Category: Ascension

Posted on

The Catechism in a Year – Day 58 – Man’s Spiritual Battle

Fr. Mike explores the hard battle which each and every one of us must face, the battle with sin. Together, we examine the mystery of us being both free and under the power of the Devil. Fr. Mike emphasizes that if we are unaware of our wounded nature, it can lead to grave errors in our own lives. If we have an attitude that, “since I’m made good, then everything I’m drawn to must be good,” we can fall into temptation and evil. We conclude on a hopeful note; however, that even after we sinned, God did not abandon us to the “domain of death,” and with God’s grace, evil will never have the last word. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 407-412.

Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/5O48kn2gosM

Posted on

The Catechism in a Year – Day 57 – Consequences of Adam’s Sin

Fr. Mike examines the consequences of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. He discusses that even though they committed a personal sin, it affected all of human nature. As Fr. Mike states, “Original sin broke the world.” Additionally, we explore the idea that although we are good, we are still broken. Fr. Mike also discusses how each and every one of us has an inclination towards evil and sin known as concupiscence. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 402-406.

Posted on

The Catechism in a Year – Day 56 – Man’s First Sin


Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore the nature of man’s first sin or our “freedom put to the test.” Fr. Mike unpacks the importance of us understanding that freedom is not the power to “do what we want,” but rather, the power to “do what I ought.” Though the story of the first sin is that of our first parents, Fr. Mike emphasizes that we still repeat the grave error of the first sin in our own lives by preferring our own perceived “goods” over the “goods” of our Creator and Father in heaven. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 396-401.

Posted on

The Catechism in a Year – Day 55 – The Fall of the Angels

Fr. Mike explores the fall of the angels, and how their fall leads to our own “fall into death out of envy.” Together, we examine what caused some of the angels to fall, whether it be pride or envy, and how it affects humanity’s reality within creation. Fr. Mike concludes with a commentary on the mystery of why Divine Providence permits evil and the actions of the fallen angels. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 391-395.

Click on the link to play video: https://youtu.be/QiJL024zpmc

Posted on

The Catechism in a Year – Day 54 – The Fall of Man

The Catechism introduces us to the Fall, beginning with the reality of sin and the mystery of evil. Fr. Mike highlights the fact that sin is not “a developmental flaw, a psychological weakness, a mistake, or the necessary consequence of an inadequate social structure,” but it is man saying, “not your will, but mine be done” to God. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 385-390.

Click on the link to play video: https://youtu.be/QTLB7I8HpTQ

Posted on

The Catechism in a Year – Day 53 – Man in Paradise

In the beginning, humans were in friendship with God and in harmony with creation. The Catechism unfolds this harmony and introduces us to the “original justice” that our first parents lost in sin. Fr. Mike reminds us that, although our original callings to leisure, love, and labor have been twisted by sin, they are renewed in Christ. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 374-384.

Click on the link to watch video: https://youtu.be/Wc0WVznL-g0

Posted on

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.

Posted on

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.

Posted on

Lent: Prayer, Fasting, and . . . Uh-Oh!

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.