The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

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”.Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

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.Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

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.Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

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.Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

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.Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

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.Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

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.Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

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.Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

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.Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

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.Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast