I’ve been watching Father Mike Schmitz’s daily “Catechism in A Year” YouTube videos since last January 1st. This has given me an opportunity to re-read the Catechism again at a different point in my spiritual life, and to profit immensely from Father Mike’s clarity in explaining and applying to real life what the Catholic Church officially teaches.
I thought I would go back and look at some of the quotes from him which I wrote in the margins of my book, and since I found them so helpful, I thought I would share them here. Some of the best come from his opening prayer…
“Our goal is not just information transfer, but transformation.”
“Mercy is the love we need the most but deserve the least.”
“We are not ‘people of the book’ – we are people of the living Word, the Logos.”
“We are good, but broken.”
“Father, give us the courage, humility and joy we need to say ‘yes’ to you and never stop.”
“What Jesus makes possible the Holy Spirit makes actual.”
“Father, help us to be patient with one another. Help us to be patient with the Church…” “We must love the Church because Jesus does.”
Re: Heaven and Hell – “I don’t just get what I desire; I get what I’ve chosen.”
“The heart of religion is worship, and the heart of worship is sacrifice.”
“The goal [of penitential fasting, prayer and almsgiving – Matthew 6:1-18] is to make our hearts like Jesus’ Heart.”
“Our freedom is a blessing and a burden.”. “Freedom is the power to do what I ought.” “We should use our freedom to love.”
“Our passions are gradually transformed by God’s Spirit (and our cooperation and obedience) so that they become aligned with the intellect (knowing the truth) and the will (choosing the good).”
“Affective love is in the area if our feelings; effective love is in the area of our actions.”
“Grace gives us the ability to be truly free, to actually say yes to what we’re made for.”. “The next ‘yes’ is always possible.”
“Father, because of your Son, we have access to your heart.”
Re: the second commandment about not taking God’s name in vain – “In disclosing God’s Name to us, he has entrusted his heart to us, his very self.”
Re: the fourth commandment about honoring one’s parents (and others in authority) – “There are 3 levels of honor: first, the honor of being made in God’s image; second, there’s the honor that goes with the office (the position); third, there’s the honor earned by a person’s character.”
Re: abortion and euthanasia – “Our society today has a ‘quality of life’ ethic instead of a ‘sanctity of life‘ ethic.”
“God made us for three things: love, labor and leisure.”
“Humility is nothing more than telling the truth about who I am.”
“Some people want power more than truth.”
“We get internal freedom by internal and external discipline.”
Re: the critical importance of prayer – “From relationship comes identity, then mission. We get it backwards.”
“Real prayer, real relationship starts when we come to the end of ourselves.”
If any of this peaks your interest, please check out the “Catechism in a Year” YouTube broadcast or listen on your favorite podcast app. Father Mike is just beginning the final section on prayer (the most important one! Start with Day 329), and it promises to be great. Whether you’ve been following or not, whether you’re Catholic or not, I highly recommend it.
Lessons From Love School 