The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Ascension
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Faith, pop culture, and headline reflections from Fr. Mike Schmitz.
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4 days ago
When the Best Decision is to “Stay the Course”
“Is God calling me somewhere else?”
Sometimes in our discernment—especially over major life choices, like our vocations—we start second guessing our decisions. Sometimes, we make hasty decisions because we thought we “messed up” our discernment. But most of the time… the best decision is to “stay the course”.
As the scriptures says, “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.”
Today Fr. Mike continues his series on vocational discernment and offers some helpful guidance on how and when to make life-altering choices.
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Mar 9, 2023
Why Belief Alone Isn’t Enough
Have you ever heard someone state, " I believe in God, but I don't believe in prayer?" Is it logical to have an intellectual belief in the existence of God, but not trust in His providence and care?
Today, Fr. Mike challenges us to know God more than just knowing about God and to realize that belief alone is not enough. God is not some cosmic genie who doles out magic wishes but a loving Father who wants to meet us in the intimacy of prayer. Do you believe that?
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Mar 2, 2023
How Do I Know if I Made the Wrong Choice?
Each day of our lives we make countless decisions. Many of them have small consequences, good or bad. But what about the BIG decisions we make, like what career to be in, who to marry, or what vocation to follow?
Today Fr. Mike delves into the four principles surrounding our vocational discernment and what to do if we feel like we've made the "wrong decision" in that area of our lives.
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Feb 23, 2023
When Lent Gets Inconvenient
When you make a Lenten commitment, you're probably not thinking of all of the special circumstances and unforeseen events that are going to make that commitment... inconvenient.
A daily rosary might not be difficult... until that family vacation. Cold showers aren't so bad... until that cold snap. Charitable giving feels great... until finances are tight.
Today, Fr. Mike invites us to let Lent interrupt us. Lent is inconvenient because Love is inconvenient. If we give more this Lent, we'll get more than we ever have before.
Production note: Father's audio had some technical difficulties this week, so please bear with us.
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Feb 16, 2023
4 Reasons Catholics Must Give Alms This Lent
What are alms? Why must we give them? Am I supposed to go broke for Jesus?
Fr. Mike Schmitz encourages us to be charitable this Lent, emphasizing how almsgiving is a foundational part of living the Faith. In being joyful givers, we imitate Christ, who became poor for our sake, and we show our gratitude for God’s grace. These are just a few of the reasons Fr. Mike offers in this video as to why we should exercise almsgiving according to our means.
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Feb 9, 2023
Why Marriage Is NOT a Contract (It’s a Covenant)
For the past 50 years the institution of marriage has been under attack. More and more couples are choosing not to get married with the mindset that, "we don't need a piece of paper to show that we love each other."
And yet, that is not at all what the Catholic Church teaches about this sacrament. Today, Fr. Mike delves into the difference between a contract between two persons and the covenant of marriage that every couple is called to enter into.
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Feb 2, 2023
Are You a “Child of God”?
When we’re baptized, we become adopted sons or daughters of God. We become “children of God”. So… does that mean we aren’t children of God before that? And if we aren’t… what are we?
Today, Fr. Mike explains to us how baptism makes us “partners in the divine nature”, so that we can truly call God our Father.
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Jan 26, 2023
“Why Baptizing Your Baby Is the Most Important Thing You Can Do”
Why does the Catholic Church baptize babies rather than wait until they are older and capable of choosing this sacrament for themselves?
Salvation requires faith, and it can be challenging to understand how an infant accepts the truths of the Catholic Faith at the moment of Baptism.
Today Fr. Mike uses an example from Mark’s Gospel to help us understand how the profession of faith by our parents at the moment of our Baptism prepares us to receive the gift of salvation later in our lives.
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Jan 19, 2023
Pray as You Can, Not As You Can’t
Need more advice on prayer? Fr. Mike has you covered.
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Jan 12, 2023
The Stories We Tell Our Children Have Consequences
Stories matter. We tell them to help us understand the world around us. But what if the stories we tell don't mirror our Catholic morals? What if the lessons that they teach don't agree with our values? Should we keep telling those stories?
Today Fr. Mike wrecks your childhood version of the Little Mermaid and spoils the ending of the real story. Spoiler: It doesn't have a happy ending.
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Jan 5, 2023
If God Loves Everyone, Why Doesn't Everyone Go to Heaven?
"If not everyone is going to heaven, then I don't want to be there." Is this sentiment honorable? Or misguided? Fr. Mike addresses the mystery of heaven and hell and gets to the core of what it means to be with God... or without him.
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Dec 29, 2022
How to Begin with the End in Mind
What do I want to be true about me at the end of this year that is not currently true? At the beginning of this new year, Fr. Mike shares the advice of Stephen Covey: "Begin with the end in mind." Our days are limited and Fr. Mike encourages us to examine who we want to be and to start working towards that now.
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Dec 22, 2022
God Is Asking You to Give Him Everything
How do we give God everything? It's obvious from the stories throughout the Scriptures that God is asking us to give him everything but is He also calling us to "sell everything and give alms to the poor" as he asks of the rich young man?
Today, Fr. Mike helps us make the distinction between the sometimes particular call to "give everything away" and the universal call to give God everything. It is certainly the case that each and every one of us is called to relinquish all that we have and all that we are to God's service and to trust Him with everything.
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Dec 15, 2022
Does God Need Me to Pray for What I Need?
When we are struggling spiritually or experiencing some physical suffering we can find ourselves asking the question; "Is God listening to my prayer?"
Since he already knows what we need before we even ask him, should we just trust in his providence? Is it an either or?
Today, Fr Mike encourages us with examples from scripture to highlight that we ought to both pray for what we need as well as trust that God hears our prayers and will respond according to his good will and pleasure.
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Dec 8, 2022
Give God Your Best Yes (like Mary Did)
"God will never ask you to do more than Mary did." And what did Mary do? She said "yes". Today, on the eve of the celebration of Mary's Immaculate Conception, Fr. Mike wants us to meditate on how we can learn to say "yes" to God from the ultimate example of what a "yes" looks like: Mary, our mother.
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Dec 1, 2022
A Message to Catholic Men
If you or someone you know has benefited from Ascension's free media, would you consider giving a gift of financial support? (https://tinyurl.com/2g7flrnp)
While Ascension is not a non-profit organization, support from Catholics around the world helps us produce this free Media content and reach as many people as possible. Because of the generosity of viewers like you, Ascension is able to secure the resources necessary to continue delivering podcasts and videos that seek to draw Catholics closer to the heart of the Father. Learn more about what Ascension does with the financial support of our audience here: https://tinyurl.com/2g7flrnp
For those of you who are not in the position to give financially at this time, thank you for tuning in, spreading the word, and (most importantly) lifting up Ascension in prayer!
Today Fr. Mike encourages all men watching to consider taking the 90 day journey of Exodus 90. Learn more about Exodus 90 at www.Exodus90.com
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Nov 24, 2022
Prideful? Here’s How to Stop and Be Humble
If you or someone you know has benefited from Ascension's free media, would you consider giving a gift of financial support? (https://tinyurl.com/2z5t6ehd)
While Ascension is not a non-profit organization, support from Catholics around the world helps us produce this free Media content and reach as many people as possible. Because of the generosity of viewers like you, Ascension is able to secure the resources necessary to continue delivering podcasts and videos that seek to draw Catholics closer to the heart of the Father. Learn more about what Ascension does with the financial support of our audience here: https://tinyurl.com/2e267j8e
For those of you who are not in the position to give financially at this time, thank you for tuning in, spreading the word, and (most importantly) lifting up Ascension in prayer!
Today Fr. Mike encourages us to consider pursuing this one antidote in combatting pride and to helping you grow in humility today!
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Nov 17, 2022
A Theology of Working Out
Let's talk about exercise!
Today Fr. Mike challenges us to re-evaluate the way we treat and view our bodies as well as to compare the difference between doing a workout and training whether for a race, competition or towards a goal and that same approach to growing in the spiritual life.
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Nov 10, 2022
Do I Have to Obey My Parents When I’m an Adult, Too?
"Honor thy Father and thy Mother."
We know from our youth that we are called to obey our parents as commanded by the 4th Commandment. But what about once we're grown and out of their home?
Today Fr. Mike doles out some advise for adult children on what obedience and respect for one's parents looks like and what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say about this relationship.
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Nov 3, 2022
Commitment Is Getting Cancelled
You've probably heard the phrase "cancel culture"—the phenomenon where public figures get "cancelled" for something they say or do in an effort to silence them. Well, today, Fr. Mike proposes the existence of a new and rising cancel culture—a culture where we cancel everything.
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Oct 27, 2022
The Right Way to Receive the Precious Blood of Jesus at Holy Mass
We believe as Catholics that at every Mass the simple bread and wine are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus.
But do we need to receive both species, namely the Eucharist and the Precious Blood in order to receive ALL of Jesus?
Today Fr. Mike explains the practice of intinction, dipping the Holy Eucharist into the chalice of the Precious Blood and when it's a bad idea and when it may be appropriate.
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Oct 20, 2022
How to Pray a Novena (the Right Way)
Today Fr. Mike shares with us how to approach praying a novena, whether it be a traditional nine day novena, a 33 day Consecration or even a 54 day Rosary Novena and what pitfalls to avoid when praying this way.
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Oct 13, 2022
Wish You Had Spoken Up? 3 Things You Need Next Time
You're with a group of friends and they start gossiping about another friend; what do you say? You're with a coworker and they take the Lord's name in vain and blaspheme the Catholic Church; how do you respond?
Today Fr. Mike challenges us to speak up for the truth and why you or I might have these three spiritual defects, lacking in wisdom, courage or love.
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Oct 6, 2022
You Can't Take the Cross Out of Your Life
Sometimes when we look at the lives of the Saints we can be tempted to think that God singled them out to suffer more than most. But maybe that suffering is actually a gift...
Today, Fr. Mike shares with us how we must orient our lives towards the cross and keep Christ's passion and death always before us so that when we encounter suffering we will have God's strength to sustain us.
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Sep 29, 2022
Struggling to Share the Gospel? Here's What's Missing
(Today's video/podcast is an excerpt from, "The 99, A New System for Evangelization." To learn more about this amazing resource, visit: https://bit.ly/3E39THU)
Every Christian is called to go into the world and make disciples. But how do we actually do this?
Today, Fr. Mike tells us that before we can live out the mission of the Church, one thing is needed: a personal relationship with Jesus and his Church. Without this relationship, our missionary efforts simply become another well-meaning chore or good deed. Our relationship with Christ gives our works meaning and purpose. It is vital, then, that our missionary identity be rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus and his Church.
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Sep 22, 2022
What Does the Holy Spirit Actually Do? (Superhero Analogy)
(Today's video/podcast is an excerpt from "Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God." To learn more about this amazing resource visit: https://tinyurl.com/2hms5dbe )
What happens when we get baptized? What exactly is the transformative power of the Holy Spirit? One of the best ways to understand this sacrament’s effect is through analogies of superheroes.
Today, Fr. Mike explains the power of baptism by first recognizing what it is not. Because we are fallen creatures, we can’t be Superman, who has all of his powers within him–we need help from the outside. In other words, we need grace. Grace changes us and alters us internally so that when baptized, we aren’t simply putting on a covering but instead fully healing from our original wounds.
Only one superhero, Fr. Mike believes, encompasses the true power of baptism. This hero was good and was made great, just as the Holy Spirit takes us, good sons and daughters of Christ, and makes us great sons and daughters of Christ.
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Sep 15, 2022
What is Purgatory?
We all want to be saints, but the struggle against sin and selfishness can feel overwhelming. There may be days where we might feel satisfied simply making it to purgatory rather than entering the pearly gates. But is this lukewarm path the only way to make it to heaven?
Today Fr. Mike delves into the reality that in this life, we are given every opportunity to prepare our souls for God’s presence. Embracing the sufferings of this moment purifies us the way the refining fire of purgatory would. In this way, we can prepare ourselves in this temporary world to live alongside our Lord in the everlasting world.
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Sep 8, 2022
"Judgmental, Bigoted, Homophobic, Elitist, and Hypocritical" (The World’s Perception of Christians)
(Today's video/podcast is an excerpt from "The 99, A New System for Evangelization." To learn more about this amazing resource visit: https://tinyurl.com/2fwtspve )
One of the most difficult groups to bring the Gospel to right now is young adults. Fr. Mike proposes that it's not a lack of time or interest preventing them from receiving the Good News—it's their perception of Christianity.
How can anyone evangelize in a culture so opposed to Jesus? We need to meet a hurting world where it is at and bring it the only medicine that will heal it.
We'll be doing things a little bit differently on Wednesdays for the next few weeks while Fr. Mike and Ascension work on the Catechism in a Year podcast. If you'd like to learn more about the podcast (and help support our work!) check out http://ascensionpress.com/ciy
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Sep 1, 2022
This One Thing Makes Christianity Different From Every Other Religion
(Today's video/podcast is an excerpt from "Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God." To learn more about this amazing resource visit: https://tinyurl.com/2gscjojo )
Is Jesus who He says He is? How do we know he's not a liar or a lunatic?
Today, Fr. Mike shares a story from his own life about a time when he was taking a class on world religions and their belief systems and how a quote from C.S. Lewis changed everything for him about how he came to understand who Jesus truly is.
We'll be doing things a little bit differently for the next few weeks while Fr. Mike and Ascension work on the Catechism in a Year podcast. If you'd like to learn more about the podcast (and help support our work!) check out http://ascensionpress.com/ciy
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Aug 25, 2022
Your Questions About Cremation and Burial: Answered
Can I be cremated? Is it okay to donate my body to science? What about the relics of Saints, they aren't buried in the ground?
Last week, Fr. Mike began our discussion on death and burial, especially when it comes to the Catholic Church's teaching on "scattering your ashes." Today, he answers some of the most common questions from the comments of that video and delves deeper into why we should listen to our Mother, the Church, when she is instructing and guiding us in these matters.
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Aug 18, 2022
Why Can’t Catholics Scatter Their Ashes?
What is a human being? What happens when we die? Why do we visit cemeteries? And why do Catholics bury the dead instead of scattering their ashes?
Today, Fr. Mike connects the dignity of the human person to the dignity of the body in death—and beyond.
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Aug 11, 2022
The Disciples Doubted the Eucharist. Do You?
You may have heard that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, but have you really heard those words? You may have been in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, but have you really seen him in the Eucharist?
Today, Fr. Mike challenges us to take Jesus at His word (John 6:6) and to grow in our faith in His real presence, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist!
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Aug 4, 2022
Saying Goodbye, Starting Over, and Transitioning
Change is always hard. Transitions in life are difficult. Goodbyes are never easy. Endings are rarely joyful. But today, Fr. Mike suggests that beginnings are even more crucial. He encourages us to take 3 steps whenever we start over, and to let each one of ourselves “be a beginner.”
Be patient with yourself.
Don’t freak out.
And be willing to ask for help.
Fr. Mike has way more to say about trusting God, and a great place to start is his book Untroubled by the Unknown: Trusting God in Every Moment (https://tinyurl.com/25xulter). We hope it's a blessing to you!
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Jul 28, 2022
The Shocking Reality of the Eucharist
It's easy to fall into a routine and lose sight of the little miracles all around us. Unfortunately, it is even easy to fall into a routine and lose sight of the greatest miracle of all, happening right in front of us.
Today, Fr. Mike discusses the greatest gift God has ever given man: himself. Christ offered his body at the Last Supper, he sacrificed it on the Cross, and he continues to give himself to us at each and every Mass. Fr. Mike explains the shocking reality of what it means to eat Jesus' body and drink Jesus' blood. This flesh, the Incarnate Word of God, redeemed the world. His body and blood are what save our fallen human nature and they are what give us life. This miracle, occurring each time we go to Mass, gives us an opportunity to partake in redemption, unite with our Savior, and live a sacramental life.
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Jul 21, 2022
Why It's Important to Laugh at Yourself
Do you take yourself too seriously? Are you unwilling to acknowledge your faults and weaknesses to others- or even to yourself?
Today Fr. Mike shares with us some lessons in humility and being willing to laugh at yourself.
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Jul 14, 2022
The Miracle of Confession
Learn more about Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson's Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation: https://tinyurl.com/yhwfakge
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Jul 7, 2022
How Do We Maintain Freedom in America?
As Americans we are known for our celebration of liberty and our focus on "our rights." We even have a landmark statue which embodies this value we hold so dearly. But what if our pursuit of liberty alone isn't enough?
Today Fr. Mike challenges us to take responsibility as citizens of this great nation to pursue a growth in virtue, character and religious faith on which our freedom as a democracy hinges upon.
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Jun 30, 2022
Why You Should Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (+ NEW Podcast)
In response to countless requests, Ascension is launching The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) on January 1, 2023! https://tinyurl.com/29o6p2o4
With this podcast, Catholics will:
Read the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church in 365 days
Understand the essentials of the Catholic Faith and why they matter
See how Church teaching is rooted in Sacred Scripture
Absorb over 2,000 years of Sacred Tradition
Encounter God’s plan of sheer goodness
Transform their relationship with the Church that Christ founded.
If you have ever wanted to understand what it means to be Catholic and allow those truths to shape your life—this podcast is for you! We can’t wait to start this incredible journey with you.
This podcast is free and always will be. It is only because of the generosity of our listeners that we have been able to consider tackling such a monumental project. But, we have limited resources. With funding from generous supporters like you, we can do even more than simply cre…
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Jun 23, 2022
Why Self-Care is Important for Loving Others
Jesus tells in the Gospels, "Love your neighbor as yourself." But what if you struggle to love yourself? How can we pour ourselves out for others if we are not first filled up?
Today, Fr. Mike challenges us properly order our love for others, namely wiling the good of the other by first willing our own good and setting clear boundaries so that we can love more fully.
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Jun 16, 2022
How the Eucharist Changed My Life
Why do less than 30% of Catholics believe in the Real Presence? It seems like many have forgotten that Jesus gave his flesh for the life of the world.
Today, Fr. Mike reminds us of the gift of the Eucharist and shares the way it transformed his own life. It is the heart of our faith, our spiritual nourishment, the bread that we live for, and the teaching worth dying for.
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Jun 9, 2022
Is Judas in Hell?
Is Judas in Hell? The overwhelming consensus over time is that he must be. But has the Church proclaimed that he definitely is? Surprisingly... no. Why?
Jesus teaches us that, while we can evaluate “a tree by its fruits,” it is left to God alone to make a final judgement upon someone’s heart and determine their destination. Everyone has the grace and the opportunity to say “yes” to God. The sobering flipside to this reality is that hell is real—and it’s not something that only really, really bad people choose. “Wide is the road that leads to destruction.”
Today, Fr. Mike invites us to ponder our final destination, and whether or not we are truly doing God’s will.
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Jun 2, 2022
The One Reason You are Not Yet a Saint
Are there things in my life that are incompatible with holiness?
We all wish to be saints—God's people with him forever in heaven. But do we will it? Do we choose it?
Fr. Mike wants you to know that today is the day. This is the moment. There's only one reason you're not a saint yet.
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May 26, 2022
Pray About It? Or Just Do It?
Have you heard the phrase, "Ora et Labora" before? What about the maxim, "Pray as if everything depends on God. And work as if everything depends on you."
Today Fr. Mike breaks down the Benedictine charism of prayer AND work and offers us some food for thought when tempted to fall into fatalism or quietism and remove our will from the equation.
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May 19, 2022
How to Love Someone that is Hard to Love
"Love your neighbor as yourself." We all know the drill. Jesus calls us to love even our enemies. But loving people can be so HARD.
Today Fr. Mike offers us some 3 practical tips and a word of challenge to lean into loving those we find difficult to love and care for.
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May 12, 2022
The Truth Is, You're Spiritually Burnt and Want to Quit
Are you feeling tired and spiritually exhausted? Do you feel like throwing in the towel on everything?
Today Fr. Mike offers us a way to evaluate our spiritual practices, service, and prayer based on our relationship, identity, and mission (RIM) to know what we can remove and keep from our Catholic spiritual life.
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May 5, 2022
Does God Have a Love Language?
Most of us are familiar with the 5 Love Languages; gift-giving acts of service, physical touch, words of affirmation, and quality time. But which of these is how God gives and receives love?
Today Fr. Mike shares with us how God often loves us not in the way we might expect or prefer but in the way that most draws us into union with him.
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Apr 28, 2022
Fr. Mike Got a Tattoo?!?
What happened? Did Fr. Mike change his mind on tattoos?
Today Fr. Mike reveals his recent tattoo, why he got it, and why he’s not really happy about it.
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Apr 21, 2022
The True, the Good and the Beautiful: A Lesson in Human Flourishing
Today Fr. Mike unpacks the three Transcendentals; Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, and why and how our hearts can be misled by emotion and feelings at times which distorts these fundamental realities.
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Apr 15, 2022
Fr. Mike and Mark Wahlberg on Father Stu | What "Picking Up Your Cross" Looks Like
Today Fr. Mike had the chance to interview Mark Wahlberg about his amazing new movie, "Father Stu," which follows the incredible true story of Fr. Stuart Long, a "boxer-turned-priest who inspired countless people during his journey from self-destruction to redemption."
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Apr 7, 2022
Father Mike Responds to "General Absolution"
If you're Catholic, you know the drill: we sin, we break our relationship with God, and then he offers us the incomprehensible mercy to restore that relationship with him. You can see this beautiful grace most Saturday afternoons at parishes around the world in the Sacrament of Reconciliation—or, Confession.
But have you heard of "general absolution"? Is it a way to skip the confession line and get "bulk forgiveness"?
Today, Fr. Mike dispels the confusion around general absolution and redirects us to the true source of reconciliation that Christ has given his Church.
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Mar 31, 2022
Will Smith, Vladimir Putin, and When Rules Get Broken
Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. Vladimir Putin and Russia invading Ukraine. COVID ripping through the world. What do these all have in common? The rules get broken.
We all know the rules. The lights turn on. The toilet flushes. We all play nice. But that’s not "how things work". That’s "how things have been working".
Today, Fr. Mike tells you what to do when you get slapped in the face by a broken world.
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Mar 24, 2022
What (Not) to Do with Criticism
When we receive criticism from someone it's easy to think that we can either put up our fists and fight it or let it defeat us. But are those really the only two options?
Today, Fr. Mike walks us through the third option when being criticized and how to receive a negative comment well and with charity.
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Mar 17, 2022
How Long Can You Be Miserable?
Sometimes they're things we don't want to do... but we have to do them anyway. Sometimes you make it through saying, "I'll learn to like it." But what about if you never do?
Today, Fr. Mike gives us a word of encouragement to find joy even in the midst of suffering and to avoid falling into despair or resentment as we walk toward eternity.
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Mar 10, 2022
If Lent Doesn't Make You Feel Good...
Want to know what the #1 goal of Lent is? Believe it or not, we don't have to feel the joy of the season to reach it. Instead, we have to focus on living it!
Today, Fr. Mike challenges us to go beyond performing our works of penance for selfish reasons but instead to model our prayer, fasting. and almsgiving in a way that helps us become more like Jesus.
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Mar 3, 2022
Lent Is a Process—Not an Event
Lent has begun and with it our season of penance and fasting. What are you planning on giving up or adding to your spiritual life?
Today, Fr. Mike helps us understand that Lent is less like a crockpot—which you can set and forge—and more like an ongoing, iterative process that requires our continual discernment about how we are drawing closer to Jesus.
God wants to give you more. How will you respond this Lent?
Order the Lenten Companion today: https://tinyurl.com/yb9vsuva
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Feb 24, 2022
When Attending Mass Virtually Just Doesn’t Cut It
"It’s time to stop watching and start worshiping." - Fr. Mike
Today, Fr. Mike continues part two of his series on worshipping God each Sunday at Mass and why our Sunday obligation is more about our relationship with a loving Father than a rule of Church law alone.
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Feb 17, 2022
God Ain’t Your Grandma (Making God an Idol)
What does God want from us? What does God deserve from us given that he's our creator?
Today, Fr. Mike shows how we can actually turn God into an idol—when we "choose our version of God." This is what happens when we pull God off the shelf when we want him or need him, but put him back on the shelf when we don't. Today, Fr. Mike invites us to ask God what he wants from us.
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Feb 10, 2022
Why Get Married If It Doesn't Exist in Heaven?
Why should you consider getting married, if as Jesus states in Matthew 22:30; "at the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven?"
Today Fr. Mike continues his series dealing with questions related to the vocation of marriage.
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Feb 3, 2022
If God is Good, Why Do We Need to Pray?
Today, Fr. Mike delves into this age old question.
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Jan 27, 2022
What Makes Mary and Joseph's Marriage Different?
As we know, an essential part of the Sacrament of Marriage is entering into the sexual embrace. And yet, our Catholic faith teaches that Mary and Joseph remained lifelong virgins even after they were married. So, how does this make their marriage different?
Today, Fr. Mike unpacks this common question and helps us further understand the beauty and grace of the Sacrament of Marriage.
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Jan 20, 2022
Kids: A Right? A Curse? or a Gift?
For probably the first time in human history, the common perception of children as a gift has been under attack by our culture at large. More and more the world sees kids as an affront to our personal autonomy or the driver of a pending apocalyptic catastrophe.
Today, Fr. Mike weighs in on the "primary goods" of marriage and why we need to re-orient our mindset when it comes to children.
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Jan 13, 2022
What Can You Do When Another Won't Forgive?
You said an unkind word or reacted rashly. You feel terrible because it was directed at someone you love. When you ask for their forgiveness the wound they feel is too raw and they don't accept your apology. What can you do?
Today, Fr. Mike shares a word of challenge and encouragement on how to exercise the virtue of patience and show mercy as you wait to be forgiven.
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Jan 6, 2022
Forgiveness is Not the Same as Reconciliation
Have you ever heard the expression, ‘To err is human; to forgive, divine?’ Surprisingly this well-known phrase does not come from the Bible but a poem by the English poet Alexander Pope.
Today, Fr. Mike shares some great insights into the process of forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration and how God offers all three stages to us in the Sacrament of Confession.
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Dec 30, 2021
Surrendering the Past and Future to Jesus' Lordship and Dominion
Can you believe it's almost a new year!? Are you reflecting on both the suffering and gifts of the past year and also looking to the future and making resolutions for 2022?
Today, Fr. Mike gives us a word of encouragement and challenge to surrender our past brokenness and sin as well as the future blessings and difficulties to the lordship of Jesus Christ!
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Dec 23, 2021
What Did Jesus Actually Look Like?
Have you ever gone to a carnival or fair and had a caricature drawn of yourself? Did it seem to highlight some parts of you but fail to really create a complete picture of who you are?
Today, Fr. Mike explores the nature of Jesus’ true physical appearance, and the spiritual reasons he may appear so diverse in different works of art.
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Dec 16, 2021
What You Do with Your Body Matters (Ascension Cafe, WMF 2015)
In this throwback talk from the 2015 World Meeting of Families, Fr. Mike introduces us to the Theology of the Body and inspires us with a new vision of what it means to have a human form.
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Dec 9, 2021
Understanding the Theology of the Immaculate Conception
Happy Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary! But wait... what is the Immaculate Conception? How does that even work? And why does it matter?
Fr. Mike is glad you asked.
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Dec 2, 2021
The Secret about Sex and Holiness
As St. Thomas Aquinas writes: "As often as a husband and wife enter into the sexual embrace in a state of grace, they are growing in grace and in glory."
Today, Fr. Mike delves into one of the greatest secrets of Catholic morality and the sacrament of Matrimony, namely that when spouses share the marital embrace that they are growing in holiness.
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Nov 25, 2021
How To Receive a Gift Well (in 4 Steps)
Do you know how to receive a gift? It's not as easy as it sounds. It might sound like gift-giving is the lesson to learn, but receiving can be so much more difficult—and just as important.
Today, Fr. Mike gives us 4 steps to successfully receive the gifts all around us.
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Nov 19, 2021
Why Do We Need to Rest from Work on Sundays?
You might have heard that Sunday, as the Sabbath, is a "day of rest." But is that just, like, an honorary title? What does that actually mean for Christians? What should be doing—or not doing—on Sundays? Today, Fr. Mike tells us why Christians are asked to rest from work on Sundays.
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Nov 11, 2021
The “Little Things” Are Actually Most Things
Saint Teresa of Calcutta once said, "We cannot all do great things. But we can do small things with great love." The reality is that most of our lives are made up of seemingly small decisions and yet they do truly matter in how we are to be judged.
Today, Fr. Mike shares how our faithfulness to God in the small daily decisions actually amounts to the sum of our spiritual life and the growth in our holiness.
What does God want this Advent? Simple. He wants you. He wants a personal encounter with you. This year, journey through Advent with "Rejoice! Finding Your Place in the Advent Story," and learn about the places, people, and events that shaped the story of the very first Advent and shape our own lives today: https://tinyurl.com/yz6yy5pz
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Nov 4, 2021
Why Is It So Hard to Forgive Yourself?
As Catholics, we believe in the forgiveness of our sins through the graces of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. But often, even though we are absolved but we can struggle to forgive ourselves for our past faults and failings.
Today, Fr. Mike shares the main reason why we struggle to let go of the past and surrender to God who is our loving Father.
What does God want this Advent? Simple. He wants you. He wants a personal encounter with you. This year, journey through Advent with "Rejoice! Finding Your Place in the Advent Story," and learn about the places, people, and events that shaped the story of the very first Advent and shape our own lives today: https://tinyurl.com/yh2sexdw
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Oct 28, 2021
Do I Have to Go to Mass? Sunday Obligation Explained
Why do we go to Mass every Sunday? Is it because of what we “get out of it”? Is it the way it makes us feel? Is it out of love for God? Or something even deeper and more profound?
Today, Fr. Mike explains the Church’s teaching on Sunday Mass obligation, and why this is the way that God has asked us to worship him.
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Oct 21, 2021
Why Do Jews and Christians Have Different Sabbath Days?
Have you ever wondered why we celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday?
Have you asked yourself, what does Jesus mean when he says, “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them." (Mt 5:17) And why does this new covenant change the Sabbath? "...This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." (Lk. 22:20)
Today, Fr. Mike delves into the scriptural roots of the Sabbath and why we as Catholics celebrate it on Sunday and not Saturday as the Jewish people still do today.
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Oct 14, 2021
Why is Faith a Virtue? Do We Need Faith?
Have you heard the phrase, "never doubt in the darkness what you knew was true in the light?" Do you find yourself intellectually convinced that our faith makes sense but in times of difficulty, struggle to assent to those truths?
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Oct 7, 2021
Why St Thérèse and Her “Little Way” Will Change Your Life
How is it that a young French girl who entered the convent at 15 years old and died at only 24 years old would become a Doctor of the Church? How is it that on her deathbed her own sisters thought her life was so unremarkable that they struggled to write her obituary?
Today, Fr. Mike reflects on how the "Little Way" of St. Thérèse of Lisieux contains a secret to holiness for every modern Catholic.
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Sep 30, 2021
Who Is Influencing You? And Why?
Do you find that you give others too much influence over your mood and emotions? Do you find yourself caught in a cycle of judging all your choices based on what others think about that decision?
Today, Fr. Mike reflects on the role of positive and negative influences in our lives and how to discern if we are giving others too much power over our lives.
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Sep 23, 2021
Turning Annoyances into Blessings
Sometimes the smallest things annoy us the most. Minor inconveniences can easily make us forget to be thankful for all of the gifts God is constantly bestowing upon us. But what if we could find things to be thankful for inside of those small annoyances?
Today, Fr. Mike teaches us the art of uncovering the “backwards blessings” all around us, and how to have “reverse gratitude”.
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Sep 16, 2021
What’s the Point of Religion?
What does God really want from us?
When you look at every religion, Christian or otherwise, you’ll find worship at the heart. No matter who or what our religion is calling us to, we are meant to worship. And even further, the heart of worship is sacrifice. In order to truly love and worship something or someone, we must give something up in return, whether that be time, attention, or material possessions.
Today, Fr. Mike explains what’s at the heart of religion, and how realizing this can strengthen our relationship with God.
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Sep 9, 2021
The Price of Forgiveness
Sometimes saying sorry just isn’t enough.
Chances are that you can remember a time you hurt someone through your actions. Maybe it was just missing something important to them, or letting your words slip to someone else, but whatever you did cost them something. And when your mistakes lead to someone in your life losing something, saying you’re sorry just isn’t enough.
Today, Fr. Mike explains why we have to ask people for forgiveness and not just say we’re sorry.
For more on reconciliation from Fr. Mike—and Fr. Josh Johnson—be sure to check out their Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
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Sep 2, 2021
When You’re Discouraged
It’s not unusual to experience discouragement on the road to holiness, especially when we live in a world that is filled with temptations and persecution. With God on our side, nothing the devil can do will ever prevail over us. However, it’s the moment we become too discouraged to ask God for help that the devil is waiting for. So how can we prevent this from happening?
Today, Fr. Mike explains the root of discouragement in our faith journey, and how to keep leaning on God through that struggle.
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Aug 26, 2021
Is Holy Communion a Right?
Last week, we talked about Holy Communion being a gift and not a right owed to us by God. This may sound like the Church doesn’t want you if you’ve sinned, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The reality is, every one of us is in need of repentance, and there is not one person on this earth who isn’t a sinner. What we need to examine within ourselves is how we can realign our souls back to God and enter a union with him in the Holy Sacrament.
Today, Fr. Mike clarifies some points he made in his last video about Holy Communion, and explains why the Church has always wanted your heart—especially in the midst of sin.
For more from Fr. Mike, check out his new book Are You Saved? The Catholic Understanding of Salvation from his new series The Curious Catholic.
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Aug 19, 2021
Can Someone Be Denied Holy Communion?
Sometimes we can be tricked into thinking that the Holy Communion we receive at Mass every Sunday is somehow owed to us; that we have a right to receive it. However, the Eucharist, which is Jesus Christ’s own body and blood, is a divine gift bestowed upon us by our Heavenly Father. And because it’s a gift, the way we receive it and the state of our souls matter greatly to our relationship with God. Which begs the question: can someone be denied Holy Communion?
Today, Fr. Mike explains whether communion is a gift that can be taken away, and what that means for public figures who openly support practices against the Church, like abortion.
If you or someone you know has had an abortion and is seeking help and healing, visit https://www.rachelsvineyard.org/ for resources and guidance.
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Aug 12, 2021
How to Lose Everything and Still Hope
Many of us have been in situations where we’ve risked losing. It usually happens during childhood, while competing in sports, the arts, or just making small bets and wagers with our friends. But have you ever looked back on those losses and thought they might have been preparing you for the bigger losses we experience in adulthood—the loss of a loved one, a dream job, or a hard breakup?
Today, Fr. Mike explains why it might be necessary to lose sometimes, and how to do it well.
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Jul 29, 2021
Why God Allows Us to Learn from Our Mistakes
God is quick to forgive, and he’s given us the gift of confession so we can return to a relationship with him after sin. But this love he has for us is so great that he never wants us to be caught by sin again, which is why he allows our sins to have consequences. Just like your parents would teach you why something is wrong, God helps us build knowledge of sin and its consequences by letting us experience them. Without learning from our mistakes, we would just keep falling into the same sins, separating us from a relationship with God.
Today, Fr. Mike explains why God lets us learn from our mistakes, and how it shows the depth of his mercy.
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Jul 22, 2021
Why It’s Important to Have Good Friendships
At a glance, you may look at friendship and say it’s not necessary for day-to-day life. It’s just “nice to have.” And the truth is… it’s not necessary. We could certainly live, breathe, and survive without friendship, just like we could live without music or art. But even though we can live without these things, would we want to? Can you picture a life without these things? What if friendships aren’t the meaning of life, but instead give meaning to life?
Today, Fr. Mike explains why friendship is not only important, but it’s vital in living our relationship with Christ.
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Jul 15, 2021
What to Do When You Get Interrupted
An interruption is anything that takes our attention away from our primary task. We may think our days are filled with interruptions: people cutting us off in traffic, a slow internet connection, etc. But in order to truly be interrupted, we have to have a primary task. We live in a world that is constantly trying to distract us, so much so that if we really start to think about what our primary task for today is, we may not be able to come up with one. What if we lived every day with the primary task of strengthening our relationship with Christ, and hedging our way towards eternity in Heaven?
Today, Fr. Mike explains the purpose interruptions have in our lives, and how they can even guide us back to our primary task of reaching Heaven.
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Jul 8, 2021
Why Forgiven Sins Still Have Consequences
We can be 100% confident that when we confess our sins, we receive complete and total forgiveness from God. However, God loves us so much, that he’s allowed the choices we make in life to matter. That means that even when we’ve experienced forgiveness for our actions from God, we may still face the natural consequences for those actions here on earth.
Today, Fr. Mike explains why we still experience some consequences for sins that have been forgiven in confession.
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Jul 1, 2021
The Dangers of Complaining
St. Paul tells us, “Do everything without grumbling,” but even the best-intentioned Christians can fall into a toxic habit of constant complaining. It’s true that sometimes, sharing a complaint can help rectify an unjust situation or call attention to something that needs to change. But when you start fixating on the negative things around you and voicing your critiques or grievances about everything in your life, you imprison yourself in your own personal hell.
Today, Fr. Mike encourages us to ask for God’s grace to break free from the habit of complaining.
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Jun 24, 2021
How to See God in Everything, Everyday (and How to Respond)
“It is good to guard the secret of a king, but gloriously to reveal the works of God, and with fitting honor to acknowledge him.” – Tobit 12:7
How often do you acknowledge the works of God? How often do you recognize what he’s doing in your life? In this passage from Tobit, the Archangel Raphael is encouraging us to pay attention to the works of God—not only in our lives, but in the lives of those around us. He is constantly present, even in our most mundane tasks. But how often do we notice his works, note his presence and goodness, and declare it to the world?
Today, Fr. Mike encourages us to acknowledge the presence of God in our lives through 3 steps: noticing, noting, and declaring.
This is just an introduction to discovering God in your everyday life. To go deeper, check out Danielle Bean’s new book, Whisper: Finding God in the Everyday.
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Jun 17, 2021
Why Christians Shouldn't Cancel People
How should a Christian react to “cancel culture”?
Chances are that if you’ve been on social media or listened to the news in the past year, you’ve heard of “cancel culture.” Cancel culture is that practice of boycotting a person or group of people because of controversial actions or opinions. While it might have a fancy new name, this is nothing new to history. Every time period has had some individuals or practices that society deems as controversial or questionable. But are we supposed to practice this kind of behavior as Christians?
Today, Fr. Mike talks about cancel culture, and how we as Christians are called to respond to it.
If you appreciate the way Ascension unpacks the faith in a bold, thoughtful way, consider helping us produce more content. Your support means the world: https://tinyurl.com/yjhzukb9
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Jun 10, 2021
Going to Confession for the First Time in a Long Time
Learn more about the Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation with Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson.
Confession is a place of never-ending mercy and forgiveness and is one of the most beautiful parts of our Catholic faith. But for many, it can also be a very daunting experience, especially if it’s been a long time since your last confession. Whether it’s the first time you’ve gone in a year, or it’s the first time you’ve gone in your life, God is ready and willing to forgive your sins. All we have to do is let him into our hearts.
Today, Fr. Mike explains how to approach going to confession for the first time in a long time.
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Jun 3, 2021
Are You Your Own Worst Critic?
Why do we keep critics in our lives?
You probably have someone in your life that seems to be on the hunt for anything they can criticize. It might not be a friend, a coworker, or a family member. It might just be yourself.
Today, Fr. Mike explains how to turn your inner critic into your inner coach.
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May 27, 2021
What Is Real Truth?
What is truth?
On this channel, we speak a lot about the teachings of the Church and how our society longs for these truths. But have you ever stopped and asked yourself what truth really is? There can be a lot of long, philosophical, complicated answers to this question, but today we have a simple one: truth can simply be defined as “what is.” In other words, a statement is either true or false depending on how closely it describes reality, or what is. But if truth is centered around reality, are there different truths for different people?
Today, Fr. Mike explains what real truth is.
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May 20, 2021
What Does Surrender Actually Look Like?
What does it mean to say that Jesus is the Lord of your life?
We hear this phrase a lot in the Church, that Jesus is the Lord of our lives, that he has dominion over them. But what does this look like practically? If we just look at the definition, it means surrendering everything we have to God, and giving it to him without hesitation. But how can we truly surrender everything to him without fearing we won’t get it back?
Today, Fr. Mike talks about how we can surrender to God daily.
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May 13, 2021
What Should We Talk to God About? Everything.
Should we really talk to God about everything?
There are a lot of different kinds of prayers (liturgical, litanies, the rosary, the chaplet of divine mercy, etc.), but today Father hones in on mental prayer. Mental prayer—including lectio divina and Ignatius prayer—is about having a conversation with God and inviting him into your mind and your heart. But our minds are messy places, and our hearts are wounded. Should we really be talking to God about all of our thoughts, longings, and desires?
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May 6, 2021
How to Love Your Difficult Parents
The Ten Commandments tell us to “honor thy mother and father”, but what does that really look like? Especially for adult children?
Parents are not perfect, and sometimes they make mistakes that leave us and others wounded. So when God tells us to honor them, what does he mean by that? There’s a certain respect that all are owed simply by their personhood, and then there’s a respect that someone deserves because of their role or position. But what if our parents are dishonorable people? Does this commandment change once we’re adults out of their direct care?
Today, Father Mike explains how we can love difficult parents.
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Apr 29, 2021
When Your S.O. Has a Different Vocation Than You
“You are not an extra in someone else’s vocation story.”
We all know breakups are tough, and most of the time they are occasions of intense sadness and hurt, but what happens when your significant other breaks up with you for the religious life? Do you feel angry that they didn’t realize their vocation sooner, guilty for wanting to be with them, or just sad that you’re not who they’re meant to be with? Reactions to this kind of heartbreak are unpredictable, but the important thing to remember is that you have a vocation of your own, and it’s not any less important than the person entering religious life.
Today, Father Mike shares his story of leaving a relationship to enter the seminary.
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Apr 22, 2021
How to Question Your Faith Well
The Catholic Church loves questions, but are we asking them for the right reasons?
One of our Doctors of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas, is known for asking the hardest questions we have for our faith. His summa is a book full of them, and some of the greatest saints are the ones that asked the hardest questions. Having questions is not an obstacle, but your intentions can make or break your faith.
Today, Father Mike explains how we can question our faith well.
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Apr 15, 2021
The Key to a Happy Death
The key to a happy death is not a long and fulfilled life—it’s a life of gratitude for the time given. Here’s why:
We often forget that this life isn’t owed to us. Every breath we take is a gift from God, who is holding us in existence at this very moment. Once we start to think that this life is owed to us, that in some way we deserve it, we will become ungrateful for the time that is given, even if we’ve lived a long and happy life.
Today, Father Mike explains how to fill your life with gratitude, and how that will prepare you for a happy death.
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Apr 8, 2021
When You Have to Go It Alone
The Wednesday of Holy Week is known to many as “Spy Wednesday”, but it’s also known as the “Day of Aloneness.” The backstory behind this moniker can have a profound impact on the way we live our lives.
There are two people in the Holy Week narrative that experience profound loneliness: Jesus and Judas. There’s an honorable form of aloneness that we feel when we’re doing something we ought to be doing (walking a road that no one else can), but there’s also a sadder form of loneliness that exists when we are doing something we shouldn’t be doing.
Today, Father Mike explains the difference between the aloneness Jesus felt during Holy Week, and what Judas felt.
Ascension is proud to partner with authentically Catholic institutions and organizations committed to spreading the Gospel. Learn more about the sponsor of this video, Ave Maria University: https://tinyurl.com/yhbzmjsy
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Apr 1, 2021
Pray Like Jesus Prayed This Holy Week
During Holy Week, as we contemplate the last hours of Jesus’ life, we get an intimate look at how Jesus prays to his Father.
Starting with our Lord’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, we hear Jesus talking to God the Father about the upcoming moments of his life. He continues to pray through his Passion all the way until his last breath—a model that we as sons and daughters of God can follow as well. But what does Jesus show us about what it means to truly pray “Abba, Father”?
Ascension is proud to partner with authentically Catholic institutions and organizations committed to spreading the Gospel. Learn more about the sponsor of this episode, Ave Maria University. (https://tinyurl.com/yc67p3cj)
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Mar 25, 2021
Turn Your “No, But” into a “Yes, And”
When was the last time you said “yes” to God?
In improv, there’s a practice where participants are encouraged to never respond with “no, but” and to instead offer a “yes, and...” This allows for not only growth in the scene but in the actors as well. Similarly, God is always offering us different “scenes” to get us to sainthood. How are we responding? Turning our “no, but” into a “yes, and” opens our life to Christ’s will, and is the quickest path to sanctification.
Today, Fr. Mike explains how we can practice a better relationship with God by just saying “yes, and...”
Ascension is proud to partner with authentically Catholic institutions and organizations committed to spreading the Gospel. Learn more about the sponsor of this episode, Ave Maria University. (https://tinyurl.com/yc67p3cj)
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Mar 18, 2021
Blaming vs. Taking Responsibility
“Blame keeps us stuck...Taking responsibility gives us the opportunity to move forward.”
In our difficult, fallen world, we are bound to face struggle. Sometimes our natural response to that struggle is to blame other things or people for why it’s happening—even to blame ourselves. While this makes us feel temporarily better because we are justifying our hardship, it also negates the truth of why we experience struggle—and the graces that can come from it.
Today, Fr. Mike explains why it’s always better to take responsibility instead of playing the blame game.
Ascension is proud to partner with authentically Catholic institutions and organizations committed to spreading the Gospel. Learn more about the sponsor of this episode, Ave Maria University. (https://tinyurl.com/yc67p3cj)
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Mar 11, 2021
Why Did God Take On Our Humanity?
Every Christmas we celebrate the fact that Jesus took on our humanity and became one of us. But have we ever asked the question why? Why the Incarnation?
You’re definitely not the first to ask this question, and it’s a valid question. Why would God, an all infinite, perfect, and perfectly whole being come to earth to live as a human, and even die a horrible death on the cross? There is nothing he lacks, nothing he doesn’t know, and nothing he needs from us. So, why did he become man? Fr. Mike aims to answer this question today.
Ascension is proud to partner with authentically Catholic institutions and organizations committed to spreading the Gospel. Learn more about the sponsor of this episode, Ave Maria University. (https://tinyurl.com/yc67p3cj)
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Mar 4, 2021
Does God Need Us to Worship Him?
God is an infinite, perfect, communion of persons, responsible for the intentional creation of everything around us - which begs the question, if God is perfect, why does he need us to worship him? Well, he actually doesn’t. God doesn’t need us to worship him because there is nothing he lacks. Which leads to another question: why do we worship God if he doesn’t need us to? Fr. Mike answers this today, drawing from the earliest books of the Bible.
Ascension is proud to partner with authentically Catholic institutions and organizations committed to spreading the Gospel. Learn more about the sponsor of this episode, Ave Maria University. (https://tinyurl.com/yc67p3cj)
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Feb 25, 2021
Setting Boundaries for Yourself and Others
We often receive the behavior we are willing to tolerate, but what does that mean for our daily interactions?
Communication is the clearest way to let someone know how you are feeling. When meeting with someone who you feel is being rude, we may try to give outward signs of our discomfort, but we can’t guarantee they’ll understand unless we tell them directly. And obviously, this isn’t easy.
There aren’t many people who love confrontation, and even some that do anything they can to avoid it. We’re always so afraid that if we bring up something that we want changed, or share something that’s hurting us, that we’ll destroy that relationship. But more times than not, confronting these things head on and setting these boundaries won’t hurt the relationship but will strengthen it.
This isn’t just relevant for our relationships with other people either - it’s relevant to our relationship with ourselves. How many times have we made personal goals or aspirations but never c…
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Feb 18, 2021
Why Love Is More than a Feeling
What if we were to make all our decisions solely based on how we felt in the moment?
You may be familiar with the four types of love: eros (love of desire), storge (love of affection), philia (love of friendship), and agape (self-giving love). While each of these forms of love are good in their own way, they have to be accounted for correctly.
Eros is the most temporary of all the loves. Feelings and desires are fleeting. So when we try and make decisions that are based on these desires we have, they’re bound to fail before we even make them, just because eros is so fragile. Imagine choosing your spouse, or your vocation, or your profession based on how you felt about it 5 years ago. Would you be happy with the outcome?
Eros has its place in our life, but we need to make sure we’re acknowledging the more important elements, especially when making decisions. Eros is fleeting, but the agape love God has for you isn’t. Focus on the things that last, and attend to the feelings that d…
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Feb 11, 2021
A Martyr for the Faith vs. a Victim of Circumstance
What’s the difference between a victim and a martyr?
A victim is always described as dying “of” or “from” something. But when you describe a martyr, you talk about what they died for. While a victim is hurt by something, a martyr is suffers for something or someone. While a victim is having something happen to them, a martyr is choosing what happens to them by their will.
“...I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” (John 10:17-18)
The word martyr comes from the Greek word for witness. So when we see Jesus in Acts 1 telling his disciples that they are called to be witnesses of the faith, he is also calling them to martyrdom for the sake of spreading the Gospel. The apostles were not victims—they were martyrs, because they lived their lives for Christ until death. This turns their death into the fulfillment of their lives—the crowning achievement—instead of something that defeated them.
While not all…
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Feb 4, 2021
Learning Detachment from Your Stuff
Sometimes the things that we own end up owning us. Detachment prevents this from happening.
You may have heard of the minimalist movement that focuses on only having the things you need, and letting go of the things you don’t. Most people practice this by decluttering their house or storage, like you would if you were cleaning out a closet. But it’s not so much having a lot of stuff that’s the problem: it’s being attached to those things, and letting them have a sense of control over your life.
This can happen with anything we own, from entertainment resources like books or video games, to things like photos, letters from family and friends, or even notes from your favorite theology course. For some reason, our hearts hold on to certain things, even if we haven’t looked at them in years, just in case we need them someday. Maybe it’s because of sentimental value, or because we find joy in them, but most of the time, we keep these things for a sense of security.
There’s not…
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Jan 28, 2021
How to Keep Your Faith Alive and Growing
Why is it easier to fuel our faith at retreats and conferences? Can we have this same fire at home?
You can probably reflect on a certain moment or time period in your life that your faith seemed to flourish more than it ever has. Usually this happens when we go on retreats, mission trips, or faith conferences. But along with these moments of powerful formation comes the decline we experience when they’re over, and we go back home. Why is that?
Retreats offer us an opportunity to encounter our faith away from the distractions of the world. They are designed to make faith the center of our attention, which makes fueling our faith much easier. However, a lot of us don’t have that environment when we go home, and it can be really difficult to continue to keep that fire alive, especially when we live in a world that is constantly trying to extinguish it.
It comes down to our personal decisions, and how we choose to live. If we know that avoiding certain distractions, relationships, or…
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Jan 21, 2021
Are You Called to Be a Missionary?
Are you called to be a missionary? You may be one already!
Saint Francis Xavier and Saint Therese of Lisieux are co-patrons of missionaries, although they lived very different lives. While St. Francis traveled all over the world proclaiming the gospel of Christ, St. Therese was unable to travel and did what she could in her own town. Both were missionaries in their own right.
Being a missionary isn’t about traveling or living a crazy and unpredictable life. It’s about spreading the word of God to those who need to hear it. So the question is, are you called to be a missionary?
As baptized Christians, we are all called to be missionaries in our own unique way. By living the life God has laid out for us, we can evangelize exactly who God wants us to reach, just by doing our best to live according to his commandments. This is also a part of the universal call to holiness, which not only states that every person is called to be a saint, but also that every person is called to be an apo…
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Jan 14, 2021
“Is This a Sin?”
If you begin to sin but don’t follow all the way through… is it still a sin? It depends.
We’re offered two different scenarios. In one, the person is prevented from sinning due to external factors that make it impractical or impossible to commit the sin they had planned on. In the second scenario, we see someone preparing to sin, but then freely and rationally choosing not to. The first scenario is a sin, but the second is a virtuous act. Why?
Because the second person freely decided not to commit sin, they morally aligned themselves toward the good when they had previously been aimed towards sin. They redirected their will toward God when they could have continued to go against him. In a simpler sense, they were headed down a bad path, but then turned around before making it to their destination.
That being said, while the second person did realign themselves toward virtue, the extent to which they consented to this sin ahead of time may be worth a confession. Even though the pe…
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Jan 7, 2021
What It Truly Means to Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin
What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “Love the sinner, hate the sin”?
To some, maybe it’s something that their parents would say to them when they heard them gossiping. Maybe it’s something you were taught in school, or maybe it’s a phrase you’ve mocked or not taken seriously. But this phrase is synonymous with one of the greatest commandments Jesus gave us: to love our neighbor as ourselves. Here’s where the connection comes in:
We are all sinners. We are all sinners, yet we want the best for ourselves, and we love ourselves enough to want good things for our lives. Just as we want good things for ourselves despite our sinfulness, we should want the best for our brothers and sisters despite their sinfulness.
Sin plagues every human heart. While some may struggle more than others, we are all tempted on a daily basis to turn away from God. To love the sinner and hate the sin is to acknowledge that our brother or sister is constantly being pursued by God. In order…
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Dec 31, 2020
Struggle Is Necessary
It may sound counterintuitive, but choosing the harder path may make our life easier. Here’s why:
When caterpillars go into their cocoons for hibernation, they struggle against the barrier of the cocoon for months on end, trying to get out. It’s only when their wings have developed and they’re strong enough to fly that they are able to break free and escape. If a caterpillar were to somehow get set free from its cocoon before it was strong enough to escape on its own, it wouldn’t be able to fly, and would eventually die.
The same is true in a way for us. When we face struggles in life, they have great potential to make us stronger. Not only do hard things make us stronger, but they prepare us more for harder temptations, trials, and suffering in the future. In a way, we are made more able to handle future struggles because of the little hard choices we make daily.
Some struggles are greater than others, and maybe there are some things that you are constantly trying to avoid bec…
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Dec 25, 2020
If You Think This Year Was Supposed to Be Different
We might have had different plans for this year, but were they really supposed to happen?
We all wonder whether we’re actually following God’s will for us, but the reality is that, unless we are directly going against the Lord in some way, we are doing his will by just living our life. Wherever this year has taken us, whatever it has us doing, is exactly where God wants us to be. This is one of the joys of being a faithful Christian: as long as we are following the laws of the Lord, we can never be outside his will.
This is true even today, as everything we thought we knew about this year was turned on its head. We may have had radically different plans and expectations for where we’d be now, or what we’d be doing, but it wasn’t the will of God. God has us exactly where he wants us, and as long as we remain faithful to him, we’ll follow the path that he’s paved for our lives.
So, what if we’re not following the Lord? This is what the call of repentance is all about: if…
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Dec 17, 2020
The Most Important Part of Any Conversation
It’s those last five minutes of conversation with someone that makes them feel like a number or like a known and loved individual. We’ve all had conversations that makes us feel like the other person doesn’t really care to be talking to us. But we’ve also had conversations that stick with us because the person we talked to made us feel so loved that we can’t help but be uplifted by them.
This is what those last five minutes are all about: making the other person feel wanted, known, and loved. This is true of any relationship; even our relationship with God, in prayer. How are we spending those last five minutes of prayer? Are we letting our minds drift to other things, or are we giving God our full attention?
Jesus gave so much during his time on Earth. Just as he continually gave his time to those around him, we are called to do the same. Use the last five minutes with anyone you’re talking to—including God—to show them what they mean to you and to make them feel worth…
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Dec 10, 2020
Answering Your Questions About Mary and Her Immaculate Conception
Truly loving Mary will never lessen our faith in God, or take attention away from Christ. Here’s why:
The Church has 4 dogmas regarding our Blessed Mother. They are…
Jesus gave Mary to all of us as our Mother during his crucifixion
Mary was immaculately conceived without original sin
Mary was assumed into Heaven after the resurrection of Christ
Mary was a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ
Today’s video is focusing on the second dogma dealing with Mary’s immaculate conception. It’s Mary’s preservation of soul that made it possible for Christ to be conceived in her through the Holy Spirit. So if Mary was able to be saved from original sin, why wasn’t I? The answer is simple: everyone has a role to play in the plan of God, but our role is different from Mary’s.
God gives us everything we need to accomplish the role he’s entrusted to us. We are all born with specific and unique gifts, talents, and graces that make us who we are. There may be a lot of di…
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Dec 3, 2020
When You Don’t Understand the Bible
Oftentimes in Christian media we see what Fr. Mike dubs a “Hallmark” version of following Christ. There’s struggle and hardship, but then God’s grace comes in and cures everything, making everything nearly perfect for the characters in the story. While these types of stories make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, they’re not very realistic. And while God’s grace is essential, it’s not a magic wand that makes everything bad go away.
There are some stories in the Bible that at first glance appear dark, difficult, or just don’t make sense. Even some of the things Christ says to his followers can sound harsh or even scandalous at times. But it’s in these moments of confusion and concern that God wants to teach us something.
This was something that St. Augustine struggled with before his conversion. It wasn’t until after he had accepted the faith and began to intentionally practice it that he realized it’s not God’s word that’s wrong, it's our interpretation of i…
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Nov 26, 2020
The Absolute Necessity of Saying "Thank You"
When was the last time you told God “thank you”?
We live in an extremely hectic world, full of distractions, complaining, and longing for things we don’t have. And while it can be good to look at the things we do have and count up our blessings, how often do we then turn to God and thank him for those gifts?
God is the reason we have anything in this life. Even our very existence day-to-day is a gift. There’s nothing better than thankfulness—and nothing worse than unthankfulness. We can all point out moments in our lives where we failed to be thankful, and it often leads to general feelings of unhappiness. So how do we stop feeling this way? How do we practice thankfulness more?
There’s a simple solution: every morning and evening, ask the Holy Spirit to help you count your blessings, and then thank the Lord for all those gifts.
St. Paul echoes this in his letter to the Thessalonians, saying that we should give thanks in everything we have and everything we are able to do.…
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Nov 19, 2020
Let Yourself Wrestle with God
Have you ever felt like God really wanted you to do something, but you just weren’t ready for it? Maybe it’s a big life change, a relationship, or a vocation, but there’s something holding you back from saying yes to God’s call.
People may be inclined to think that this is a bad thing, and might put themselves down, saying they aren’t open to God’s will in their lives. But what if this back-and-forth with God is the one thing we need to really say yes?
When we wrestle with God, we’re not only engaging in relationship with him, but we’re being truly honest with him. He desires conversation with us, and it’s in wrestling with what God wants for our lives that we conform our hearts to his.
We may think we know God’s vocation for us, or his plan for our life, and that may scare us. But the truth is, we will never really be sure what God wants us to do until he really shows us. We can project sometimes. Right now, all he wants us to do is be his: to dedicate ourselves an…
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Nov 13, 2020
Living Life Through the Lens of Scripture
We all see the world through our own lens. The media we partake of—the news we read, the podcasts we listen to, the videos we watch—shapes that lens. But Fr. Mike says there’s one thing that should be shaping our lens more than anything else: scripture.
Fr. Mike has read The Fulfillment of All Desire by Ralph Martin many times, and one point that Mr. Martin makes that has stuck with Fr. Mike is that every saint had a Biblical worldview. The lens through which they saw the world was the Bible, and that changed everything.
We read, watch, and listen to a lot of things. But what are those books, articles, shows, and podcasts leaving us with? How are they shaping us? Fr. Mike makes sure to only spend time with media that will give him insight, media that’s worth his time. But more and more, perhaps like you, he’s been yearning for more of a Biblical worldview, and that seems to be scarce.
That’s when Father decided to make the change he wanted to see.
In the Bible in a Year pod…
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Nov 5, 2020
The Virtue That Takes Virtue to the Next Level
Fr. Mike introduces us to the virtue that makes other virtues excellent: magnanimity.
If someone asked you what the most essential virtues are, you might say humility, faith, hope, or love. But have you ever heard of the virtue of magnanimity? What this virtue does is it magnifies—or makes greater—other virtues within someone. In other words, it’s to strive for excellence.
This is not to be confused with the vice of pride, which relies on the gifts of oneself without acknowledging any help that may come from another person or even God. Instead, a magnanimous person sees the gifts God has given them and chooses to emphasize them in their life as a way to honor him.
Consequently, every saint must be magnanimous; they must be great for the Lord. Even saints who have the most different and opposite lifestyles become one in the same, purely through their desire to be excellent, not for the sake of themselves, but as a “thank you” to the Lord.
One way to strive for magnanimity is t…
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Oct 29, 2020
Regret vs. Repentance
Fr. Mike talks about how to regret things we’ve done without staying stuck in the past.
Have you ever heard the saying “don’t regret the past, because it’s made you into the person you are today?” Maybe you’ve heard something similar to that, and while there’s truth to this saying, there’s also something that we as Christians should be aware of. Sometimes we make mistakes. We do things we wished we hadn’t. Sometimes, we hurt those we love in the process.
We never want to live in the past—burdened by the mistakes we’ve made—but it’s safe to say that all of us have done things that didn’t make us the people God wants us to be.
There’s a difference between regret and repentance, and it can be best seen when comparing St. Peter to Judas. Both men sinned gravely against the Lord: Peter denying him during the time of his Passion and Judas delivered him to crucifixion. The difference is, where Peter regretted his sins and repented, Judas let his sin consume him.…
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Oct 22, 2020
Why Married Couples Must Be Open to Children
Do you have any “expectations” when you think about marriage?
A lot of us probably think of marriage as broadly the same thing: two people coming together in love to spend the rest of their lives together. But when we start to dive into the specifics of that idea, it’s important to recognize what expectations are of the world, and which are of God.
One of these expectations could be the willingness to have kids. The Church teaches, however, that in the case of sacramental marriage, it is asked and even expected of the couple that they be open to life throughout their marriage. This is why the priest performing the ceremony and marriage prep asks the couple if they are freely, fruitfully, fully, and faithfully entering the sacrament with their spouse.
Unfortunately, our world often tells us that marriage doesn’t need to be open to life. People will even sometimes say it’s selfish and reckless to bring children into a world that is so broken. But the truth of the matter is that…
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Oct 15, 2020
Why You Can’t Put Your Faith in People
Have you ever been shaken by a scandal in the Church?
It’s hard not to have been, especially amidst scandals on a major scale or ones involving people we’ve looked up to and loved. When these things come to light, it’s common for people to start to blame the Church, and—sometimes—to leave their faith. If we feel the need to reexamine our belief in God and the Church because of something someone else did, maybe our faith should have been in God and not a person who’s broken just like us.
We’re incredibly blessed to have such a vast community of Christian believers in our world who strive towards the way of Christ and in many ways dedicate their lives to the service of others. But just because they’re followers of Christ doesn’t mean they’re perfect. As humans we have a natural inclination towards sin that we’ve inherited from the first sin of Adam. And it’s important that we see this for what it is, because if we put our faith in anyone other than our Creator, we…
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Oct 8, 2020
Why Are We So Divided Right Now?
Is it just us, or does the world seem a bit divided right now?
Human beings were not only created with a unique purpose, but also created to live in community. However, there are two things that can disrupt this call: division and distraction. Why these two? Well, distractions are things that take us away from a given task or goal, taking us away from living with a purpose. Likewise, division takes away from living in community with those around us.
The twentieth century brought with it innumerable inventions of distraction: things like television, radio, computers, etc. All of these products are great innovations that have moved us forward in our abilities to create community and showcase our unique strengths, but they’ve also put distraction at our fingertips.
It’s not just technology that has caused distractions either. We can become distracted by virtually anything: chores, work, leisurely activities. But when we’re distracted, we’re held back from the task at hand, and the…
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Oct 1, 2020
Which Is Better? The Rosary vs. The Chaplet
“What if I don’t have time to pray both The Rosary and The Divine Mercy Chaplet?”
Deciding how to spend your time in prayer can be difficult, especially when you’re deciding between two powerhouse prayers like The Rosary and The Chaplet. Let’s look at each of them.
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy was gifted to Saint Faustina during a vision of Jesus. In this vision, he listed 14 promises (https://www.divinemercy.org/elements-...) to those who pray the chaplet. In the chaplet, the prayers revolve around the concepts of mercy and holiness for the whole world, and reflect the prayers and promises we make during the Mass. It’s an extremely powerful prayer for not only our own souls, but the sanctification of the world.
On the other hand, we have The Rosary, which is an act of love toward the Mother of Jesus, who was given to us at the crucifixion. This prayer has been recommended countless times by almost every saint who’s ever lived—and by Mary herself in several apparitions!…
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Sep 24, 2020
Is It Ever Okay to Give Up?
You may have seen the movie Rudy. Its eponymous protagonist is a not-so-athletic college football player who spent years taking hits and practicing with his team, only to see a few moments on the field. Those short moments, however, left him with a tremendous feeling of accomplishment and pride, knowing that he committed to something and saw it through, even when it seemed hopeless.
The question: is that always the right approach? Maybe if Rudy had dedicated that time to learning something he was naturally better at, he could have become an expert in his field. The choice Rudy made was made out of passion: he loved the game to the point of dedicating his college career to it, and not caring if the outcome wasn’t what he had expected.
But what about bigger dreams? The dream of getting married, having kids, getting into a certain religious order, entering into a certain profession? Is there ever a point where you just have to give it up?
There are a few things it’s never okay to give…
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Sep 10, 2020
The Real Answer to Why God Allows Suffering
Playing a video game called Injustice helps Fr. Mike explain the real answer to why God allows suffering.
In Injustice, Superman becomes a totalitarian dictator in his attempt to try and eliminate evil. Batman tries to tell him, in trying to eliminate evil he has ceased to do good, because without the freedom to choose evil, we don’t really have the freedom to choose good either.
Couldn’t God do better than Superman though? Couldn’t he just fix everything by bringing us back to the Garden of Eden? Anyone who is a parent knows that doesn’t work because God’s children—us—would just mess up again.
So what does God actually do? He doesn’t eliminate evil. He draws close to us in the midst of evil. He suffers a painful death. He descends to the depths of hell. He doesn’t take away suffering. He transforms it and redeems it by entering into it. This led St. Paul to say:
“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s…
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Sep 3, 2020
What It’s Really Like to Be a Catholic Speaker
Many people ask Fr. Mike, “How do you become a Catholic speaker?”
The quick answer is “Get baptized and start talking.” Of course this implies that you live out the promises of your baptism. When you do that, people will start asking you to give talks about the Faith.
At least that’s how it worked out for Fr. Mke. The caveat is that being a Catholic speaker is not all that it seems to be. The Faith is not going to spread throughout the world through someone on a stage with a microphone in hand. Christ will redeem the world through relationships, especially family and friendships.
The danger is in thinking that giving talks equals ministry. The Catholic teacher, director of religious education, and volunteer are in the messy relationships that make disciples of Christ one person at a time. We don’t want to become someone who is willing to travel a thousand miles to tell a thousand people about Christ, but isn’t willing to cross one street to tell one person about him.
Jesu…
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Aug 27, 2020
How to Get Real Friends
How many real friends do you have? Honestly, many people we call friends would probably better qualify as pals or buddies. The first step to getting real friends is to recognize how we are all made to be gifts of love. God is love and we were made in his image. We were also made for community, because God is a community of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Living out this love and community as God does requires availability and vulnerability.
By availability we mean “care-free timelessness”, as Catholic evangelist Matthew Kelly calls it.
By vulnerability we mean taking off the mask. This is the really hard part. As a missionary Fr. Mike knows once said, vulnerability is not just transparency. Transparency is letting someone look into the fish bowl. Vulnerability is inviting them into the fishbowl and letting them move things around.
How can we all learn to grow in love, community, availability, and vulnerability so we can become real friends to others and live as the image of God i…
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Aug 20, 2020
If You’re Not Feeling Loved
If you’re not feeling loved by someone you love, take courage in the story of Leah in Genesis.
Jacob, Leah’s husband, did not love her. In fact, what’s even worse, he loved her sister, Rachel, instead. Leah named her first three sons out of her hope and desire for her husband to love her, thinking if she bore him sons he would love him. She named her first “Reuben” which means, “Look, a son,” saying, “Now my husband will love me.” She named her second son “Simeon” which means “listening” because she felt the Lord heard her prayer for Jacob to love her. She named her third son “Levi” which means “joined together” because she believed this time her husband will finally be joined to her.
By the time she had her fourth son, she named him Judah, which means “may God be praised.” She finally stopped trying to make Jacob love her, and instead she let go and let God take over. It’s no coincidence that Jesus would be born from the line of Judah.
Some peop…
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Aug 13, 2020
Freedom from the Fear of Death
Wearing masks, not wearing masks, and all the mixed emotions that have come with the coronavirus reveal that—as a society—we lack freedom from the fear of death.
Maybe you know someone who has died from the virus, or someone who lost their livelihood due to the lockdown. Many are wondering when they can safely go out again, or when they can they go back to Mass.
In fact, the coronavirus is revealing the fear of not just death, but also the fear of loss, uncertainty, and insecurity.
In these strange times, it’s encouraging to remember the one who conquered death. In Hebrews we read:
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15).
In a world without Jesus, death ought to be feared because it is a separation from life and everything good…
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Aug 6, 2020
Believing in a God Who Allows Evil
It may sound foolish to believe in a God who allows evil, tragedy, suffering, and disasters. But God never promised to rid the world of these things. He promised us hope:
“and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).
At some point we are going to experience heartbreak, loss, and suffering. Anyone who thought having faith in God would take away those things in life had the wrong idea of who God is.
Fr. Mike says he has never been disappointed in God, because he knows what promises God did make. God is faithful. He will never break his promises, but he never promised that you would not experience grief. He did promise that in the midst of the pain he will be there. In being there, he will help you to love the giver of peace more than the gift of peace.
Discipleship is a daily cross. God promised trouble, not peace. He encouraged us to take heart in the midst of that trouble, and t…
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Jul 30, 2020
Why Are Some People So Annoying?
We all have pet peeves. We all get annoyed by things that really don’t matter much, whether it’s someone chewing with their mouth open, or someone whispering the Rosary in an Adoration chapel—which are two things that used to be pet peeves for Fr. Mike. But he learned a better way to deal with annoyances.
Why do we get so annoyed by such petty things? It’s because being annoyed is a choice.
Fr. Mike tells a quick story about prisoners of war in Vietnam. They were put in a really small cell where they were so close together they had to sleep touching each other. The prisoners came to an agreement that if they were annoyed by something another prisoner does, the one who is annoyed is the one at fault. This helped them rise about their situation.
There are four possible choices when you’re annoyed:
I can choose to be annoyed. This is not recommended.
I can actively choose to rise above the annoyance and grow in patience.
I can do something about it and let it move me to positive…
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Jul 23, 2020
How Certain Is Your Faith?
Is your faith certain enough to stand up against the doubts and different ideas out there?
Fr. Mike shares insight about certainty from Dr. Montague Brown, professor of philosophy at St. Anselm College, New Hampshire. Dr. Brown says certainty is intellectual belief based off the evidence. It’s not blind belief. Someone with certainty is not going to change their mind without new objective evidence. Many times people change their mind not because of new evidence, but just because of new people in their lives. They’ve simply been exposed to new behavior. This happens to students in college quite often.
Christianity is evidential. It hinges upon an indisputable event, the life and death of Jesus.
If you’re from a small town, you may think the way you were raised is just part of your small town’s way of thinking, and that a well-known university in a big city must have a broader, more enlightened way of thinking. But really, the university is just as subject to its way of thinking…
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Jul 16, 2020
Who You Are vs. Who You’re Called to Be
Fr. Mike recalls the speed math tests he took in second and third grade. He finished them in decent time, but his cousin—who was in the same class—finished them way faster. In fact, his cousin was the fastest in his class. For some reason this led Fr. Mike to believe he simply wasn’t good at math.
When it came to “speak and spell” though, Fr. Mike did really well. This led him to believe he was really good with words. He was acting under the common belief that someone is either good at something or bad at something.
In Carol S. Dweck’s book, Mindset, she speaks of fixed mindsets—like Fr. Mike had— and growth mindsets, which challenge us to grow.
Fr. Mike shares the findings of a study that observed two groups of children. The first group was given tests and were told “You’re really smart” when they finished them. The second group was told “You really worked hard on that.” When the tests got harder, the first group started giving up, but the latter group double…
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Jul 9, 2020
How to Share the Gospel (and How Not To)
If you want to know how to share the gospel, it’s important to have the love and courage to not just give answers and corrections, but to ask questions. It is in asking questions from the heart that you convey true interest in the person’s soul, instead of just trying to convince the person you’re right.
Fr. Mike tells of a time when a student came to him saying he tries to evangelize, but just gets shut down. He tried to tell his good friend that he shouldn’t be over-drinking, and this just made his friend mad. Fr. Mike told this student, that’s not evangelization. That’s correction.
A good friend or pastor, depending on the relationship, may be in a position to offer correction to those they love. But evangelizing is a different conversation. Evangelization is introducing Christ to others.
That’s why Fr. Mike suggests asking questions when trying to introduce Christ to someone, because questions are a natural part of two people getting to know each other. If you are bei…
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Jul 2, 2020
Striving vs. Abiding
In the spiritual life, it’s difficult to know whether striving to do God’s will or just abiding in him is better. But why can’t we do both?
Fr. Mike tells the story of a perpetually active student athlete. His inability to disengage in doing things and just abide in God was a problem, and he knew it.
Fr. Mike advised him, it’s not that abiding is right and striving is wrong. It’s important to do, but it’s important to also know what not to do in order to acquire the goal your living for.
There are many reasons why we choose to commit to activities, whether it’s for fear of missing out, liking being needed, needing to be liked. The list goes on. But if I find myself unable to rest, do I have a clear vision of what I really want out of life?
Being slightly engaged and not knowing what you’re striving for can be more exhausting than being fully engaged while knowing what you’re striving for.
It’s important to know when, where, and how I need rest, to know when to just…
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Jun 25, 2020
Finding Balance in Your Walk with Jesus
Rigidity and laxity are difficult obstacles to avoid when trying to find balance in your faith life.
When we treat Christianity as a project, that leads to rigidity. When we treat Christianity like a projection, that leads to laxity. If you’re just looking at what Christians are supposed to do and then following those instructions, you’re treating your faith like a project and that’s bound to make you rigid. At the other extreme, if you see Jesus as a softy or a buddy who’s going to look the other way when you do the wrong thing, that’s just your projection of who he is. This mentality is bound to make you lax.
How do we escape these two extremes? Here’s an analogy from Fr. Mike. When a pilot gets ready to fly a plane, he has a certain trust that the plane will fly, but he still has to check that everything is working properly before taking off. Also, he still has to check the controls even as he is flying and putting his life in the plane’s hands. There is a symbiotic ba…
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Jun 18, 2020
Make Small Sacrifices for a Big Change
Making small sacrifices is not just for Lent, because sacrifices and penance are necessary. As Christ said:
“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
And this is true all year long. But when Jesus said to deny yourself, he didn’t mean to always go against what you want. Really. He meant there are things I want that will not make me more like him—a lot of things, actually. So following him often means dying to self by denying myself those things.
Mortifications—little deaths to self—make us more like Jesus and can be offered up for the sanctification of the world and others. Mortification can come in many different forms. It’s not always denying yourself something you want. Sometimes it means doing something you don’t want. Sloth or greed can cause us to not do things we should do. Choosing not to be slothful or greedy often means doing something for someone else—and this is a little death to self.
Lov…
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Jun 11, 2020
Family: Your Shortcut to Holiness
Fr. Mike explains how being at home with our family is one of God’s favorite ways to make us holy—if we are honest about the areas where we need to grow in our relationships with family members.
Fr. Mike has observed that college students often have a profound encounter with Jesus through their college’s Catholic community. They find that they are praying more, receiving the sacraments more, participating in more service opportunities, and so on. Then they get back home for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or—in the most recent cases—a lockdown. They realize, in their interactions with their family that they’re not as holy as they thought they were.
Why do we struggle to be loving toward those whom we claim to love the most? It’s harder to love family members sometimes because—Fr. Mike explains—you didn’t get to choose this group, and they can make demands on you.
It’s easy to be generous when it’s on your own terms.
Our relationships with our family can reveal the impa…
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Jun 4, 2020
Special Episode: Reconciling the Body of Christ (with Fr. Josh Johnson)
In today’s special podcast, Fr. Mike Schmitz sits down with Fr. Josh Johnson to discuss racial division in the Church and how Catholics can strive to restore unity in the Body of Christ. Fr. Josh emphasizes that he is not infallible, so it’s okay to disagree with anything he says that doesn’t lead you closer to Christ, but he hopes this conversation bears fruit in your walk with Jesus and within the body of Christ.
Many members of the Church want to know what they can do during these turbulent times. Fr. Josh gives four practical pieces of advice: listen to learn, use specific language when speaking with each other, act as one Body in Christ, and join in the suffering of Jesus to make reparation for others’ sins.
For full shownotes, please go to AscensionPress.com/FrMikePodcast Special Guest: Fr. Josh Johnson.
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May 28, 2020
How to Practice the Presence of God
Throughout the Gospels Jesus says, “Remain in me” or “abide in me,” which—in simplified terms—means whatever you do, invite Jesus along. Ask him to “come with.” This is a way to grow in your relationship with him, but it’s also a smart thing to do because, after all, Jesus said:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
When we ask someone to “come with” or “go with”, as Fr. Mike says they do in Minnesota, we are implying that we enjoy their company and even have a certain kind of love for them. When you love someone, you want them to come with you wherever you go.
But “remain in me” means more than that. It also means gaze upon Jesus, not just at his face in a religious icon—though that could help—but gaze upon him with the interior gaze of the heart. Be aware that he is present. This shouldn’t be burdensome. It’s simple. Spending…
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May 21, 2020
The Benefit of the Doubt
When someone says something hurtful to you, it is wise to give them the benefit of the doubt. What does that mean? It means ask yourself, “Do I firmly believe that this is a person of good will?” If so, is there anything that can help you better understand their behavior?
Give them the benefit of the doubt that they are just tired, or “hangry”, or having a bad day for some reason. Especially in marital relationships, think of how many times your spouse has said hurtful things to you, while you knew that they still loved you.
This is not to excuse hurtful behavior, and not a reason to tolerate being treated poorly, or to endure any kind of abuse. In many cases a person’s actions do reveal their heart. So we’re not talking about those cases. We’re not talking about people who manipulate others intentionally, and those who just willfully do evil. We’re talking about when people of good will just have a bad moment, or momentarily let their vain side get the best of them.
Th…
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May 14, 2020
How Do You Pray with the Bible?
You know you should be praying. But do you ever wish someone would show you how? Fr. Mike starts by showing us how to pray with the Bible with a time-honored method called lectio divina.
For full shownotes, please go to: https://bit.ly/2WYdL5F
Monday, May 18 at 8 PM ET, Father Mike will answer your questions LIVE, for the first time ever on Ascension Presents! Whether your question is about why Catholics do the weird things they do, how you can overcome a specific challenge, or what Father’s favorite meal is, tune into the Ascension Presents YouTube channel to ask Father Mike live! https://bit.ly/2WUs1wp
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May 7, 2020
The Christian Solution to Vanity
Vanity is not what many people think it is. It can come in many forms, and is not necessarily an infatuation with yourself. Vanity is an inordinate preoccupation with what other people think about you—which is different.
It’s important, to an extent, to care what others think about you. It can even be charitable. But when this care becomes unbalanced, it leads to neglecting more important things.
Wanting to be noticed can be vain, but not wanting to be noticed can also be vain. When you shrink back and don’t want anyone to look at you, it can be a form of vanity or false humility; because not wanting to be seen can be an indication that you care an inordinate amount about what people think of you.
Vanity can also cause an unwillingness to share the Faith. Many times we think sharing the gospel will make people think less of us. How many times has the thought of what other people think prevented you from sharing the Faith?
Balance is pertinent in every aspect of vanity, and the be…
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Apr 30, 2020
4 Essentials for Every Catholic
In a previous episode, Fr. Mike said that all Catholics grow in the same “soil” together, but the fruit we bear is unique. But what is this common soil? What are the essentials for every Catholic Christian?
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
So there are four elements in the soil:
Teachings of the Apostles: Magisterial teaching of the Church, Sacred Scripture, and Tradition.
Communal Life (Fellowship): It’s not just me praying to Jesus. We need to share life somehow.
Breaking of the Bread: This refers to the Mass, not just eating together.
Prayer: There are so many ways to pray as a Catholic, and so many awesome prayers. You can pray the Liturgy of the Hours with the Church, or in your own words, or both. But to be in the soil you have to pray. For a great Liturgy of the Hours app, check out iBreviary.
God wants us to flourish in faith, hope, and love for him and for others. He is the one who mak…
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Apr 23, 2020
How to Deal with Your Partner’s Sexual Sin
Fr. Mike talks about how to navigate discussions with your partner about sexual sin—whether it’s pornography, masturbation, or other impurity.
It’s important to realize that sometimes a person doesn’t have a right to know everything about you immediately. Keeping this in mind, at what point does a couple have to be vulnerable about their sexual sins? After two months of dating, maybe six months? It’s quite possible—actually likely—that a person’s sexual sins are the most shameful part of his or her life, so when someone is not exposing those sins—no matter how long the couple has been together—it may just be that the person is not comfortable being that vulnerable with their partner yet.
A person has a right to be hurt and mad if their partner is not revealing their sexual sins, but he or she should also ask if they had a right to that knowledge.
Father Mike asserts that such knowledge doesn’t have to result in the end of the relationship. Once the sin has been re…
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Apr 16, 2020
Have You Mastered the Basics of Your Faith?
Fr. Mike makes the case that, before you claim a certain “style” in practicing the faith, you have to master the basics. He tells a story about when he was learning guitar. The teacher told his students to hold their guitar on an angle with their left knee higher than their right. This way they could play all kinds of music. Some of the students decided they wanted to hold the guitar their own way. This limited what they could play. Living the Faith is the same way.
If you’re told to do something and don’t, is it because you can’t do it, or because you won’t? When practicing the Faith, you may say you’re not into prayer, or service, or witnessing about Jesus, but all these things are essential to growing in holiness.
The saints are all different, true. Their fruit was unique, but the soil where they flourished is the same. Every saint started with prayer. They all did service, they all talked about Jesus. Fr. Mike recommends that we take advantage of all the riches our Ca…
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Apr 9, 2020
Healing from the Wound of Sin
Fr. Mike explains how even partial healing from the wound of sin is still worth the effort. Don’t give up just because you know your sins will leave some stains and scars. God’s mercy can do amazing things in your life, even if it is just partially healed.
No matter how massive and unforgivable you think your sins are, God’s mercy is infinitely greater. St. Thérèse of Lisieux said if you took all of the sins in the world throughout all of time and tossed them to God, it would be like flicking a drop of water into a raging inferno (paraphrased).
Nonetheless, justice demands for sins to have consequences. God forgives the eternal effects, but there will be temporal consequences. We shouldn’t let those temporal consequences prevent us from living the life God wants us to live. God can use anything we give him.
Just because you can’t do everything doesn’t mean you can’t do anything.
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Apr 2, 2020
Does God Ever Lead Us into Temptation?
When we pray “lead us not into temptation”, it may seem like God has the capacity to tempt us. But that’s not the case. God does not tempt us, but he can and sometimes must put us through tests. Here are a four helpful ways to look at this part of the Our Father:
Tests reveal things to us. When God tests us, it reveals how much faith, hope, and love we have in God and for God.
Tests also strengthen us. As St. Paul says, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4).
When we say, “lead us not into temptation”, what we’re really asking is “God, please don’t test me beyond my ability.” Trials will and must come, but when they do, we should ask God for no more than what we can endure.
While God may not tempt us, the evil one does. God tests us by allowing the evil one to do what he does—so we can benefit from the strength and self-revelation that comes from the…
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Mar 26, 2020
God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways
Fr. Mike describes exactly how God works with us, even though God’s ways are not our ways. It’s like when a person you’re living with asks “What do you want for dinner?” and you say, “Whatever you want.” He then starts offering suggestions, but you turn them all down. After a few minutes of back and forth you both notice that what you really meant was not, “Whatever you want,” but, “You tell me what you want, and then give me the freedom to choose among those options.”
This is a lot like the process God uses when you tell him, “Lord, just do what you need to do in my life.” People may not like the process, but it often works.
When we tell God “just do whatever you want” more often than not he tells us to choose from a list of options. He respects our free will. If you ask him to purify your heart, that’s going to require breaking it so he can heal it. Trust the process, even if it’s going to hurt, and God will lead you to greater things.
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Mar 19, 2020
How Should Catholics Respond to the Coronavirus Pandemic?
Fr. Mike gives us some advice about how we should respond to the coronavirus pandemic. He begins with the story of the recent pilgrimage he took to Israel amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Israeli authorities were quarantining people in the country and canceling all flights except for citizens. Fr. Mike had to rush with his pilgrims and tour company to figure out what to do about their scheduled pilgrimage. At the very last minute, the tour company found a flight to Istanbul that allowed eight pilgrims, including Fr. Mike, to flee Tel Aviv. After successfully making it back home, he found that the original flight they had booked home was never cancelled.
Moral of the story: everything’s a gamble. Some people, deeply convicted to speak the truth, may believe the reaction to COVID-19 is all for nothing, and that there is no need to cancel flights and even Masses. To those people, Fr. Mike asks, are we just being a critic toward those who have to make difficult choices?
Worry, anxiety, fea…
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Mar 12, 2020
Offering Up Your Inconveniences
A great way to make this Lent even better spiritually is to offer up not only something you chose, but also to offer up your inconveniences. Give God those moments when you’re stuck in traffic, or when someone says something bitter to you, or when you have to run an errand you just don’t want to run. Offer up those inconveniences that you didn’t choose, and God will make you stronger in them.
Intentionally receive these moments, and let them provide the opportunity to die to self. The Lenten commitment we chose is an active mortification, but these inconveniences you didn’t ask for are passive mortifications. They’re powerful because we have no control over them, and yet we can have control over what we do with those moments. Accepting these passive mortifications is a way for us to grow in freedom, because through them we learn to accept and live graciously in the moments that would otherwise have control over us.
In the words of St. Paul:
“Now I rejoice in my sufferings f…
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Mar 5, 2020
How to Start Strong and Stay Strong
Starting strong is easy, but staying strong—perseverance—is a mark of holiness. It’s easy to be excited about a new relationship, ministry, job, or school, but enduring through the dull times when that newness wears off is difficult.
Fr. Mike is not trying to downplay the importance of starting strong with a commitment, whatever it may be. It’s wonderful to be determined when a commitment is new, but to stay strong is a test of will power that many do not pass. For those who do endure, the endurance builds character.
See more from Fr. Mike at media.ascensionpress.com
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Feb 27, 2020
How to Live This Lent for Others
Lent is about transformation, but that transformation will be incomplete if we make it about ourselves. Instead of aiming for self-mastery alone this Lent, what is the key to living this Lent for others?
In 2 Samuel 7, when King David says he will build a house for the Lord, the Lord says to David through Nathan that he will not be the one to build the temple—but his son will.
Learning from this story, we see that we may want to do a good and noble thing for Lent, but that doesn’t mean it’s what God wants us to do. Ask God what he wants from you this Lent.
Discipline is great, but there’s a step after that: being generous. Asking God what he is asking of you, instead of deciding on your own, is a step from discipline to generosity, from self-mastery to deeper relationship. Aim to do your prayer, fasting, and almsgiving out of generosity.
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Feb 20, 2020
Why Isn’t Ash Wednesday a Holy Day of Obligation?
Why is Ash Wednesday not a holy day of obligation? A holy day is a day that has been consecrated for God, so in that sense Ash Wednesday is a holy day. At the heart of a holy day of obligation, however, is the Resurrection. For this reason holy days of obligation are times to celebrate and feast. Even in the midst of Lent, we feast on Sundays to celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
You may have noticed, Holy Thursday and Good Friday also are not holy days of obligation. This does not diminish their importance, though. It simply makes no sense to celebrate these days as obligatory feasts because they are supposed to bring to mind the death of our Lord and also our own death—our physical death, and our death to self in order to avoid spiritual death. God does not force us to take up our cross and follow him, but he does invite us.
With that said, what better place to go to start Lent than to Mass? It is the beginning of a long journey, and we need the strength the Lord can give us throug…
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Feb 13, 2020
When Your Desires and God’s Plans Are Different
Just because you desire something deeply doesn’t mean it’s God’s plans for you. Sometimes our desires and God’s will are different. Our desires are not predictors of the future and they’re not the voice of God. We are supposed to tend to our desires and discern what is being revealed through them, but letting them dictate your path in life is not wise.
Especially when it comes to romantic relationships, we tend to favor the decisions that would give us our desire. If the person you desire keeps coming up in prayer, it’s because you keep bringing him or her up. Don’t fool yourself. At the heart of this desire is probably a good longing for marriage and a family. Acknowledging the desire for what it is will help you make a more clear-headed decision regarding it.
You may also have a desire to pursue a certain career path. If you want to sing, for example, do you want to spend every day singing and live the life of a singer? When you acknowledge the realistic lifestyle your…
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Feb 6, 2020
Even More Questions from the Internet about Priests
Fr. Mike follows up on his episode “Answering the Internet’s Most Asked Questions about Priests” with answers to even more questions from the internet about priests. Here he answers questions like:
How do you bless holy water?
Are priests allowed to drink alcohol?
Where do priests live?
Do priests go to confession?
Are monks and friars priests?
Do priests take a vow of poverty?
Where do priests go to school?
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Feb 4, 2020
BONUS: Telling the Story of God’s Love
Fr. Mike speaks about evangelization, new media, and telling the story of God’s love at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. Addressing future pastors, he tells them “the heart of your formation is to become a dad” to your parishioners. He encourages them to use the same motto they use at the Newman Center of the University of Minnesota, Duluth, where he serves as campus minister. The motto he shares with students there is “See a need, fill a need.”
In other words, you don’t have to wait for permission to share the gospel, to be charitable, or to do good.
Evangelization in the new world is at its heart no different than it’s always been. As Pope St. Paul VI shared in Evangelii Nuntiandi, if you’re baptized, you’ve been anointed to spread the gospel. And as Christ says when commissioning the apostles:
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samar′ia and to the en…
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Jan 30, 2020
Answering the Internet’s Most Asked Questions About Priests
Fr. Mike is at the library of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, and he’s answering the most asked questions about priests and the priesthood—according to the internet.
He answers great questions like:
Do priests get paid?
Do they get married?
Do they pay taxes?
How do priests become bishops?
Why do they wear black?
Why do they kiss the altar?
And more …
Fr. Mike is visiting St. Charles Seminary to give a talk on evangelization and new media. The talk will be posted on Ascension Presents. So stay tuned to catch it.
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Jan 23, 2020
Is Swearing a Sin?
Fr. Mike comments on whether swearing, as in using vulgar language, is a sin. He gives three times when using vulgar words can be sinful:
If I use the vulgar word against someone, directing it toward them
If I use a word connected to a sexual act, because sex between persons is meant to be holy and reserved for spousal love
If I use a vulgar word in public, since it can scandalize people—especially if young ones are present.
Remember that we are called to always be charitable. Our words mean something. We are called to build people up, not bring them down. The words we choose reflect and express what’s in our hearts “for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). What do you want to express, words that are at best crude or words that build people up?
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Jan 16, 2020
Why Is Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain Wrong?
There is a beauty in the fact that God shares his very name with us. He gives us his name so that we can call upon him in prayer, hold him in our hearts, and know we are not alone.
Today, Fr. Mike discusses the importance of reverencing this name. While the world throws this holy title around, we are called to have awareness of the power and the goodness of God. Fr. Mike explains that in recognizing the meaning of names like God, Jesus, and Mary, we honor them and all they offer us. As we walk through life as God’s children, his name should never be regarded as an afterthought but instead considered one of the greatest gifts he has granted us.
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Jan 9, 2020
How Catholics Should Connect with Others
There’s justice and prudence and temperance and fortitude, faith, and hope, and love. But do you recall the social virtues at all? Thankfulness and affability are some social virtues that show us how Catholics should connect with others in social situations.
Thankfulness is the social virtue by which we acknowledge people and their generosity. It’s not just a customary expression of thanks when someone does something nice. It means going out of your way to show people your gratitude for them going out of their way for you.
Affability is another word for approachability. It means you’re free to talk and free to help. You don’t mind people knocking on your door to tell you something. It is another social virtue that makes us put others before ourselves.
Being introverted is not an excuse to avoid these virtues. An introverted person can most certainly have a heart focused on other people, and that is what’s at the heart of the social virtues.
You may think these virtues aren’…
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Jan 2, 2020
Hope in the New Year
With each new year come new hopes, new plans, and new opportunities. Fr. Mike points out that this optimism and this “spirit” of New Year’s is a great inspiration of hope for the interior life of the Christian.
For each of us, last year probably had a fair mix of “wins” and “losses” – of joy and suffering. Fr. Mike zeroes in on what was probably the worst evil and the greatest suffering you encountered last year – sin. Sin can lead to discouragement and embarrassment, and those demons can keep us from moving forward in hope. Maybe you’ve been wrestling with the same sin for a long time, or maybe you don’t want to go to the same priest about the same sin again and again. Maybe you feel like giving up.
But we can have hope – “trust in another extended into the future” – in Jesus and in the sacrament of confession. As Fr. Mike’s friend Nick says, “If you fall, fall into the confessional.” Discouragement and embarrassment have no place in the life of the…
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Dec 26, 2019
Having Joy in Uncertainty
The only things we can be certain about are the things that have already happened to us in the past, and we live in a perpetual state of uncertainty about the future. If we’re honest, we can all probably agree that it’s not really comfortable to be constantly wondering what your life will look like in a month, in six months, in a year. We are always worrying about the future—especially when we sense that some form of suffering looms ahead.
Father Mike walks us through the Five Joyful Mysteries: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple. He reflects on the fact that each of these joyful mysteries is marked with a profound uncertainty and suffering. And yet, joy is present.
Think about what what Mary must have felt like when the Angel appeared to her and told her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her—that she was going to be the mother of the Messiah. The Angel didn’t reveal details to her.…
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Dec 19, 2019
The Difference Between Jealousy and Envy
If you’re wondering about the difference between jealousy and envy, Fr. Mike clears up the confusion in this video. Simply put, jealousy is not wanting to share something or someone you possess or hope to possess, and envy is resentment toward the possessions of someone else. There can be some intersecting of the two, because it is possible to have an excessive or distorted kind of jealousy that’s actually based in envy, but jealousy can be good while envy is always sinful.
This is an important distinction because on the one hand we have God who is jealous about us. Likewise, a husband and wife should be jealous about each other.
On the other hand, St. Augustine described envy as the diabolical sin, basing his reasoning on Scripture: “through the devil’s envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his party experience it” (Wisdom 2:24).
Worthy of note is the fact that good translations of the Bible translate 1 Corinthians 13:4 to say “love does not envy.”
Rather…
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Dec 12, 2019
When You Don't Feel Like It
Sometimes we have to do stuff when we don’t feel like it, but finding the motivation to do those things is really difficult in the moment. That’s when it’s important to keep in mind that motivation is not about just feeling good about doing something. It’s about having a motive. If something is the right thing to do, it doesn’t matter if I feel like doing it or not, Fr. Mike says. The only motivation you need is the motivation to do the right thing.
Fr. Mike’s friend Dean once told him this, “Emotions do not reveal the truth about reality, but they do reveal the conditions of your heart.”
St. Ignatius of Loyola encouraged his followers to pay attention to their heart, because it’s revealing something very important that needs to be taken into account. Nonetheless, regardless of what your heart is telling you, the question to ask yourself is not “do I feel like doing this right now?” Rather, ask yourself, “Is this the right thing to do.”
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Dec 5, 2019
The True Meaning of Advent
What is the best way to prepare for the season of Advent? You’re free to do what you know will help you prepare for Christmas the best. If decorating and so forth does not help you prepare for the coming of Christ, you can be the judge of whether it’s worth doing.
Fr. Mike also wants to remind us that Advent is not just about preparing for Christmas. It’s also about preparing for Christ’s Second Coming. One day we will meet Christ face to face. Advent is the stark reminder that we need to get ready for eternity. With that in mind, what if you prepared as if December 25 will be the day you die?
Have a merry Advent.
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Nov 28, 2019
How to Be a Steward
Which is better, being an owner or a steward? Fr. Mike reminds us of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) as he points out how seeing ourselves as an owner is not as great as it seems. When we see ourselves as the owner of something, we hold onto it more closely for fear of losing it. When that thing is taken from us, we may become resentful.
Our lives are not our own, our bodies are not our own, our homes are not our own. Not even our children are ours. God owns all of these things, and we have done nothing to deserve them. God has entrusted them to us. If we see everything we have as a gift from God, we will always have a reason to be thankful.
In our culture, we may have been conditioned to think being owners is the American Dream, but being a steward is much better.
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Nov 21, 2019
Battling Dryness in Prayer
Last week Fr. Mike Schmitz talked about why prayer is so hard in his battle of prayer video, and this week he talks about what to do when you experience dryness in prayer.
He says being distracted or discouraged in prayer is like losing control of a car on ice. When dryness or distraction in prayer occurs, don’t overcompensate. Gently bring yourself back to focus.
St. Theresa of Avila would always bring a book with her into prayer so she had some kind of springboard to converse with God. If this doesn’t help and dryness persists, then you persist. God may be calling you to a deeper relationship with him in these tough moments. There are some things God can only do when we come to him when we least want to. If you feel like God just isn’t giving you anything when you pray, it’s an opportunity to just spend time with the giver while expecting nothing in return.
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Nov 14, 2019
Why Is Prayer So Hard?
Growing up Fr. Mike thought prayer should be like soaking in a hot tub. He didn’t understand why it was so hard when he tried it.
It took him a while to learn that, as the Catechism says, prayer is a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. Prayer always presupposes effort. There’s always some kind of engagement when we properly pray to God. It’s not just about soaking in God’s grace. The required effort in prayer is difficult more often than it is not. Prayer is a battle against ourselves and “the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away from prayer” (CCC 2725).
Over time, Fr. Mike discovered that prayer needs to be more than a momentary time where we seek solace and closeness with God. We need to constantly acknowledge our relationship with God throughout the day, just as a husband and wife are constantly thinking of each other. Then when we do set aside time to simply be with God, it happens more naturally.
If you want to improve your prayer…
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Nov 7, 2019
The Pressure of Public Conversion
Fr. Mike comments on Kanye West’s conversion. He celebrates Kanye’s conversion, but hesitates to lift him up as a Christian leader. He recommends that we let Kanye’s roots in the faith grow without the responsibility of having people watch his every step to see if he will fall; because we all fall in the walk of faith. Support Kanye by praying for him because everyone who is striving to do the will of God needs our prayers.
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Oct 31, 2019
God Is Going to Interrupt You
Fr. Mike uses the life of St. Maximillian Kolbe as an example of how God is going to interrupt us if we choose to do his will. We may love schedules, like Fr. Mike does, but life is unpredictable and tends to create a dangerous environment for our schedules. No less happened to St. Maximillian, who had plans for his life before being sent to Auschwitz. The inconveniences put in our path may not be that extreme, but be prepared to be interrupted if you want to be a saint. See interruptions as an occasion for holiness.
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Oct 24, 2019
Does God Want Me to Be Spontaneous?
God may want you to be spontaneous, but he also wants you to be disciplined. How does that work? Well, unless you just want to have no control over you impulses like a dog chasing a squirrel, discipline is a necessary prerequisite to being spontaneous.
Spontaneity requires a schedule, Fr. Mike says. God can only introduce new and exciting things into your day once you’ve done the things he put on your path in the first place.
So make a schedule for your day. Yes, life will get in the way and you may have to abandon some things on that schedule, but at least having a schedule helps you decide whether or not the unexpected things are more important than the priorities you set for yourself.
Fully embrace today by making a plan for it, as the author of Hebrews encourages us:
“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).
The truly spontaneous person has a carpe diem attitude that st…
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Oct 17, 2019
How We Use the Word Should
We may be too hard on ourselves when considering how we use the word “should.” Of course, we should go to Mass and pray every day. We should avoid stealing and other sins. However, in the midst of the healthy “shoulds,” there could be unhealthy “shoulds,” like “I should enjoy going to Mass and praying,” or “it shouldn’t be this hard to avoid sin.”
But no one ever said that. No one ever said doing what’s right would be easy. So let’s stop “shoulding” ourselves, and let’s rely on God’s grace to pull us through instead. Our weakness is an opportunity to embrace God’s grace. Fr. Mike says if all the things we should do were easy, we wouldn’t need Jesus.
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
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Oct 10, 2019
Is Curiosity a Vice?
Knowledge is always good, but St. Thomas Aquinas said curiosity—or the fickle pursuit of unnecessary knowledge—can be a vice. What he meant, and what Fr. Mike means here, is that the methods by which we feed our curiosity, and our motivation for feeding it, can lead to vice if we just want to know something instead of pursuing what we need to know.
Those things we say we have to know about because everyone else is talking about them—like that popular show we say we simply cannot miss, or that things someone did that’s none of our business but we just need to know about it—these things can lead us away from a wholehearted pursuit of truth.
The counterpart virtue of unhealthy curiosity is studiousness, where the motivation and method of pursuing knowledge are correct. Curiosity is a good place to start, but it should always lead to studiousness, the virtue of great minds.
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Oct 3, 2019
What You Can Control
If you’re in any kind of situation in your life where you feel you are limited in what you can control, you may not be as chained to your circumstances as you think. Fr. Mike offers encouragement, saying you can still make interior decisions and have an effect on your circumstances to some extent. You still have agency.
Even though you may not be able to change everything you want, you can change your heart. Resentment and bitterness can prevent a great deal of needed change, so if they’re in your heart start by surrendering them to the Lord. This will give you internal freedom similar to what Jesus had when he was suffering on the Cross.
Give your circumstances to the Lord and put them under his dominion. This may lead to more pain, but it’s better than staying bitter because if we remain in that bitterness our hearts will become numb and incapable of love.
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Sep 26, 2019
How to Make Decisions Together
Fr. Mike says the key to making decisions together is distinguishing between preferences and principles. If the reason you’re favoring a choice is a matter of principle, it is your duty to lead the other person in that decision to the truth of that principle. If the choice you’re favoring is just a matter of preference though, charity suggests that you default to the preference of the beloved one involved in the decision instead.
Fr. Mike uses going to church as an example. It is a matter of principle that we have to go to Sunday Mass and worship God the way he tells us to, so if someone tells us going to a Catholic Mass is just our preference we can tell them as a matter of fact it’s not. However, if the issue is which church we go to for Sunday Mass, say St. Francis’ Church or St. Andrew’s, more often than not that is just a matter of preference.
For a helpful book on decision-making, check out _Pray, Decide, and Don’t Worry _ (https://ascensionpress.com/collections/featu…
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Sep 19, 2019
Reading the "Signs" from God
Fr. Mike offers the antidote of common sense for the anxiety that often comes after making a big decision. As a campus minister, he sees many students who feel like they made the wrong decision to come to college because things are not the way they imagined. To people in these situations, he advises them to stay the course. Paraphrasing St. Ignatius of Loyola and C.S. Lewis, he says to never change your course in times of desolation when that same course rang true for you in times of consolation. Give yourself a season, time to figure things out.
If you’re about to make a big decision and don’t know which course to take, or know someone who is in that situation, check out the new book by Jackie and Bobby Angel, with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Pray, Decide, and Don’t Worry: Five Steps to Discerning God’s Will (https://ascensionpress.com/collections/collection-book/products/pray-decide-and-don-t-worry-five-steps-to-discerning-god-s-will?utm_source=website&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=dis…
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Sep 12, 2019
How to Handle Spiritual Setbacks
After reading a book on will power, Fr. Mike discovered an important lesson when it comes to how we handle spiritual setbacks. He noticed how resisting sin is a lot like resisting a donut when on a diet. If we resist for some time but then end up giving in and eating the donut, that doesn’t mean all of our progress in the diet is lost.
In the same way, if we resist sin for some time but then give in, the grace God offers us through confession can restore us. In fact, it can restore to even higher than we were before.
“Law came in, to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20).
So let’s not give up when we fall into sin, but keep our eyes on heaven and God’s grace and live accordingly.
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Sep 5, 2019
Responding to 'Expressing Your Opinion' Video
Fr. Mike responds to last week’s episode, “Expressing Your Opinions”, where he said when we speak our mind we need to consider why, what, who, and how. We need to discern why we think we should express our opinion. What’s our motive? We need to consider what it is we are commenting on, and whether we are in a position to do so. We need to keep in mind who we are talking to. Are we in an advisory role in their lives? And finally, how are we addressing the issue? Are we being coy or passive aggressive? Are we being harsh and inconsiderate?
The apostle James speaks of the tongue being a fire (see James 3:6). He wrote:
“Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach shall be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1).
In this video, Fr. Mike is not referring to any comments regarding current events in the Church. He’s talking about his experience as a member of his parish and campus ministry community, and the daily experiences we all have a…
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Aug 29, 2019
Expressing Your Opinion?
Fr. Mike says there are four things you should ask yourself before expressing your opinion: why, what, who, and how.
First, evaluate why you’re expressing this thought. Is it because it’s the right thing to do, or is it because you are trying to one-up someone?
Second, what is your opinion? Is it something true, like a principal, or is it just a preference?
Third, who are you talking to and what is your relationship to this person?
Lastly, how are you expressing yourself? Even if you are totally in the right, the way you say it is of the utmost importance in order for people to listen.
If you consider these questions when expressing your opinion or trying to correct someone, you’ll be much more likely to find a willing listener.
Check out the "2020 Vision" Young Adult Pilgrimage to the Holy Land (http://www.jeffcavins.com/pilgrimage?category=%222020%20Vision%22%20Holy%20Land) with Fr. Mike and Jeff Cavins at jeffcavins.com
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Aug 22, 2019
Why Catholics Use Scripture and Tradition
Catholics use Scripture and Tradition because Scripture tells us to use both. St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:
“So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).
If God wanted us to use Scripture alone, wouldn’t he tell us as much in the Bible? True, St. Paul emphasizes the value of Scripture:
“All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
However, St. Paul is just as emphatic about the value of the Church:
“If I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).
Fr. Mike explains how the Catholic Church has made all of God’s gifts more accessible to humanity through the ages. Scripture, th…
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Aug 15, 2019
Can We Joke about God?
If we can’t use the Lord’s name in vain, can we joke about God? Fr. Mike makes the case that there is room for humor about God in the context of love.
No one in the universe or beyond it deserves more honor, respect, and reverence than God, and we jeopardize our souls if we fail to see this. At the same time, though, Jesus called us his friends (John 15:15). Friends can joke about each other because they know there is mutual love and respect there.
It goes even deeper than that though, Fr. Mike argues. God is calling us to a whole different kind of relationship, a whole different kind of intimacy, through his son Jesus. If we enter into that relationship and nurture it, we may discover that God does indeed have a sense of humor, a whole new sense of humor we didn’t even think was possible.
Catechism paragraph on the Second Commandment:
“Blasphemy is directly opposed to the second commandment. It consists in uttering against God - inwardly or outwardly - words of hatred, reproac…
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Aug 8, 2019
5 Things the Church Can Learn from Crossfit
Fr. Mike points out five things the Church can learn from one of the latest fitness crazes, Crossfit:
In Crossfit gyms, you’re seen, you’re known, and you’re missed when you’re not there. How often does someone stop coming to church without us even noticing?
Crossfit is functional fitness, exercises that help you live your life. If we can bridge the gap between what we do on Sunday and our lifestyle, we will see how church helps us be more virtuous in our everyday life.
Crossfit has scaled workouts. Crossfit trainers ask you what you can do. What if we made spiritual exercises tailored to each individual and what they can do?
Crossfit is challenging. Pursuing Jesus is a challenge. What if we challenged Catholics, calling them to something higher?
People doing Crossfit are willing to be led and to learn. What if pastors were more willing to be leaders, and parishioners more willing to be led?
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Aug 1, 2019
Not Everything in the Bible is Morally Good
Not every protagonist in the Bible makes the morally good choice. The Bible is not a collection of stories that tell us how to live. It’s not a bunch of fables; the stuff in the Bible really happened. If the characters who we are told to look up to always did the right thing, it wouldn’t have much to teach us about real life. In real life, we all make wrong decisions, and the stories in the Bible show us the consequences of those decisions.
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Jul 25, 2019
Does God Make Us with Flaws?
Fr. Mike answers that God does not make us with flaws, but we are all born with the unfortunate effects of original sin. We were all made in the image and likeness of God, but if we feel like some sinful behavior has been a part of us for as long as we can remember, that part doesn’t come from God. It comes from our fallen nature. Whether or not we were “born that way”, God still wants to make us holy and wipe away even the most deep-seated blemishes.
God loves us just as we are, but loves us too much to keep us that way. Admit it, acknowledge it, accept it, but don’t stop there. Allow God to transform it into something that can give him glory.
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:.13).
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Jul 18, 2019
Signs That Your Relationship Is Falling Apart, Part 2
Fr. Mike offers a follow-up to his video on Dr. John Gottman’s “four horsemen of the apocalypse” with this video on Dr. Gottman’s proposed remedy: the Golden Ratio. For every one instance of these four horsemen that signify a relationship is falling apart—which are defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and contempt—there should be five instances of the opposite. The four horsemen still rear their heads in the healthy relationships that Dr. Gottman observed, but these relationships have the following interactions five times as often:
Giving respect and honoring the other person
Building up the other person and affirming them
Meeting the other person where they are
Opening up to receive their questions and comments in a positive manner
If you feel like you’re in a relationship where the four horsemen show up too often, try putting this Golden Ratio into practice.
See more at media.ascensionpress.com
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Jul 11, 2019
Why Catholics Have a Pope
Fr. Mike goes all the way back to Genesis to explain why Catholics have a pope. God established the kingdom of Israel with the twelve sons of Jacob. Centuries later, he appointed David as the king who would unite this kingdom. Centuries after that kingdom was divided, Jesus established a new kingdom by appointing the twelve apostles.
To unite this new kingdom, which is the Church, he appointed Peter as his vicar here on earth. Jesus is the king, but he gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter. This means Peter and his successors play the role of the “prime minister”, or the right-hand-man, or the steward of the king while Jesus is gone.
The papacy may be a divisive topic today, but clearly God gave his Church a pope as a sign of unity for all who are a part of the new kingdom Christ established.
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Jul 4, 2019
In the World, but Not of It
We hear the phrase “in the world but not of it” quite often. But how do we live that out in our everyday lives? Fr. Mike gives a crash course on how to follow Christ in situations where there may be tension between you and someone you’re close to.
Reminding us of Matthew 10:34, “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword,” Fr. Mike explains that Jesus is a cause of division. As followers of Christ, we have to acknowledge and accept the painful reality that following him will cause us to be divided from many people we love.
Once we accept that, allowing God’s love to fill our hearts, we will search for ways to love those who strongly disagree with us.
See more at ascensionpress.com (https://media.ascensionpress.com/)
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Jun 27, 2019
Trying to Keep God at a Distance?
When it comes to trying to control God and keep him at a distance in our lives, there are at least two ways that we go about it. Either we lay low and stay out of trouble, or we excel at whatever task we’ve currently been assigned to. Both strategies intend to keep God out of our lives so we can keep doing what we’re doing, because we’re comfortable doing it. Well, if you’re in one of those camps, get ready because God can call you to something different any minute now.
You may not have even noticed yourself slipping into one of these subtle thought processes that so many of us slip into. That’s why it’s important to give our lives to God at least daily. Try doing it first thing in the morning before anything else. That’s how Fr. Mike does it, and it seems to have worked out quite well for him.
“Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2).
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Jun 20, 2019
Why Is It So Hard to Make Friends?
Fr. Mike is honest about why it’s so hard for us to make friends. A necessity for friendship is time, something that many of us simply don’t have. More than that, true friendship requires a painful level of vulnerability and transparency. When asking yourself who you are willing to be friends with, you’re really asking “Who are you willing to give access to your wounds?”
With that in mind, consider what Jesus said:
“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).
How much time do you spend with Jesus? Will you give him access to your wounds? This is afterall what it means to be a friend. Are you a friend of Jesus?
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Jun 13, 2019
Understanding Our Capacity for Evil
Fr. Mike asks if the bad things you think you don’t have the capacity to do are actually just things you don’t have the opportunity to do. A friend of Fr. Mike’s was recovering from an addiction, and this friend noticed how he was deceiving himself. He was telling himself “I would never …” when he should have been saying, “I haven’t yet ...” Many times the sins we avoid we have only avoided because we haven’t had the opportunity to commit them. Acknowledging that we may do something regretful if given the opportunity is a great—although difficult—exercise in self-knowledge that could prevent some serious sin in the future.
This week, consider the benefits that come with strengthening your self-discipline. Make an extra attempt to reinforce a virtue that may help you combat the corresponding vice. This will go a long way in increasing your holiness.
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Jun 6, 2019
How Do We Spend Our Time?
How we spend our time is one of the most valuable decisions we make, because time is one thing we can never get back once it’s gone. Maybe God is calling you to do something more with your time, in this very moment even, but distractions are pulling you in too many different directions to focus. Make no mistake, distractions steal our time, even those we willfully choose. Even worse, as St. Alphonsus Ligouri said, voluntary distraction can steal our soul.
Maybe there’s a dozen different things you know you should be doing, but you can’t choose one, so you choose none. If that’s the case, Fr. Mike says to take solace in the fact that you only have to choose one task, because the reality is that multitasking doesn’t work anyway. Holiness is to choose one thing, namely to say yes to God’s will. So choose your one sacrifice, and say yes to the focused and singular task of holiness.
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May 30, 2019
Catholic Teaching on IVF and Contraception Explained
For many people, the Catholic Church’s teaching on in vitro fertilization and contraception is a hard one, but it is in concordance with the nature of things. The nature of a thing, as Fr. MIke puts it, is its “what-it’s-for-ness”. Sex is for procreation and the unity of the couple. Equally important is the fact that sex, not in vitro fertilization, is the natural way to bring forth a new life. Contraception and in vitro fertilization violate the nature of not only sex, but also the nature of the person and life itself.
If you feel that this teaching prohibits you from being truly happy, Fr. Mike offers encouragement. It may not seem fair to us at first, but the deep abiding peace we acquire from living by God’s plan is better than anything we could acquire by doing things our way.
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May 23, 2019
Fitting In at Church
Perhaps you’ve felt the temptation to be a cookie-cutter Catholic, one who does all the Catholic things that other Catholics are doing because they think … well … that’s what makes us Catholic. But comparison is kind of like the cousin of envy, Fr. Mike says. If we only express our faith in certain ways because that’s what other believers around us our doing, we should re-examine our relationship with Christ. After all, he is the only one we should pattern our life after.
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May 16, 2019
Feeling Sorry for Yourself
What good does feeling sorry for yourself do? Fr. Mike points out a hard truth in saying—while you have the right to grieve when tragic things happen in your life—you never have the right, or permission, to feel sorry for yourself. All it does is shrink the universe down to the size of you. It blocks out the blessings God gave you that you should be thankful for, and paralyzes you from joyfully giving to others.
When you feel the temptation to feel sorry for yourself coming on, in the words of St. Paul, Fr. Mike recommends:
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15).
Quote from G.I. Jane:
“I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A bird will fall frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself” (Viggo Mortensen as Master Chief John James Urgayle in G.I. Jane, original quote from D.H. Lawrence, 20th century English writer).
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May 9, 2019
Old Testament God vs. New Testament God
Many people say God acted much differently in the Old Testament than he did in the New Testament. They say the God of the New Testament is merciful and compassionate, but in the Old Testament he is often harsh and unforgiving. A thorough look at Scripture reveals that this is not the case. God is in fact merciful and just throughout the Bible. Fr. Mike clears up a great deal of confusion between the Old and New Testaments, and shows how God has stayed quite the same since before the beginning of time until now.
This isn't the first time Fr. Mike's been asked about God changing, check out his original answer here (https://media.ascensionpress.com/podcast/didgodchange-2/).
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May 2, 2019
How Does Purification Work?
God wants you to be holy, so he is going to set you on a path of purification if you choose to do his will. He is the one who is going to make you holy. This process is going to strip away many things you hold dear. It’s going to require active participation in his will, doing what is right and good. But it’s also going to require passive acceptance of things that are out of your control. See everything you do and experience as a chance to grow in holiness, and God will make you into a saint.
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Apr 25, 2019
Do You Want to Be Well?
Jesus asked the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda, “Do you want to be well?” It seems like an obvious question, but—as Fr. Mike explains—in order for this man to desire healing, he had to believe he could be healed. So many of us have given up on the thought that God can change us from whatever it is we don’t want to be into whatever it is we want to be, and what we believe he wants us to be. Whether it’s an illness, lack of willpower, or just lack of ability, we believe our problem is chronic. Jesus’ question to the man at the pool is an appeal to the man’s belief that God can heal him. Believing God can make a drastic change for the better in our own lives may just be the key to actually making that change happen.
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Apr 18, 2019
The Role of Hope in Holy Week
There are many great ways to describe hope, but Fr. Mike defines it as “trust in another extended into the future.” He recalls two stories from the Gospels that exemplify what hope is not.
When Peter denied Christ, and when the two travelers on the road to Emmaus abandoned their hope in Christ. Peter had Jesus (they were basically best friends), but—by denying him—was essentially saying he didn’t need Jesus.
The travelers needed Jesus, but the way they saw it they no longer had him.
Fr. Mike explains how hope is knowing that we have Jesus and knowing that we need him. This hope can empower us to courageously get through our darkest hours.
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Apr 11, 2019
How to Pick up Your Cross
Fr. Mike’s words on taking up our crosses may come as a relief to many of us. He rejects the “harder is holier” approach, and reminds us that taking up our crosses is ultimately about having more freedom. Christ says “My yoke is easy, and my is burden light” (Matthew 11:30). God has a particular task for each of us, and taking up our crosses means denying what we want for our lives so that we can do God’s will. After all, that is what we were made to do and the only way to truly be free.
“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25).
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Apr 4, 2019
Do I Have a Good Conscience?
Jiminy Cricket said “Always let your conscience be your guide,” but how do I know if I have a good conscience? A good conscience more often is concerned with our responsibilities than with our rights. It is more preoccupied with what God wants than with what I want. Fr. Mike tells us, “Stop thinking like the world and start thinking like God.” The world will have us think our conscience is the final judge on what is right and wrong, but as Catholics we know that God is the final judge, and our consciences need to be formed—in fact, transformed—to abide by and abide in his will.
“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
Interesting tidbit: As you may know, “Jiminy Cricket” is a minced oath for “Jesus Christ”; but did you know that Blessed John Henry Newman considered the conscience to be the “aboriginal vicar of Christ”?
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Mar 28, 2019
Why Catholics Call Mary Their Mother
When Catholics call Mary their mother, it may seem like they are taking away some of the respect due to Jesus and giving it to Mary. This is far from the case. Fr. Mike points out two reasons why calling Mary our mother can improve our relationship with Christ, and strengthen our faith life.
Loving the people Jesus loves helps you love him more. The more you love Mary the more you love God.
Jesus gave Mary to us as our Mother on the Cross.
“When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home” (John 19:26-27).
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Mar 21, 2019
Signs that Your Relationship Is Falling Apart
Fr. Mike discusses four signs that your relationship is in danger of falling apart, especially when it comes to stonewalling. Stonewalling, as used in the context of this episode, is when we refuse to communicate or cooperate with someone. Psychologist Dr. John Gottman calls it one of the “four horsemen of the apocalypse”, or one of four types of expression that indicate that your relationship is falling apart. The other three are defensiveness, criticism, and contempt.
As Christians, we should always pay attention to the one who is communicating with us. After all, we would expect at least that much from them when communicating with them. Loving someone means seeing them. By seeing, here we mean literally looking them in the eyes when they talk to you, but also understanding them and seeing them as a person made in God’s image.
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Mar 14, 2019
What NOT to Do During a Breakup
Fr. Mike is asked a lot about what to do when your life is thrown off course by a breakup.
In a previous episode, Fr. Mike discussed four questions to ask yourself when discerning God’s will for your life. When presented with a new door (or big decision), ask yourself: Is it good? Is it open? Is it wise? Is it something I want?
Now when applying this discernment process to a relationship, you have to remember that the other person is likely asking him or herself the same questions. The hardest heartbreak, though, comes when the first three questions check out but the fourth question—Is this something I want?—does not.
In these situations, the one thing Fr. Mike says not to do is blame God. If you’re the one choosing to break up with your significant other, it’s easy to deflect the blame onto God and say he told you to do it. It’s more likely, however, that God gave you the freedom to choose what to do for yourself. So take responsibility.
If you are the one who was dumped,…
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Mar 7, 2019
The Purpose of Lent
What does the Israelites’ forty years in the desert tell us about the purpose of Lent?
Sure, they both involve the number forty—which often represents a time of test and trial in the Bible—but what’s the more important connection?
The Israelites’ time in the desert and our forty-day Lenten fast represent God’s invitation for us to trust him completely.
Fr. Mike explains, the Israelites did not believe the Lord could bring them into the Promised Land because it was inhabited by a people much more powerful and larger than Israel—they didn’t trust him even after he delivered them from slavery to the largest civilization on the planet, Egypt.
We can be the same way.
We think God can’t give us the strength to overcome this or that sin or habit. But purpose of Lent is to set aside time for us to trust God completely so we can see that he is all we need.
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Feb 28, 2019
Picking a Thing for Lent
Fr. Mike knows the tricks we can play on ourselves when it comes to picking something for Lent. So he gives a straightforward guideline: Don’t pick something that’s arbitrary. Pick something that is necessary.
In other words, don’t say you’re giving up watermelon when you know you will hardly eat watermelon anyway; and don’t give up hot showers if you know cold showers actually won’t help you grow in holiness. We can easily fool ourselves into thinking strictness equates to holiness. Likewise, we can fall into the trap of thinking that the easiest thing will be the most helpful.
What do I really need to do or give up for Lent? If I take an honest look inside myself, it may be something difficult, but I will know.
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Feb 21, 2019
Getting Involved in Parish Life
The value of a new parishioner introducing him or herself to parish life and just asking the priest, “How can I help?” is priceless.
When entering a new community, we may have all of these ideas about what we can do to help, but to listen and simply tell the leaders that you are available shows humility and understanding.
Fr. Mike knows firsthand about all of the different types of parishioners who are on fire for the Faith, and want to do something to enrich parish life. The ones who end up helping the most are those who in essence say, “I am your servant. Tell me what I can do for you.”
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Feb 14, 2019
The Meaning of "I Love You"
Fr. Mike breaks down the real definition of love, which is willing the good of the other for the other.
He goes further than that though, saying that if we truly believe in Christ, then the loving thing to do would be to share Christ with others by being his witness.
St. Valentine risked his life by being a witness for Christ and for love. In our calling as Christians, let’s be courageous and love others not just by doing good deeds for them, but by sharing Christ with them.
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Feb 7, 2019
How Does God Restore Us?
Fr. Mike explains how God restores our brokenness, especially when it comes to our bodies.
So often, we find that the more precious a thing is, the more fragile it is. And when something precious is broken, we often think it’s become worthless. Like when we break a fragile teacup, we throw it away because it no longer has value.
But that’s not the way it is with our bodies.
God created us to be temples of the Holy Spirit, something very precious. But we’re not like fragile teacups. If we’re broken, if we’ve been abused, if we’ve been taken advantage of, or even if we’ve chosen to give in to temptation, we’re not worthless.
God restores us.
And through his grace, we are restored to even greater glory.
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Jan 31, 2019
You Are a Burden
Yes, you are a burden. We are all burdens, including Fr. Mike, but we are burdens worth carrying. Many of us choose to deal with our problems on our own because we don’t want to bring our mess into other people’s lives. But the very nature of love is to sacrifice for others, and we cannot have any meaningful relationships in our lives if we do not share our burdens and bear some of the weight of other people’s burdens.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”—Galatians 6:2
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Jan 24, 2019
What is Stopping You from Becoming a Saint?
It may seem too difficult, or even unrealistic, to be a saint today. The reality is though, a saint is simply someone who has conformed their will to the Father’s will rather than the spirit of the age. Fr. Mike mentions three popular mentalities that prevent us from becoming saints:
Our hearts want instant gratification, while becoming like Christ is a process. Fr. Mike’s advice is learn to love the process.
We like keeping our options open, but becoming a saint requires giving everything to Christ.
We lack a fighting spirit. A saint needs a willingness to fight the good fight, especially when the spiritual battle is hardest.
Fr. Mike makes it abundantly clear that the only thing preventing us from becoming a saint is ourselves, because God’s grace is enough.
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Jan 17, 2019
Am I the Exception to God's Rule?
God has his commandments and everything, but aren’t there times when there are exceptions to God’s rule?
It’s a trick we’ve all tried to pull. When a particular sin is too hard for us to avoid, we say to God—or perhaps a priest—something like, “I know the Church says don’t do this thing, but in my case it’s different.”
In my case, there are obstacles that make avoiding the sin impossible. In my case, I think doing that thing is justified because of xyz, in my case … etcetera.
This is what Fr. Mike calls exceptionism (not to be confused with exceptionalism).
Exceptionism, Fr. Mike says, is the belief that God will make an exception for you when it comes to his judgment of a certain sin. There’s a reason why we say justice is blind, and our God is the God of justice.
He will always be merciful to the contrite heart, but—contrary to what many people believe today—he doesn’t make exceptions to the law he gave us.
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Jan 10, 2019
Why is it a Mortal Sin? Skipping Mass and Communion without Confession
Why is skipping mass a mortal sin? And when we do go to mass, why do we need to receive communion in a state of grace?
It’s tempting to believe we can love God in whatever way suits us, but that’s not how love works. The way we express our love for God is through obedience and worship. Fr. Mike speaks a harsh truth when he says, “If you love God on your own terms, you don’t love God, you love yourself.”
In the first of two explanations, Fr. Mike explains that going to Mass on Sunday is our weekly chance to prove our love for God.
Fr. Mike’s second lesson in this video addresses the issue of receiving Communion in the state of mortal sin, which follows the logic of the first lesson above.
Communion with God is only possible once we have been reconciled with God and his Church. Both Christ and St. Paul make this clear:
“So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go…
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Jan 3, 2019
Data-Driven Discernment
Who would have thought algebra and data could be the key to discernment?
Fr. Mike explains that the discernment journey isn’t always about having this epiphany moment where your life’s purpose immediately becomes clear to you.
Figuring out what God’s will is for you sometimes requires a step-by-step process where you gather data, so you can come closer to the answer you’re looking for.
That’s how Fr. Mike found his vocation as a priest.
It required a lot prayer, time in adoration, talking with others, and visits to seminaries. Only once he gathered enough data to be able to “solve for x” was he certain that the priesthood was the right choice.
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Dec 27, 2018
A Fr. Mike Christmas Special
Fr. Mike explains why "It's a Wonderful Life" is his favorite Christmas movie and how it can help us understand the importance of duty and love. Spoiler Alert
"It's a Wonderful Life" is a classic, but there's a theme carried through the movie that is rarely discussed—the role of duty.
If you lived a life without responsibilities, you would be living a life without relationships.
In "It's a Wonderful Life," George Bailey's life is driven by duty, but it's transformed by the love he finds in his relationships with others.
Hopefully, our life is driven by a sense of duty towards God, but we need to remember that our lives are transformed by the love of God.
This Christmas, remember that your life has meaning, your life carries with it important duties, and that God, who has not forgotten you, will transform your life.
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Dec 20, 2018
Do All Good People go to Heaven?
Good people go to heaven when they die, right? Well, according to the Gospels, not exactly. Fr. Mike Schmitz points to at least four things Christ says we need for salvation:
Baptism (John 3)
The Eucharist (John 6)
Faith (Romans 10:9)
Doing the Father’s will (Matthew 25:31-46)
None of them are “be a good person”; and it’s probably better that way because, especially today, everyone has a different idea of what is good.
Christ has given us everything we need to achieve salvation. He wants us all to be at his wedding feast, including you; but unless you do what is necessary to get to the wedding, you won’t be there.
Considering what Fr. Mike is saying, these words of Christ make much more sense:
“Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14).
Fr. Mike quotes the Catechism of the…
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Dec 13, 2018
Why We Say 'Memento Mori'
You may have heard the phrase memento mori (remember your death)—especially if you hang out with those strange Catholics—but did you know there are three meanings woven into those two words?
Sure, the immediate thought that comes to mind may be the fact that someday we will die; and this is good to remember because that day could be any day, so we should live accordingly.
What people may not recognize, though, is that memento mori could also be a reminder to the Christian that we have died to ourselves, so that we may gain eternal life in Christ.
As St. Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). The life you live is not your own. Remember, as a Christian you have died to yourself. Entering your day with that in mind may be difficult if you want to live for yourself, but it could also be liberating if we give everything to God.
Thirdly, it is good to “remember your death” because it is a reminder of…
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Dec 6, 2018
What Does it Mean to Be Blessed?
To be blessed means to holy, and to be holy means to be set apart for God.
Fr. Mike reminds us of our calling to be holy, because, as Christians, we have been blessed by Baptism.
Being set apart doesn't mean to be physically separated from everything else. It means that something is dedicated to fulfilling God's purpose.
For example, if you've ever gotten your throat blessed during the feast of St. Blasie, then your throat is set apart for the purposes of God. That means when you use your voice to say something untrue or mean, you're violating the purpose of your voice, because it has been dedicated to God's will.
So, be blessed.
Make God’s will present in the world through your presence.
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Nov 29, 2018
The Heart of Sin
A sin is not simply breaking the rules. It’s when we say in our hearts, “God, I know what you want and I don’t care. I want what I want.”
Fr. Mike makes it abundantly clear that sin is defiance toward God—usually in favor of self-interest.
So often, when Catholics talk about sin people see our sense of morality as a set of rules that we arbitrarily follow. Those who criticize the Church’s moral teachings often accuse Catholics of misinterpreting Christ’s words when they are the ones who are twisting his words, while failing to recognize how our relationship with God is in the balance.
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Nov 22, 2018
Giving Thanks is Necessary
Fr. Mike says giving thanks is not only good and polite. It’s not just a thoughtful gesture. Giving thanks is necessary.
We begin Mass by saying “It is right and just” to give God thanks. Not only that, the priest continues by saying:
“It is our duty and salvation always and everywhere to give you thanks.”
Our duty and our salvation.
We proclaim this every week, and giving thanks is a huge part of the Mass (the very word Eucharist means to give thanks). But do we mean it?
Do we give proper thanks to God for the miraculous gifts he has given us to enjoy every day? Our health, sight, hearing, even simply having someone who cares about you, all of these things are blessings we should thank God for because there are many who do not enjoy them.
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Nov 15, 2018
Is it Ever OK to Deny Christ?
Fr. Mike answers some hard questions from his #askfrmike inquirers, starting with a question about the controversial book and movie, “Silence”, wherein two renowned Portuguese priests travel to Japan and deny Christ to prevent the suffering of their parishioners. After telling the story, Fr. Mike says if we ever were placed in such a dire situation, the question would not be “What should I do?” but rather, “What is the right thing to do?” Fr. Mike clarifies, “To deny Jesus will always be the wrong thing to do.” Blaming someone for not denying Jesus, and thereby not preventing suffering, is a red herring because it distracts people from the ones truly causing the suffering, the actual torturers.
Answering another question from his viewers, Fr. Mike addresses the need to keep a healthy balance between caring for our bodies and caring for our souls. That means putting prayer and time with Jesus before working out.
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Nov 8, 2018
Why We Need Boundaries
We all have those people in our lives whom we love, but just ask too much of us.
Establishing limitations in relationships can be hard, but we need boundaries. Even Jesus did it when he spent time with just his disciples, or just his apostles; or just Peter, James, and John; or even just his father in heaven.
Fr. Mike explains not just why we need boundaries, but how we could do so without coming across as glib or too harsh.
He talks about how establishing boundaries will help us more effectively live the Christian life, and even help the one to whom those boundaries apply.
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Nov 1, 2018
Don't Have Any Friends?
We use the term “friend” loosely, introducing casual acquaintances as “My friends Lucy and John.” But what is friendship, really?
Fr. Mike uses Aristotle’s three kinds of friendship—pleasant friendships, useful friendships, and virtuous friendships—as guidelines.
While all three can be good, the first two can end up being flimsy and fleeting; but the third kind, virtuous friendships, really get to the heart of what good friends are to us. They are on the same mission, they have many of the same goals, we can even kind of see another self within these friends.
Fr. Mike emphasizes the need for us to have more of these kinds of friendships, saying that if we don’t think they matter we may just be distracting ourselves from our loneliness.
Don't forget to check out Fr. Mike’s newest project Quick Catholic Lessons with Fr. Mike (https://bit.ly/2PmpYzw (https://bit.ly/2PmpYzw)), a feature-packed teacher’s guide designed to accompany Fr. Mike’s most popular videos, prese…
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Oct 25, 2018
Reminder: God Loves You
Father Mike Schmitz forgot to say one thing in his video “We’re Not Just Cosmic Accidents” – God loves you. In his previous video Fr. Mike made comments on The Greatest Showman song “This is Me”. To elaborate on his original message, he quotes Pope Benedict XVI, saying, “Until I am accepted and loved by another, I cannot accept and love myself. But even then the sense is fragile, because all human acceptance is fragile. Ultimately, we need a sense of being accepted unconditionally. Only if God accepts me and I have become convinced of this, do I know definitely it is good that I exist.”
As Romans Chapter 5 states, “God proved his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
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Oct 18, 2018
Building Healthy Relationships
Fr. Mike shares three things that will help you build healthy relationships.
If a couple wants to get married, that’s something we should celebrate. However, that doesn’t mean we should blindly encourage them no matter what, and offer cliche advice like, “You’re in love, and that’s all that matters,” or “Do what you heart tells you.” No matter how convincing a couple’s love for each other seems, there are some things that always need to be considered, especially in young relationships between two people who want to rush into marriage.
When it comes to relationships, there are three things Fr. Mike says to keep in mind:
1) There are some things only time can reveal
2) Let your relationship be the actual age it is
3) Learn how to make decisions together
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Oct 11, 2018
Farmer, Priest, and Martyr
Blessed Father Stanley Rother was a farmer, priest, and martyr from Oklahoma who found a way to give everything to the Lord, even his greatest struggles and disappointments, because he knew nothing is wasted when given to God. Fr. Mike tells Father Rother’s story, and shows what we can learn from the undying love for Jesus this American farmer had. Fr. Mike encourages, no matter what hardships you’re dealing with, give them to God and your story will give him glory; bringing your life to fulfillment in the process.
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Oct 4, 2018
We Are Not Cosmic Accidents
Without our dignity that comes from God, we are just cosmic accidents. This is a humbling realization, but one that can also be empowering. Fr. Mike says we often misunderstand humility because we think it involves thinking less of ourselves. What it really involves is greater focus on God’s power and goodness, because he is the source of whatever power and goodness we have.
As C.S. Lewis wrote, “A really humble man will not be thinking about humility. He will not be thinking about himself at all.” For more on C.S. Lewis, check out this article, C. S. Lewis on Humility, by Dr. Andrew Swafford.
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Sep 27, 2018
Why Joy is More Christian Than Happiness
Happiness is circumstantial. In fact, the word has the same root as the word “happenstance”. And yet, despite how fickle it is, many of us base our lives on the pursuit of happiness. Joy, on the other hand, is the abiding and pervasive sense of well-being. Fr. Mike explains that joy is, as G.K. Chesterton wrote, “the gigantic secret of the Christian.” The Christian understands that God knows his name, loves him, and is here with him now. This never changes, and it is what gives the Christian a perpetual joy to which happiness cannot compare.
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Sep 20, 2018
When Mass Feels like Going Through the Motions
The Karate Kid didn’t know waxing a car would teach him karate, but Miyagi knew. In a similar way the Church, in her wisdom, teaches us certain motions—kneeling at Mass, making the sign of the Cross, etcetera—so we may learn the deeper virtues that will lead us to holiness. In this video, Fr. Mike encourages us to keep going through the motions, if that’s all it feels like we’re doing at Mass, because it’s in times of desolation that our faith grows the most.
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Sep 14, 2018
Do Catholics Have to Respect Everyone?
Sometimes it can be hard to respect the character of a person you really don’t like. That’s no problem, says Fr. Mike, because you can still respect them as a human being and—if they are in a position of authority—you can still respect their position. Not everyone in our lives is going to earn the kind of respect that Fr. Mike would equate with trust. Those who have a respectable character will earn that trust though, and that’s the kind of person we should strive to be in other people’s lives.
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Sep 6, 2018
Faith is Not Something You Can Lose
Sure, there are times when it’s just hard to believe what the Catholic Faith tells us, but when someone says “I’m losing my faith,” or “I lost my faith,” there’s something much more serious going on there. Fr. Mike examines this problem, but emphasizes that we actually can’t lose faith because it’s a gift from God. We can use that gift wrongly and put it into what Fr. Mike calls “God’s chief rivals” or, in other words, idols; but the faith is still there and we can still put it in God if we simply choose to. Maybe God is giving you the gift of faith right now, and maybe you just have to use it the way he intends.
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Aug 30, 2018
Repentance and Church Reform
Anyone can and should condemn the sins of the priests and cardinals that have been all over the news. The real challenge is to ask God what he is expecting us to do within this time, our time, in history. If he has created us to live in these difficult times for Catholics, he must be calling us to some great task to help bring renewal to his Church and individual souls.
Here's a link to last week's episode. (https://media.ascensionpress.com/podcast/pennsylvania-sex-abuse-scandal/)
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Aug 23, 2018
The Pennsylvania Sex Abuse Scandal
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Aug 16, 2018
Anti-Fragile Christianity
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Aug 9, 2018
Is Courtesy Required for Catholics?
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Aug 2, 2018
For Those Without a Clear Vocation
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Jul 27, 2018
Developing a Clear Vision in Life
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Jul 19, 2018
Becoming Flexible to Accept God's Will
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Jul 12, 2018
What Boredom Can Teach Us
The wisdom he shares here is akin to that of many successful, insightful writers such as Cal Newport and Josef Pieper. You can find the works Fr. Mike references here:
Cal Newport's Deep Work (http://calnewport.com/books/deep-work/)
Josef Pieper's Leisure, the Basis of Culture (https://bit.ly/2Je5FwU)
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Jul 5, 2018
Freedom and Its Consequences
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Jun 28, 2018
The Church and Immigration
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Jun 21, 2018
Consistency Will Make You Holy
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Jun 14, 2018
Why Non-Catholics Can’t Receive Communion
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Jun 7, 2018
Catholics, Alcohol, and Drinking
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May 31, 2018
How to be a Good Disciple of Christ
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May 25, 2018
Can a Catholic Marry a Non-Catholic?
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May 18, 2018
Religion Doesn't Cause as Many Wars as You Think
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May 14, 2018
Do You Present Your True Self to Others?
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May 9, 2018
Dealing with Stress
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Apr 27, 2018
3 Questions to Ask to Prevent Gossiping
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Apr 20, 2018
Is It OK To Stay The Night?
Fr. Mike offers a message that may be hard to accept for some of us, but his intention is to help us live happily and get to heaven. In a culture where anything goes, the Catholic views on dating can seem strict, but behind them are very good reasons. If you’ve ever wondered why the Church advises unmarried couples to avoid living together or spending the night together, listen to this episode to find out.
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Apr 13, 2018
The Culture of Netflix and Chill
Every generation has its own code words for things that are taboo, but when watching TV and relaxing could mean having casual sex, it’s fair to say we’ve reached a tipping point in our culture. In this episode, Fr. Mike examines the “Netflix and chill” lifestyle, borrowing some ideas from Boston College professor Kerry Cronin, who appears in a new documentary called The Dating Project, which addresses the problems inherent in a hookup culture.
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Apr 6, 2018
How to Prepare for the Sunday Readings
Have you ever left Mass feeling like the homily just wasn't satisfactory? In this episode, Father Mike Schmitz shows us how to always gain what we need from the Sunday readings, regardless of the quality of the homily. Father Mike also tells us not to be so hard on priests when they miss the mark, because their job is harder than it seems from the pew.
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Mar 29, 2018
Fr. Mike's Autobiography
This episode is not a new autobiography by Fr. Mike Schmitz. It’s about everyone’s autobiography, which is—in a word—the crucifix. Jesus' dying on the Cross sums up every person’s life story because it shows what our sins did and God's power to forgive them, so our lives can be defined by love and not shame. This Good Friday, let God’s sacrifice be your identity.
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Mar 23, 2018
Take Courage!
It's easy to think of courage as something we only need when facing our greatest fears, but in this episode Fr. Mike explains how courage is necessary to live out every virtue. He shows how cowardice can seem harmless in the ways it sneaks into our thoughts, and shares words from great saints who commissioned the faithful to practice fortitude in our everyday lives.
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Mar 16, 2018
What's the Point of Fasting During Lent?
We fast during Lent for many reasons. Whether those reasons are good or not is hard to tell sometimes, though. Sometimes we fast and do penance for personal reasons (I want to lose weight), or for practical reasons (I can save my family money or feed poor children), but too often our fasting is not actually about God. In this episode, Fr. Mike reminds us that God cares about us so much he is willing to notice our sacrifices—no matter how meager they may seem—and he wants us to use those sacrifices to draw closer to him.
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Mar 7, 2018
Confessing the Same Sins Over and Over Again
Fr. Mike discusses why confessing the same sins over and over isn’t entirely a bad thing. He also offers some ways we can make our confessions more effective in helping us avoid those same sins in the future. The practice of naming, confessing, and renouncing our sins in Jesus’ name before, during, or after confession is one suggestion Fr. Mike shares. He also encourages us to move past simply wanting forgiveness and into having true repentance so we can experience deep conversion and freedom.
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Mar 5, 2018
Why Should I Confess My Sins to a Priest?
If you’ve ever been in a conversation where you had to defend the Catholic Faith, people have probably asked you this question. It can be a tough one to answer, but Fr. Mike lays out many reasons why confessing our sins to a priest makes perfect sense. Confession isn’t a man-made tradition of the Church but rather a valuable gift given by God and rooted in Scripture.
Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension:
Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God
Chosen: This is Your Catholic Faith
Altaration: The Mystery of the Mass Revealed
YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body
Get 18 of Fr. Mike’s best Ascension Presents videos in this exclusive DVD from Ascension: Ascension Presents … Fr. Mike Schmitz
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Feb 26, 2018
Should Catholics Call Priests Father
One of the most common Bible verses people use to try and debunk Catholic teaching is Matthew 23:9, where Jesus says, “Call no man on earth father.” In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz guides us through the New Testament to give us the context and significance of this teaching. By the end of this episode, you will see that Christ’s words here have much deeper meaning than what many people would believe.
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Feb 16, 2018
Overcoming Envy and Dealing with Jealousy
Envy and jealousy sneakily gain control of our minds. They don’t feel like other sins that give at least a brief moment of gratification, so it’s easy to dismiss these disordered thoughts. In this episode, Fr. Mike explains why we need to focus in on whatever jealousy or envy we may have in our lives, because it could inhibit our relationship with God. The remedy he shares is a reminder of who we are in God’s eyes, which is all that matters.
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Feb 9, 2018
4 Helpful Rules for Discernment
When we are discerning God’s will in our lives, we often get overwhelmed by the anxiety of making the right choice and don’t permit ourselves to consider what we actually want. In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz encourages us to weigh all the choices that are open to us, good for us, wise, and desired by us. The last of the four is often overlooked, so Fr. Mike explains why it is just as important to pay attention to our heart’s desires as it is to consider the other three factors when we are discerning a decision.
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Feb 1, 2018
Motivation to Go to Catholic Mass
You may have heard priests or devout Catholics say something like, “If only people knew what was happening at Mass, they’d be more willing to go.” That may be true, but in this episode, Fr. Mike also gets to the more practical—and painfully direct—heart of the matter. He points out that the heart of worship is sacrifice, and ultimately it’s not about how engaged or entertained we are. Mass isn’t about us; it’s about God and what he asks of us.
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Jan 25, 2018
Why God Gave Us Bodies
God made the world—and you—on purpose. What is that purpose? Well, that’s what St. John Paul II went to great lengths to explain in his Theology of the Body talks, which Fr. Mike sums up beautifully in this episode. With profound simplicity, Fr. Mike—inspired by St. John Paul II—shares the fundamental truths of this ingenious vision of humanity and sexuality. Made in God’s image and likeness, you are your body, and you are made for love. What you do with your body matters. You’ll have to watch the video to get the last and most powerful point. It’s amazing.
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Jan 18, 2018
Inspiration to Stop Complaining
St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “In all things give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In this episode, Fr. Mike shows us how to live up to that challenge, helping us to see that everything we complain about can be viewed as an opportunity to praise God. This isn’t just good advice. It is what’s required of us as Christians. Sure, we will have times when we need to vent to a confidant; but—as Fr. Mike suggests—keeping our complaining to a minimum is a great way to prove we are striving to do God’s will.
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Jan 11, 2018
The Virgin Mary's Struggles
If we want to be holy, the Virgin Mary should have an integral role in our spiritual life; but sometimes, perhaps, you might think you cannot relate to the Blessed Mother because she was immaculately conceived and didn’t have to struggle with sin as we do. In this episode, Fr. Mike shares how even though Mary did not struggle with sin, she still had her own unique struggle that we can relate to when we are seeking holiness.
Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension:
Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God (http://bit.ly/2rdOFy7)
Chosen: This is Your Catholic Faith (http://bit.ly/2r32vUK)
Altaration: The Mystery of the Mass Revealed (http://bit.ly/2rIYjfE)
YOU: Life, Love and the Theology of the Body (http://bit.ly/2nKLug5)
Get 18 of Fr. Mike’s best Ascension Presents videos in this exclusive DVD from Ascension:
Ascension Presents … Fr. Mike Schmitz (http://bit.ly/2sKUnJN)
Fr. Mike spoke at the Ascension Cafe during the World Meeting of…
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Jan 4, 2018
The Secret to Sticking to a New Year's Resolution