Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

---

Friends, in this week’s episode of the Word on Fire Show, Matthew Petrusek and I discuss several emerging features of contemporary society that challenge the meaning and purpose of human life—namely, the separation of human sexuality from procreation and AI’s potential to make work optional.

In addition, a listener asks: How can I respond to “God loves me the way I am”?

00:00 | Introduction
01:39 | Bishop Barron’s Christmas season
02:48 | Examining Bret Weinstein’s grim assessment
06:36 | Procreation as a sign of the covenant
09:34 | Why not frame children through the lens of lifestyle choice?
13:23 | The valorization of personal choice
16:31 | What about celibate priests?
17:52 | Work and technology
23:42 | Can AI or robotics truly replace the human genius?
25:48 | Limitations for using AI
28:06 | The necessity of work in giving a gift
30:02 | Why can’t technology help us create heaven on earth now?
33:01 | The active dimension of rest
33:38 | Listener question: How can I respond to “God loves me the way I am”?
37:03 | Join the Word on Fire Institute