesus performed them, and whether or not miracles have decreased since the time of the Apostles. We also chat about healing Masses, miraculous healings, and the tension between healthy skepticism and genuine openness to God’s power.   This conversation is less about chasing signs and more about understanding what miracles are meant to point us toward. Hint: It's God.

Christians often misunderstand the meaning of "peace". Too often, it gets reduced to “just be nice” or “never fight back”—but that’s not what Jesus taught, and it’s not what the Church believes. In this episode of Wise Guys Podcast, we challenge the idea that peace equals passivity. We dig into what Scripture actually says, what the Church teaches about self-defense, and why protecting human dignity requires us to establish and sometimes enforce real boundaries. Peace isn’t about avoiding conflict, it’s about responding to it rightly. ✅ NOTES: During this episode, when addressing Jesus’ prohibition of armed revolution, (turn the other cheek), I failed to mention one obvious point: by turning the other cheek, Jesus tells us to oppose political injustice through non-violent resistance. The three best examples of this are the March on Montgomery, the Solidarity Movement in Poland, and the March for Life. The logic of non-violent resistance does not eliminate the right to self-defense. Rather, it affirms that armed resistance is almost never a morally licit means for resolving political failure. It’s too destabilizing to the commonwealth. The same logic is applied when the state seeks to execute a Christian because of their faith. Non-violent resistance represents the decision to appeal to a higher authority, namely, God. It is not a command to be passive in the face of abuse. -Dr. Michel Therrien

The world is watching the situation with Iran unfold, but how should Catholics respond? In this episode, we dive into the Church’s call for peace, why the Vatican often avoids taking political sides, and what that actually means. We also explore the reality of self-defense, the limits of Just War Theory, and the difficult question: what happens when your enemy doesn't want peace? This isn’t a black-and-white issue, and we don’t pretend it is.

We talk about justice and mercy a lot, but do we actually know what they mean? In this episode, we keep it simple. We define justice and mercy, walk through some real-life examples, and talk about how to actually live them out. Along the way, we also tackle why God's mercy can seem confusing-and why it's not. This is a practical conversation to help you make better decisions in everyday situations. In this episode we discuss: what justice actually means what mercy actually means how they work together rather than against each other how God's mercy reveals His justice, not the absence of it

Most of us think of the resurrection as Jesus simply "coming back to life"...but that's not what actually happened. If you've ever though Easter was just about proving Jesus's power over death...this episode will blow that wide open! In this episode, we dive into the reality of the resurrection. It's not just a cool miracle like Lazarus being raised, but something far more radical. Jesus didn't just return to His old life...He entered into a completely new, glorified existence. And here's the part that changes everything: He did it for us. We talk about what it means that Jesus's resurrected body is transformed, how He opens the door for us to share in His divine life, and why the resurrection isn't just something to celebrate once a year. It's the foundation of the life we're called to live right now.  

"Offer it up" sounds holy...but what if you're not actually ready to? In this episode, we unpack the reality of redemptive suffering and how our relationship with suffering develops over time. Too often, we try to jump to the language of the saints without first going through the necessary stages of growth. Like St. Paul, when he said in Colossians 1:24, "...I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions..." He could only say that after years of following Christ and growing in holiness. We talk about: Why it's okay if you're not "rejoicing" in suffering yet The stages of spiritual maturity in suffering What it really means to unite your suffering to Christ Wherever you are in your journey, God is working! Happy Triduum!

In this episode we dive into our experience of embracing the three Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. What’s the point of these disciplines? Do they make us more worthy of God’s love or do they make us more capable of receiving the love God already has for us? Duh. But how we frame these practices for ourselves makes all the difference between a performative experience of penance and a transformative one. Join us as we discuss the highs and lows of Lenten disciplines and also make fun of Scott’s gut!

Is that perfection even possible? It is, but we must also have a proper understanding of what Jesus means by this. Join us as we discuss this rather challenging teaching and learn the difference between a human understanding of perfection and Jesus’ understanding. Perfection is possible but only if we first learn to receive from the Father of all goodness.

St. Paul describes a struggle that we all have—doing the very thing we hate or know we shouldn’t do (Romans 7). He describes a war that goes on between our conscience and the desires of our flesh for earthly pleasure. Join us as we explore this all-too-common challenge we face as human beings. Together we lay out our own personal challenges and discuss how Lent helps us overcome our divided hearts through the grace of Christ.

Four great traps capture our hearts today: consumerism, identity politics, idealism, and the victim mindset. Join us as we discuss how our culture holds our spirit captive and what we can do about it as followers of Jesus. Christ can never be held captive, which is why we his followers can be free even with so many ways for our souls to be ensnared.

These two phrases from Scripture—in both the Old and New Testaments—can leave a deeply negative impression on the people of God. Is God wrathful and does He want us to live in fear of Him? Join us as we delve deeply into the meaning of these phrases and discover why they do not mean what we might think they do.

We’ve needed a speech like Marco Rubio recently gave in Munich (2-14-26) for a long time now.  As a faithful Catholic of Cuban dissent, the perspective he laid out on the past and future of Western Civilization is critical and urgent. This speech may turn out to be one of the most historic of the 21st century—perhaps, rivaling Ronald Reagan’s “Tear Down this Wall” speech in 1987 at the Berlin Wall. Join us as we discuss why, as people of faith, it is imperative to support Rubio’s call to reclaim (and not feel ashamed of) our western political, religious, and cultural heritage.   Notes from Dr. Therrien: “My apologies for saying ‘the Far East’ when I meant ‘the Middle East.’” “By using the word ‘reparation’ it is not meant in any way to mean paying out money to ancestors of enslaved people.”

In our utilitarian and functionalist world, we have lost the sense of wonder. This makes it extremely difficult to face reality, encounter God, and appreciate all the beauty and blessings that surround us. Listen in as we discuss the importance of wonder and our human capacity to appreciate what is truly given and present to us in any moment. Wonder is a contemplative exercise, which is uniquely personal and truly life giving. Without it, we can never truly know God or find happiness.

The web is filled these days with doomsday scenarios about the future of employment. There’s no doubt that big changes are ahead and that the world of work will shift. Sadly, many tech giants don’t appreciate what humans are and what essentially makes us different than computers or machines. Listen in as we explore what possibilities might be on the horizon once AI and robots take over the jobs humans never did before industrialization and never really liked anyhow. The future might be brighter than we think, especially if we take this moment to re-learn what it means to be made in the image of God.

Have you ever wondered what wisdom is? The world seems to lack it. Yet the Old Testament has entire books dedicated to this mysterious attribute of God. Scripture tells us that we should pursue wisdom if we want to live a Godly life.  But what does that even mean? Join us as we delve into the Book of Wisdom and Sirach and seek answers about this gift of the Holy Spirit and deeply spiritual mystery of our faith.

The Church is a treasury of wisdom on the importance of formation for our lives as disciples. Unfortunately, many Catholics never receive the formation they need to mature into the disciples they are called to be. Join us as we delve into the nature of formation, why we need it, and where we should receive it.

One of the challenges we face in parishes is a lack of inspiration among parishioners that translates into low attendance at parishes programs, like Preambula’s. Why is it so difficult to get people to step into new growth opportunities at the parish? Most formation programs are half filled with the same people that show up for everything. Join us as we explore some of the underlying reasons for this general lack of engagement.

During the Christmas season we drink deeply from the First Letter of St. John wherein the beloved disciple leaves us no room for lukewarm discipleship. John is clear that we cannot compromise with the spirit of this world. We either abide fully in the love of Jesus, or we don’t. Listen in as we explore what this really means for us, especially when it comes to the two-fold command to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves.

At the beginning of a new year, it’s always a good idea to take stalk of ourselves and discern what needs our attention in the year ahead. Resolutions do not have to be big and audacious. Seldom do those work out anyhow. Listen in as the wise guys take an honest appraisal of our personal growth edges and explore the little disciplines that make personal growth possible.

When the religious sense falls out, holidays become hollow days with lots of work but no joy. The purpose of our holiday traditions is to celebrate a sacred mystery that reminds us of what matters most—who we are and to whom we belong. Listen in as we discuss the purpose of all the holiday get up and the importance of how we celebrate our sacred family traditions.

Advent (like Lent) is a season that teaches us about the amazing ways that Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecy. Christianity is a historical faith, inasmuch as God enters the human story in a specific time and place, as part of an unfolding plan to save us. The historical nature of our faith matters. We do not believe in a series of abstract ideas but in a series of concrete historical events that changed the world, including the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Join us as we explore the historical landscape of Scripture: where it originates, how it came together and why it still matters to us today.

We live in a society that teaches us to hyper fixate on our feelings. Can we think our way out of emotional paralysis though? Not really. Join us as we explore the anecdote to the excessive emotions that paralyze us. Here’s a hint: good action makes for good feelings.

In our culture today, where masculinity can be either eclipsed or exaggerated, guys find it difficult to be vulnerable. This is our experience anyhow. As disciples, Jesus wants more than a guy’s logic and assent to truth. He also wants a man’s heart for the sake of love, but in ways that mirror the Sacred Heart. Join us as we explore the challenges men have with accessing their emotions, why this is, and what Christian men need to do about it.

There’s a reason we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe at the end of the liturgical year. He is truly Lord of all and the perfect form of true authority. His throne is the cross, and He will return to judge the nations according to the measure of his example. Join us as we explore why within our current geo-political environment, Jesus’ Kingship over all nations is needed as much as ever.

The Pope recently elevated St. John Nueman to the dignity of Doctor of the Church. One of his most famous contributions to the faith is his explanation for the development of doctrine. Listen in as we discuss this important teaching and apply it to two issues that have been hotly debated for decades—The title of Mary as Co-Redemptrix and the church’s teaching on the death penalty.

During the month of November, the Church commemorates the saints and the faithful departed. The Christian belief in a final judgement and the possibility of heaven, hell, or purgatory after death is still a stumbling block for many. When viewed within a framework of law, it seems like final judgement simply boils down to getting what we have coming to us. But what if there’s more to it than that? Join us as we explore the reality of life after death. Perhaps it’s not that God settles the score, but that we simply attain what we most desire in our heart.

We often see our work as toilsome. TGIF and Monday morning dread are evidence of a culture that misunderstands the nature and dignity of human work. The wrong mindset toward work leaves us either depressed or anxious. Join us as we explore the biblical view of work as a human vocation that images God and brings the satisfaction of peace to the restless human heart.

Join us as we interview Michel’s son-in-law. Tyree grew up in a broken and impoverished household led by the strong faith of his mother. Listen in as he tells the story of how prophetic dreams, Godly mentors, and the grace of Jesus lifted him out of the dark valley of despair and hopelessness into the light of God’s glory.

In this episode we discuss the Church’s teaching on peace and its relationship to the common good. What does true peace require and is it possible to bring a lasting peace to the Holy Land? What will it take to end this age of terrorism in one of the most troubled hot spots in the history of the world?

The Church teaches that we are obliged to inform our conscience. But we are also obliged to obey our conscience even when we are in error about what is right and wrong. Yet when people zealously oppose what is truly good from an erroneous conscience it creates unimaginable moral problems. This is why a proper moral education is so critical. Join us as we explore how this generally unknown teaching helps us understand the polarization we see in our society around so many issues.

Freedom of speech is under assault today. Yet there are also very real problems with the way free speech is exercised. It should be no surprise that the Church has important things to say about this basic civil right. Join us as we delve into this teaching and apply it to the problems we see in our media.

In 1917 Our Lady of Fatima prophesied that, unless we returned to God in faith, the poison of Russia would spread throughout the world. She was referring to the ideology responsible for Communism and Secularism, which today we call Critical Theory. Yet she also predicted that her Immaculate Heart would Triumph in the end. Listen in as we discern what’s happening in the West today. Is God about to liberate us from our own secular Babylon, like he did for ancient Israel through King Cyrus the Great of Persia?

The last several weeks has revealed a dark moment in our nation. A Catholic school Mass shooting, a brutal subway murder, and a political assassination have left everyone stunned and the country reeling. As everyone flocks to their preferred political commentaries and narratives, it provides us an opportunity to look more deeply at the mystery of evil. Join us as we try to make sense out of the multiple factors that may have influenced these tragic and murderous events.

What happens to us when we approach our faith with a performative mindset?  We tend to live our lives to make ourselves worthy in the eyes of God and others. But the other problem is having a minimalist mindset, as though our faith is simply about checking boxes. And of course, there’s those who want to do everything their own way with a certain autonomy. Listen in as we unpack these three mindsets and explore what it means to be in an authentic relationship with Jesus on the road to holiness.

Mass shootings seem, tragically, to be commonplace anymore. Listening to all the commentary in the media is disquieting and also misleading. When we politicize real social problems, we seldom discuss important issues on the level they require and deserve. Listen in as we explore what lies beneath terrible tragedies like the recent Catholic school shooting in Minnesota.

This is always a popular topic! Listen in as we discuss the Church’s teaching about the common good, the rule of law, governance, and obedience to authority. It’s a difficult but very necessary teaching, especially in this age of distrust and radical individualism. Without this important injunction, any social organization will disintegrate.

Fr. Mike is the parochial Vicar of St. James and St. Katharine Drexel parishes in Washington County, PA. Listen in as Fr. Mike unpacks his amazing faith-filled upbringing in rural PA and his powerful vocation story. Fr. Mike is a man of adventure who has never shied away from a good challenge, even if that means giving up everything for Jesus.

We hear much in the media these days about corruption. And lots of it is being exposed. Scripture tells us that the “love of money” is the root of all evil. Join us as we discuss the ways in which the inordinate or unjust pursuit of wealth can corrupt the institutions that support key values such as health, education, politics, and sex.  

Is there a best way to receive Holy Communion? Many have strong opinions about this, and there are arguments on both sides of the debate. Join us as we seek an answer to this contentious issue. Is how we receive our Eucharistic Lord a theological issue or a matter of personal preference? And is there only one way we ought to outwardly express our interior piety? Listen in as we seek to discern Jesus’ heart on this matter.

These are unsettling words from Jesus. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns us not to fall into self-deception. Just because we do many great things for Jesus, it doesn’t mean we are fulfilling the will of the Father. Listen in as we explore the meaning and significance of Jesus’ warning for our lives. Here’s a hint: it's all about the relationship with God and not the pursuit of self-justification and the self-satisfaction that follows.   

Listen in as we explore Tristan Collin’s conversion story on the set of The Chosen. Tristan was invited to be an extra in seasons 3 and 4 of the series. He shares with us how God spoke to him and has since led him on a journey of healing and redemption, a journey that led him to Preambula Group and his participation in The Way and On Fire.  

The story of Job raises big questions about whether God is good and loves us. The story itself never ultimately resolves Job’s dilemma of innocent suffering and God’s providence, except to say that faith is the only proper response to God’s will. Listen in as we explore how the drama of Jesus’ passion and resurrection provides the answer to the riddle of Job’s suffering. The story of Job is really about the story of Jesus who reveals how God vindicates the suffering of the innocent.

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.

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.

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 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.  

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”

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 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. 

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.