Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter. The only way for failure to be final is if you stop. Even sin is not final if you don’t stop. God has a call for you that is not erased by failure. Mass Readings from May 5, 2019: Acts 5:27-32, 40-41 Psalms 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13Revelation 5:11-14 John 21:1-19 Download the Homily Study

Homily from Divine Mercy Sunday. Failure is the one necessary prerequisite for God’s greatest gift. Many people battle with perfectionism. God’s mercy in the midst of failure is His remedy for the fear that failure is the end. Mass Readings from April 28, 2019: Acts 5:12-16 Psalms 118:2-4, 13-15, 22Revelation 1:9-11, 12-13, 17-19 John 20:19-31 Download the Homily Study

Homily from Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion. To stand for Jesus is to stand against the world. If I live in such a way that I merely follow the crowd, I will find myself praising Jesus on Sunday and crying out for His Crucifixion on Friday. This world is a “not friend“ of the Christian. Therefore, we must stand against the world and for Jesus. Mass Readings from April 14, 2019: Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalms 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24Philippians 2:6-11 Luke 22:14-23:56 Download the Homily Study

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Lent. There is no need to fear, but there is a need to fight. Behind enemy lines, we find ourselves in a battle with the Enemy of God. Satan is real and Satan must be resisted. But the Catholic Christian has been given the tools to engage in the fight and thrive with the strength provided by God Himself. Mass Readings from April 7, 2019: Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalms 126:1-6Philippians 3:8-14 John 8:1-11 Download the Homily Study

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent. We have different experiences, but the same enemy. While all of us struggle with different sins and temptations, we all ultimately have the same enemy: pride. Pride is a chameleon and can disguise itself in many different ways. Ultimately, pride will work to keep you holding onto something other than God and to remain outside the Father’s house. Telling the truth…and hearing the Father’s voice…is the way to let go of what we cling to and come inside. Mass Readings from March 31, 2019: Joshua 5:9-12 Psalms 34:2-72 Corinthians 5:17-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Download the Homily Study

Homily from the Third Sunday of Lent. Trained in trust...strengthened through struggle. God has freely given so much to us…and we are grateful. But why do we still experience the consequences of slavery? God gives us the chance to grow in trust of Him and His love…and He allows us to grow stronger in our ability to walk as His children. Mass Readings from March 24, 2019: Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15 Psalms 103: 1-4, 6-8, 111 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 Luke 13:1-9 Download the Homily Study

Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent. You have to know yourself to say no to yourself. We are in a battle, but our primary enemy is closer than we might like to imagine. In order to gain true freedom and victory, we have to know this enemy and know when to say no to them. Mass Readings from March 17, 2019: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 Psalms 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14Philippians 3:17-4:1 Luke 9:28-36 Download the Homily Study

Homily from Ash Wednesday. You are in a fight; what comes next? For many of us, our default assumption about life is: it’s fine. Even when things are obviously broken, we can pretend that they will “fix themselves.” But Lent reminds us that we are in a battle that won’t be won unless we are ready to engage the enemy who will attack us like our Lord was attacked in the wilderness...behind enemy lines. Mass Readings from March 6, 2019: Joel 2:12-18 Psalms 51:3-6, 12-14Corinthians 5:20—6:2 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Download the Homily Study

Homily from the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. What reveals the heart. We often are a mystery...even to ourselves. But Christians must come to a place of self-knowledge so we can present our true self to the true God. Mass Readings from March 3, 2019: Sirach 27:4-7 Psalms 92:2-3, 13-161 Corinthians 15:54-58 Luke 6:39-45

Homily from the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. You are loved most when you deserve it the least. Jesus calls us to love our enemies. But how can we do that when we don’t even love the people we like? When we often don’t effectively love ourselves? Mass Readings from February 24, 2019: 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-131 Corinthians 15:45-49 Luke 6:27-38 Download the Homily Study