Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

Homily from the Third Sunday of Lent. We all want peak moments, but growth happens in the Valley. Why do we walk through valleys? What good is life in the valley? Is it only a negative? Is it always a punishment from God? Or could the valley be necessary? Mass Readings from March 23, 2025: Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15 Psalm 103: 1-4, 6-8, 111 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 Luke 13:1-9

Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent. A big life is a series of small crossroads. Life happens at the crossroads. Life is also a series of small crossroads that might seem insignificant, but add up to a life of beauty and meaning...or a life potentially wasted. Mass Readings from March 16, 2025: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 Psalms 27:1, 7-9, 13-14Philippians 3:17—4:1 Luke 9:28b-36

Homily from the First Sunday of Lent. The only way out is through. As we enter into the desert, the desert takes away the things we tend to trust in...the things we use as comforts and crutches...and we are led through the "training place" to the place of being able to live like Christ. Mass Readings from March 9, 2025: Deuteronomy 26:4-10 Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15Romans 10:8-13 Luke 4:1-13

Homily from the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Silence reveals our hearts and silence trains our hearts. As we enter into the place of training, we realize that there are certain things that reveal the condition of our hearts...trial, tribulation, speech, and silence. But we need to consciously enter into these if we are going to know ourselves and be trained in the way of Christ. Mass Readings f...

Homily from the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Love those who deserve it. And those who don’t. Jesus gives us a commandment that existed from the beginning: we are to love those who deserve it. This is justice. Jesus goes on to teach us and even greater love: mercy. Mass Readings from February 23, 2025: 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-131 Corinthians 15:45-49 Luke...

Homily from the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. We live in this life, but we live for the next life. Jesus turns our fears and our hopes upside down...because through the Resurrection, Jesus has turned the world upside down. Mass Readings from February 16, 2025: Jeremiah 17:5-8 Psalms 1:1-4 & 61 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20 Luke 6:17, 20-26

Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. There are two requirements: Be available and be willing to try. There are times when the future is so uncertain and so unknown that we hesitate to move. But since we know that God is with us, He has a call on our lives, and His grace is active...we can take the next step without fear. Mass Readings from February 9, 2025: Isaiah 6:1-2, 3-8 Psalms 138:1...

Homily from the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Do what you know, where you are. What is the Greatest Thing you will ever do? What if the Greatest Thing is not something you accomplish, but who you become? Mass Readings from February 2, 2025: Malachi 3:1-4 Psalms 24:7-10Hebrews 2:14-18 Luke 2:22-40

Homily from the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. You've been given a great work, and must not come down. Since you have been made on purpose, there are two ways to live: on purpose and off purpose. But if a person has been made to be great and set apart for a purpose, why would they ever choose to live off purpose? The common culprits are distraction, forgetting, comparison, and living a shadow miss...

Homily from the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Why be great? A powerful goal in life is to be great. To be able to say, "I am good at this" regardless of comparison, but with an eye towards real excellence. At the same time, even when we have a goal and have a plan, we all need to be motivated by WHY. Mass Readings from January 19, 2025: Isaiah 62:1-5 Psalm 96:1-3, 7-101 Corinthians 12:4-11 John...

Homily from the Baptism of the Lord. You've been claimed at the lowest point. The Baptism of the Lord is a mystery. The mystery of how Christ comes into contact with the water...and it does not change Him; He changes it. This is the pattern from this moment on: Christ comes into contact with us, claims us, and changes us. Mass Readings from January 12, 2025: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Psalms 29:1-4, 9-10A...

Homily from the Epiphany of the Lord. There is something powerful about optimism. Optimistic people are more likely to be risk takers and more likely to have a positive view of life. But optimistic people also have to have something stronger than mere "wishful thinking" to lean on when their own strength runs out. Mass Readings from January 5, 2025: Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13.Ephesian...

Homily from the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. When we know God's will, we must respond with "yes". There are truly horrible and troubling things that can happen in each one of our lives. And yet, at every moment, we have the opportunity to respond in faith and love. Our response of trust can be summed up in one word: "Yes". Mass Readings from January 1, 2025: Numbers 6:2...

Homily from the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Make it your ambition to live a quiet life. In a world where so many people live their lives "on display," the Holy Family shows us what it is to live a quiet (and meaningful) life. Mass Readings from December 29, 2024: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 Psalms 128:1-5Colossians 3:12-21 Luke 2:41-52

Homily from the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas). The one who has gratitude has enough. At the moment we get to stand before the Lord face to face, what will the automatic and overwhelming response be? Will it be a word of love? Of contrition? Or will it be two words that summarize everything that could be said to the God who has used everything to get us ready to stand before Him? Mass Readings f...

Want to walk through Advent with Fr. Mike? Join us for daily video Advent reflections in the Ascension App: https://ascensionpress.com/pages/frmikeadvent Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Advent. I'm not going to fear what I don't know, I am going to trust who I do know. We can wait in excitement and joy...we can also wait in fear. We fear the dark and might fear death for the same reason: the unkn...

Want to walk through Advent with Fr. Mike? Join us for daily video Advent reflections in the Ascension App: https://ascensionpress.com/pages/frmikeadvent Homily from the Third Sunday of Advent. How can we see the Lord face to face til we have faces? We tell ourselves so many stories. Some of these stories are true and some of them are not. One challenge we have is to tell true stories...about ours...

Want to walk through Advent with Fr. Mike? Join us for daily video Advent reflections in the Ascension App: https://ascensionpress.com/pages/frmikeadvent Homily from the Second Sunday of Advent. God will bring the work He has begun to completion. We can do so many things in the Christian life that are important. But if we miss the most important aspect of following Christ, our lives will be incomp...

Want to walk through Advent with Fr. Mike? Join us for daily video Advent reflections in the Ascension App: https://ascensionpress.com/pages/frmikeadvent Homily from the First Sunday of Advent. We are made to see the Lord face to face...but are we ready for that? Advent is a time to prepare to see the Lord face to face. We are preparing to have the ability to stand before the Lord. But we often fi...

Miss the Livestream? Wanting to Donate? Make a Donation: http://www.bulldogcatholic.org https://www.givemn.org/organization/Newman-Catholic-Campus-Ministries-At-Umd Watch the Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTybyJQuDQY Homily from the Solemnity of Christ the King. The Mass is the fuel for our life in the world...and our life in the world is an extension of the Mass. The words, "The Lor...

Mark Your Calendars! Donate Today! Give to the Max Day: Thursday, November 21st, 2024 http://www.bulldogcatholic.org https://www.givemn.org/organization/Newman-Catholic-Campus-Ministries-At-Umd Day of Thanks Livestream Event: Thursday, November 21st, 2024 7PM CST http://www.youtube.com/ascensionpresents Homily from the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. At Mass, you are not in the bleachers. Yo...

Mark Your Calendars! Donate Today! Give to the Max Day: Thursday, November 21st, 2024 http://www.bulldogcatholic.org https://www.givemn.org/organization/Newman-Catholic-Campus-Ministries-At-Umd Day of Thanks Livestream Event: Thursday, November 21st, 2024 7PM CST http://www.youtube.com/ascensionpresents Homily from the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is truly right and just...worship set...

Homily from the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Worship is not about what we get, but about what we can give. When it comes to Mass, we often complain that we "don't get anything out of it". Is that what Mass is about? Is that what love is about? Or is love (and worship) about what we can give? Mass Readings from November 3, 2024: Deuteronomy 6:2-6 Psalms 18:2-4, 47, 51Hebrews 7:23-28 Mark 1...

Homily from the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The heart of worship is sacrifice. We know that the sacrifice of Jesus once-for-all is the moment that saves us. It is possible to be present to this moment and offer that one sacrifice now. Mass Readings from October 27, 2024: Jeremiah 31:7-9 Psalms 126:1-6Hebrews 5:1-6 Mark 10:46-52

Homily from the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. A thing is worth what someone is willing to sacrifice for it. How do we know what a thing is worth? When it comes to God, do we know how to worship Him? Mass Readings from October 20, 2024: Isaiah 53:10-11 Psalms 33:4-5, 18-20, 22Hebrews 4:14-16 Mark 10:35-45