Unpacking the Mass with Keith Nestor

Episode: 4th Sunday in Lent—Year A
Date: March 11, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Keith Nestor explores the theme of “being chosen” through the lens of the Mass readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year A). He reflects on how God’s way of choosing is radically different from humanity’s, focusing not on outward appearance or worldly standards but on the heart and God’s own purposes. Keith encourages listeners to embrace both the joys and sufferings of their lives as ways God may be seeking to reveal His glory—ultimately calling us to respond faithfully to God’s choices, whether they resemble David’s anointing as king or the sufferings of the man born blind.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Desire to Be Chosen

• Opening Stories about Being Chosen
  • Keith shares personal memories of being chosen last in games as a child and anxiety around being selected, connecting this universal human desire for acceptance and validation to the deeper spiritual question of how God chooses us (00:40).

"There's always anxiety around being chosen, isn't there?...We assign value to ourselves based on what other people choose us for." —Keith (02:04)

2. God’s Choice vs. the World’s Choice (1 Samuel 16)

• The Anointing of David
  • Keith unpacks the story of Samuel anointing David, noting how God bypasses Jesse’s elder, obvious sons and chooses the least likely candidate.
  • Emphasizes: God looks at the heart, not outward appearances. (08:08)

"The world may pass you by, but God just might have a plan for you that the world would say you could never do." —Keith (18:05)

• Implication:
  • God’s choice is not about accolades or qualifications we—or others—see, but about the openness of our hearts and God’s unique plan.

3. Preparing to Be Chosen: Our Role

• Heart Matters
  • We can prepare to be “chosen” by working on our hearts, developing faith and holiness, rather than depending on worldly strengths or status (19:25).

"If you want to be chosen by God for something amazing, then work on your heart or let him work on your heart. It is not completely arbitrary." —Keith (20:18)

• Non-Perfection
  • Acknowledges that even the chosen—like David—fail, but willingness and openness to God's will are key.

4. Chosen for Suffering: The Man Born Blind (John 9)

• Rethinking Calamity and Suffering
  • The narrative of the man born blind is not about punishment for sin but about making God’s works manifest (23:00).
  • Challenges the assumption that suffering means someone did something to deserve it.

"What kind of way to look at the world is that? And yet I think sometimes we can fall into that trap, can't we, my friends?" —Keith (27:55)

• Jesus’ View:

  • Suffering can be a stage for God’s glory; not all hardships are results of sin or mistakes.

• Personal and Communal Relevance:

  • Keith invites listeners to consider how we sometimes rationalize away involvement with others’ suffering by blaming their choices.
  • Links St. Paul’s exhortation from Ephesians 5 (second reading) to "walk as children of light" as a call to recognize and respond to God’s choices—even when painful or misunderstood (33:12).

5. God’s Glory in the Unexpected

• Choosing to Respond to God’s Choice
  • Whatever role or suffering we are given, we must choose our response—either by embracing it for God’s glory or lamenting it as mere misfortune (37:30).
  • Uses the analogy of the blind man meeting Jesus and being healed: Would you trade years of blindness for an encounter with Christ? Likely not, given its eternal implications.

6. The Question of Purpose in Suffering

• Story of Sacrificial Love
  • Keith recounts the story of a father who died rescuing his son from a septic tank, highlighting how suffering can have deep meaning if it is tied to love and salvation (47:42).
• God’s Choice for Christ’s Suffering
  • Draws a direct line to the crucifixion: God’s “choice” for His Son was one of suffering—chosen for the sake of our salvation (51:53).

"Who sinned that this man might be crucified? Answer: all of us. But that was chosen that God might be glorified and that we might be saved." —Keith (52:24)

7. Embracing Freedom and Healing in purpose

• Meaning Makes Suffering Endurable
  • Suffering becomes bearable when it has a purpose, particularly when it can bring glory to God and deepen our relationship with Jesus (53:40).

"You can endure all kinds of suffering if you understand that there's a purpose behind it, if there's a good behind it. But if there’s just nothing there, then it’s tough to endure." —Keith (54:09)

8. Final Exhortation: Don’t Reject God’s Choice

• Mutual Choice:
  • God’s choice of us prompts us to likewise make choices for Him.
  • Suffering or elevation, both can be opportunities to give glory to God and encounter Jesus in a profound way (56:00).

"Offer up your choice, God’s choice, for His purposes, and not only will you find healing and meaning, but you’ll have an encounter with Jesus that you never would have had before. And that’s worth any suffering." —Keith (57:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "God does not judge based on physical appearances. What does He judge? He judges the heart. Isn't that amazing? He doesn’t pick based on what the world says." (Keith, 18:40)
• "Do not reject God’s choice for your life. What has God chosen for you? ...There are some things in life God chooses us for that at the time, maybe even for a long time, we don’t get." (Keith, 40:50)
• "If you were blind, you would have no guilt. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains." (Jesus, referenced at 54:50)
• "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted...You might not see that comfort on this side of the earth, but when you stand with Jesus and he comforts you …He will do that for you, but we’ve got to respond to his choice by choosing him as well." (Keith, 58:13)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:40 — Personal stories about being chosen and the universal need for acceptance.
• 08:08 — Reading and reflection on 1 Samuel 16 (David’s anointing).
• 18:05 — The deeper meaning of God’s choice; the heart, not appearances.
• 23:00 — The healing of the man born blind: suffering as a platform for God’s glory.
• 33:12 — Ephesians 5 and living as children of light; connecting suffering and God’s purpose.
• 37:30 — Exploring our response to God’s choices — both positive and painful.
• 47:42 — Story of sacrificial love: meaning in suffering.
• 51:53 — Parallels to Christ’s suffering as God’s redemptive choice.
• 54:09 — The comfort and freedom in recognizing purpose behind pain.
• 57:08 — Closing exhortation to embrace both God's plan and our own free response.

Episode Takeaways

• God’s choices for us may not align with worldly values or expectations, but they are tailor-made for our hearts and His glory.
• Both honor and suffering can be a form of being “chosen” by God.
• Our calling is to respond to God’s choice: by preparing our hearts, trusting Him amid suffering, and living in the freedom and purpose He offers.
• Moments of suffering, when accepted as part of God’s plan, can enable us to encounter Jesus and bring about greater good than we could ever imagine.

For additional study:

• 1 Samuel 16:1-13 (David’s Anointing)
• Ephesians 5:8-14 (“Walk as children of light…”)
• John 9:1-41 (Healing of the man born blind)

Unpacking the Mass is available weekly on Keith’s YouTube channel and podcast feeds. Consider sharing with friends or family preparing for Mass this Lent.