The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Day 365: So Be It (2024)

December 30th, 2024  |  16 mins 10 secs

day 365, final amen, god is love, lords prayer, nugget day, our father, seven petitions, so be it

Congratulations, you have reached Day 365! We conclude our journey through the Catechism with the final “nugget day” as we review the seven petitions of the Lord’s prayer. In closing, Fr. Mike reminds us of the purpose of our time with the Catechism: recognizing that every part of our human experience matters to God simply because he loves us. It matters to God that we know him, worship him, live in his love, and draw near to him in prayer. We respond to God’s astounding love for each of us with our final “Amen- so be it.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2857-2865.

Day 364: Deliver Us from Evil (2024)

December 29th, 2024  |  24 mins 2 secs

deliver us from evil, evil one, final doxology, lead us not into temptation, lords prayer, prayer, satan, temptation, trials

Toward the end of the Lord’s Prayer, we implore God to protect us from temptation and from the evil one. Fr. Mike clarifies what we mean when we ask God not to “lead us into temptation” and emphasizes the importance of discerning between trials and temptations. Lastly, we review the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, known as the final doxology. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2846-2856.

Day 363: Forgive Us Our Trespasses (2024)

December 28th, 2024  |  25 mins 45 secs

confession, forgive us our trespasses, forgiveness, forgives, loving enemies, reconciliation

Forgiving those who have hurt us is a challenging call. Fr. Mike explains what it means to "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." We learn that forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same thing and that we can transform our hurt into intercession with God's grace. We ask the Lord to soften our hearts so that they may remain open to loving and forgiving others. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2838-2845.

BONUS: Why Scripture and Tradition? (with Jeff Cavins)

December 27th, 2024  |  37 mins

In this bonus episode of The Catechism in a Year, Jeff Cavins joins Fr. Mike to share the connection between Scripture and Tradition, and provide the background on the origin, development, and structure of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Day 362: Our Daily Bread (2024)

December 27th, 2024  |  21 mins 23 secs

bread of heaven, communion, daily bread, eucharist, feed the hungry, give us this day our daily bread, hunger, lords prayer, spiritual hunger

Asking God for our “daily bread” is a petition for him to fill our physical and spiritual hunger. Fr. Mike breaks down this simple yet profound petition that reminds us of our reliance on God for all our needs. In this part of the Lord’s prayer, we turn to God with childlike hearts, trusting that he will nourish us with all the appropriate material goods and, above all, with the Eucharist. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2828-2837.

Day 361: The Kingdom and Will of God (2024)

December 26th, 2024  |  22 mins 53 secs

christs return, gods will, kingdom of heaven, kingship of god, our father, the end times, the second coming of jesus, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, will of god

Day 360: Hallowing God’s Name (2024)

December 25th, 2024  |  18 mins 12 secs

glory, holiness, holy, name, prayer, recognize

What does it mean to hallow God’s name? We are not the source or cause of God’s holiness. As the Catechism says, we hallow God’s name so it may be glorified, loved, and known. Jesus instructs us in the Our Father to petition and desire that we be drawn into God’s plan of loving kindness. In time, God’s name is hallowed in how we live and how we pray. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2807-2815.

Day 359: The Seven Petitions (2024)

December 24th, 2024  |  13 mins 2 secs

divine mercy, divine mercy chaplet, petition, prayer, the lord’s prayer, the our father, the seven petitions

In the Lord’s Prayer, we make seven different petitions to our Father in heaven. Together, we examine what makes each set of these seven petitions different. Fr. Mike unpacks how the first three petitions emphasize love of the Father, the next two concern us in the present world, and the final two concern the battle of prayer. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2803-2806.

Day 358: Who Art in Heaven (2024)

December 23rd, 2024  |  14 mins 45 secs

heaven, prayer, presence, the lord’s prayer, the our father, thrice-holy

As we reach the conclusion of the article on the opening words of the Our Father, we take a closer look at the phrase, “Who Art in Heaven.” Fr. Mike emphasizes that God is not distant, but is imminently present all around us. He also emphasizes that while sin has exiled us from heaven, conversion of heart allows us to return to the Father in heaven. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2794-2802.

Day 357: God, “Our” Father (2024)

December 22nd, 2024  |  13 mins 28 secs

individualism, prayer, relationship, the lord’s prayer, the our father, unity

God’s love has no bounds, and neither should our prayer. Fr. Mike emphasizes that when we say “our” we are highlighting that we have become God’s people. We belong to God, not in a possessive way, but in an “entirely new relationship”. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2786-2793.

Day 356: We Dare to Say (2024)

December 21st, 2024  |  21 mins 39 secs

children of god, father, filial boldness, god’s children, holy spirit, humility, prayer, son, the lord’s prayer, the our father

When we pray the Our Father, we are invited to pray with “filial boldness” as children of God. Fr. Mike emphasizes that we are God’s adopted sons and daughters, and so because of that, we are able to call him “Abba, Father.” He also emphasizes that because of this adoption we are called to “continual conversion and new life.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2777-2785.

Day 355: Summary of the Lord’s Prayer (2024)

December 20th, 2024  |  9 mins 19 secs

father, god, good father, prayer, the lord’s prayer, the our father

The In-Brief, or the “nugget day”, for the article on the Lord’s Prayer, emphasizes that understanding the identity of God is essential when it comes to our relationship with God. God is not a tyrant or dictator. He is our good Father. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2773-2776.

Day 354: The Prayer of the Church (2024)

December 19th, 2024  |  15 mins 19 secs

anaphora, article 1, article one, baptism, christian prayer, communion, confirmation, divine office, eighteen benedictions, epiclesis, eschatological character, eucharist, eucharistic liturgy, eucharistic prayer, filial prayer, holy spirit, how we pray, liturgical prayer, oratio dominica, our father, part 4, part four, section 2, section two, spirit and life, st john chrysostom, the lords prayer, the prayer of the church, traditio

Through the Catechism, we learn more about the Lord’s Prayer and how it should be included in our personal prayers as well as in community during the liturgy of the Mass. In giving us the Our Father, Jesus models how we are to use this prayer to speak directly with the Father. Fr. Mike drives home that we receive the words to pray and also receive the Holy Spirit when saying this prayer. Together, the words and the Holy Spirit enable us to pray like Christ and become more like him. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2765-2772.

Day 353: The Lord’s Prayer (2024)

December 18th, 2024  |  16 mins 18 secs

Diving into the Lord’s Prayer, we look at the origin, meaning, and significance of this prayer. The Catechism reveals the Our Father as “the summary of the whole Gospel” as it includes all that we believe. Fr. Mike helps us understand that this prayer focuses our hearts on the Father and prioritizes our desires. As we begin this prayer in the Father’s name, we know who we are addressing, and we know we can trust the Lord as our Father. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2759-2764.

Day 352: Summary of The Battle of Prayer (2024)

December 17th, 2024  |  14 mins 22 secs

battle of prayer, chapter 3, chapter three, christian prayer, filial trust, how we pray, humility, in brief, nugget, nuggets, part 4, part four, perseverance, pray, prayer and christian life are inseparable, prayer in the christian life, prayer is a vital necessity, prayer of the hour of jesus, priestly prayer, relationship, section 1, section one, spiritual battle, summary, the life of prayer, trust

Fr. Mike reviews this section of the Catechism, summarizing the battle of prayer and the prayer of the hour of Jesus. We are reminded that prayer is active, and we must engage in grace. The Catechism goes on to state that, “We pray as we live because we live as we pray.” In this, we see that God meets us where we are and wants us to pray always. Finally, Jesus’ prayer to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane exemplifies humility, filial trust, honesty, and perseverance; modeling how we are to pray to the Father. Today’s readings are paragraphs 2752-2758.

Day 351: The Prayer of the Hour of Jesus (2024)

December 16th, 2024  |  15 mins 20 secs

article 3, article three, chapter 3, chapter three, christian prayer, his hour, how we pray, john, our father, pantocrator, part 4, part four, philippians, pray, prayer in the christian life, prayer of our high priest, priestly prayer of jesus, relationship, sacrificial prayer, section 1, section one, the life of prayer, the prayer of the hour of jesus

Looking at the prayer of the Hour of Jesus, we learn from the Catechism that it “embraces the whole economy of creation and salvation, as well as his death and Resurrection.” This prayer summarizes everything: “God and the world; the Word and the flesh; eternal life and time; the love that hands itself over and the sin that betrays it; the disciples present and those who will believe in him by their word; humiliation and glory. It is the prayer of unity.” Fr. Mike reiterates that this prayer from the Son to the Father allows us to pray as sons and daughters of Christ and give glory to the Father. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2746-2751.