The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
A day-by-day walk through the transformative beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church.
We found 10 episodes of The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) with the tag “prayer in the christian life”.
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Day 352: Summary of The Battle of Prayer
December 18th, 2023 | 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.
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Day 351: The Prayer of the Hour of Jesus
December 17th, 2023 | 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.
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Day 350: Persevering in Prayer
December 16th, 2023 | 16 mins 13 secs
article 2, article two, chapter 3, chapter three, christian prayer, evagrius ponticus, filial trust, giver, how is our prayer efficacious, how we pray, it is always possible to pray, love, origen, part 4, part four, persevering in love, pray, prayer and christian life are inseparable, prayer in the christian life, prayer is a vital necessity, relationship, section 1, section one, st alphonsus liguori, st john chrysostom, st paul, the battle of prayer, the life of prayer
The Catechism teaches about the effectiveness of prayer and how to persevere in prayer. Fr. Mike explains that although God already knows what we need before we ask, he wants us to pray, and he extends us dignity by allowing us to pray and ask for what we need. In the process of prayer, we are able to learn the heart of the Father, grow closer to him, and become more like him. The Catechism goes on to state that when it comes to prayer, it is always possible, a vital necessity, and inseparable from the Christian life. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2738-2745.
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Day 341: The Theological Virtues
December 7th, 2023 | 13 mins 58 secs
article 1, article one, at the wellsprings of prayer, chapter 2, chapter two, christian prayer, cure of ars, curé of ars, faith, holy spirit, hope, how we pray, in brief, love, nugget, nuggets, part 4, part four, prayer, prayer in the christian life, scripture, section 1, section one, st john vianney, theological virtues, today, tradition of prayer
The Catechism reveals the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love as additional “wellsprings” of prayer for us to connect with the Father. Fr. Mike explains that we must enter into prayer with faith, pray in hope, and love as God loves us. Fr. Mike also addresses the Catechism's view on praying in the present, not looking at the past or future. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2656-2662.
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Day 340: Scripture and the Liturgy
December 6th, 2023 | 15 mins 7 secs
article 1, article one, at the wellsprings of prayer, chapter 2, chapter two, christian prayer, holy spirit, holy trinity, how we pray, liturgy of the church, living water, matthew, part 4, part four, prayer, prayer in the christian life, scripture, section 1, section one, tradition of prayer, word of god
How do we pray? Prayer is essential for our relationship with the Lord. The Catechism teaches that we must study the Scriptures, learn how to pray, and have the will to pray. Fr. Mike shares two different sources of prayer: the Word of God and the Liturgy of the Church. He explains how the Holy Spirit guides us in prayer and teaches us how to speak with God. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2650-2655.
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Day 334: How Jesus Prayed
November 30th, 2023 | 19 mins 35 secs
article 2, article two, chapter 1, chapter one, christian prayer, father, filial prayer, how we pray, jesus prays, part 4, part four, prayer, prayer in the christian life, revelation of prayer, scripture, section 1, section one, solitude, son, st.luke, universal call to prayer, word who became flesh and dwells among us
We look at how Jesus prays in this section of the Catechism. It is revealed how Jesus learned to pray, the frequency of his prayers, and where he prayed. Jesus brought his needs to the Father including his last words and final “loud cry”. Through his example of filial prayer, we are able to pray to the Father as sons and daughters. We can ask him for anything as all of our thoughts, desires, troubles, fears, and needs are already with the Lord. “The Father accepts them and, beyond all hope, answers them by raising his Son.” Today’s readings are paragraphs 2598-2606.
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Day 333: The Psalms
November 29th, 2023 | 13 mins 15 secs
article 1, article one, chapter 1, chapter one, christian prayer, how we pray, in brief, nugget, old testament, part 4, part four, praise, prayer, prayer in the christian life, psalms, psalter, revelation of prayer, scripture, section 1, section one, universal call to prayer
The Psalms are essential and powerful prayers. Through praying the Psalms, we are giving praise to God and expressing our belief while simultaneously nourishing our faith. In the Psalms, we are reminded of God’s love, faithfulness, and presence, even in the dark moments of our lives. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2590-2597.
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Day 332: Prayer Converts Our Heart
November 28th, 2023 | 18 mins 41 secs
article 1, article one, chapter 1, chapter one, christian prayer, conversion of heart, david, elijah, eucharistic epiclesis, how we pray, messiah, old testament, part 4, part four, praises, prayer, prayer in the christian life, prayer of the assembly, prophets, psalm, psalmist, psalms, revelation of prayer, scripture, section 1, section one, st ambrose, st james, the psalter, the word of god, universal call to prayer, widow of zarephath
The Catechism discusses the significance of prayer beginning with the prophets and their observations about the Temple and ritualism. It is noteworthy that while we must worship the Lord externally, this must be in tandem with prayer and cannot remain external. With Fr. Mike’s insight, we see that our thinking affects how we act, and our behaviors can influence beliefs. Taking this to heart, if we ever feel that we are just “going through the motions”, we should persist and continue praying. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2581-2589.
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Day 331: The Foundations of Prayer
November 27th, 2023 | 19 mins 28 secs
abraham, amalekites, article 1, article one, chapter 1, chapter one, christian prayer, covenant, david, eli, hannah, how we pray, isaac, jacob, king, mediator, messiah, miriam, moses, old testament, part 4, part four, prayer, prayer in the christian life, promise, psalm, psalms, revelation of prayer, samuel, scripture, section 1, section one, solomon, temple of jerusalem, universal call to prayer
Do we know how to pray? The Catechism depicts Moses learning how to pray and uses this as an example of prayer and relationship with God. The Catechism goes on to talk about David and his experiences with prayer and the Psalms. As Fr. Mike points out, “humility is the foundation of prayer,” and we need honesty, trust, and a willingness to engage in order to pray and approach God as he is. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2574-2580.
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Day 330: The Revelation of Prayer
November 26th, 2023 | 20 mins 48 secs
abel, abraham, article 1, article one, chapter 1, chapter one, christian prayer, covenant, creation, enoch, enosh, esau, faith, genesis, god calls man, how we pray, israel, jacob, noah, old testament, part 4, part four, prayer, prayer in the christian life, promise, revelation of prayer, scripture, section 1, section one, source of prayer, universal call to prayer
As the Catechism reveals, we are made for worship and called to a relationship with the Lord through prayer. God is the initiator and wants us to walk with him as he “tirelessly calls each person to the mysterious encounter known as prayer.” Fr. Mike reminds us that just like Abraham in the Old Testament, the more we get to know the Lord through prayer, the more we become like him. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2566-2573.