Podcast · Devotional & Spiritual

Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

by Ascension · English · Devotional & Spiritual

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 21 min
Latest: 10 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

10 Oct 2026 · 29 minNew

10/11/26 Blind Spots: Practical Atheism

Homily from the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. I believe that God exists, but I do not live as if God exists. Sometimes we become so comfortable with our words, our schedules, and our everyday choices that we ignore God's invitation to a life-changing relationship with Him. God has made Himself ignorable for the sake of love: but love pays attention. The remedy is to invite Him into each and every moment and ask, "God, right now, how would you have me be?" Mass Readings from October 11, 2026: Isaiah 25:6-10 Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 Matthew 22:1-14

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

5 Oct 2026 · 25 min

10/04/26 Blind Spots: Worry

Homily from the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Concern asks, "What can I do?" Worry asks, "What if?" Worry can feel useful, responsible, even protective. But it keeps us rehearsing futures we cannot control. Concern moves us toward the next right thing. We can do what is ours to do, give God what we cannot control, and choose hope: not because we know what tomorrow holds, but because we know that God will be there. Mass Readings from October 4, 2026: Isaiah 5:1-7 Psalm 80:9, 12-16, 19-20Philippians 4:6-9 Matthew 21:33-43
28 Sep 2026 · 26 min

09/27/26 Blind Spots: Complaint

Homily from the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Training ourselves to notice the negative. Many of us have a default stance to notice the negative. When it comes to our assessment of ourselves or of any given situation, our default setting can often be complaint. And yet God calls us to rise above, to stop noticing the negative and begin approaching His world with wonder and praise. Mass Readings from September 27, 2026: Ezekiel 18:25-28 Psalms 25:4-9Philippians 2:1-11 Matthew 21:28-32
21 Sep 2026 · 27 min

09/20/26 Blind Spots: Entitlement

Homily from the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. God does not owe me anything. Entitlement does not always look like entitlement. Sometimes, it simply feels like getting what we deserve. Whether it comes from pride or pain, we can believe that we are owed more. But grace is, by definition, an undeserved gift. The cure for entitlement is to stop asking what we are owed and to start asking what God has entrusted to us...and then receive it with gratitude. Mass Readings from September 20, 2026: Isaiah 55:6-9 Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a Matthew 20:1-16a
15 Sep 2026 · 25 min

9/13/26 Blind Spots: Anger

Homily from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time There's angrily resisting reality...and there is saying "yes" to Life. Anger as a Blind Spot doesn't necessarily mean "rage" or "seething". But sometimes the Blind Spot os anger is the subtle, chronic disposition towards Life. Rather than responding to Life, a person can choose to embrace the attitude of resenting Life. Mass Readings from September 13, 2026: Sirach 27:30—28:7 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12Romans 14:7-9 Matthew 18:21-35
5 Sep 2026 · 26 min

09/06/26 Blind Spots: Gossip

Homily from the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Gossip is speaking of someone else's faults and flaws with no intention to help them at all. Gossip can be easy to recognize when someone else is doing it—and surprisingly difficult to see in ourselves. There are times when we need to speak about another person’s faults. But when there is no intention to help them, our words reveal a blind spot of our own. Mass Readings from September 6, 2026: Ezekiel 33:7-9 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9Romans 13:8-10 Matthew 18:15-20
31 Aug 2026 · 22 min

08/30/26 Forfeit

Homily from the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. You cannot become the person you were meant to be without the Cross. No one likes to lose. But there is a difference between getting beaten and forfeiting. Because Jesus has won, the only way we can lose our souls is if we forfeit. Mass Readings from August 30, 2026: Jeremiah 20:7-9 Psalm 63:2-9Romans 12:1-2 Matthew 16:21-27
22 Aug 2026 · 21 min

8/23/26 Who Do You Say?

Homily from the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time He gets to reveal Himself to me long before I get to have an opinion of Him. Every one of us will have our own Caesarea Philippi, our place where we must answer the question, "Who do you say that Jesus is?" Who will we say? Will we point to a Jesus who is merely our own particular version of Christ? Or will we actually know the true Jesus? Mass Readings from August 23, 2026:Isaiah 22:19-23 Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8Romans 11:33-36 Matthew 16:13-20
15 Aug 2026 · 15 min

08/16/26 Can God Say "No"?

Homily from the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Can God can say no and we still stay? When we come before God and ask for anything, we are making ourselves vulnerable. We are implicitly stating that God has our permission to give us His actual answer. We do not, and we cannot, force God into anything. He might say yes, He might say wait, and He might say no. The question is not, merely, what might God say. The question is, what will we do if the answer is no? Mass Readings from August 16, 2026: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15:21-28
8 Aug 2026 · 22 min

08/09/26 In the Storm

Homily from the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. God still speaks in storms. God's children can still step in storms. Life is filled with storms. From massive tragedies to normal, everyday battles, every person will regularly find ourselves in the midst of storms. We can often forget that God still speaks in the midst of storms. And God's children are not orphan in the midst of storms. We can still act in the midst of the storm....and discover that saints are made in storms. Mass Readings from August 9, 2026: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 Psalm 85:9, 10-14Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-33
1 Aug 2026 · 21 min

8/2/26 Give

Homily from the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Can money buy happiness? People will wisely claim that money cannot buy happiness. But what if the answer is actually "it depends"? It depends what you spend it on...and HOW you give. Mass Readings from August 2, 2026:Isaiah 55:1-3Psalm 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18Romans 8:35, 37-39 Matthew 14:13-21
25 Jul 2026 · 20 min

07/26/25 Fruitful and Faithful

Homily from the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is possible to use the gifts, use the opportunities...and lose your heart. King Solomon asked God for an understanding heart, and he was blessed with incredible wisdom. So how did he end so poorly? He did remarkable things, but he failed to do the ordinary things. Mass Readings from July 26, 2026: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130)Romans 8:28-30 Matthew 13:44-52
18 Jul 2026 · 21 min

07/19/26 We Do Not Know How

Homily from the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Faith grows through trial and prayer. We all want a greater faith...and we all want a purified love. But how does our faith grow and how does our love get purified? Through trial and prayer. But we do not know how to pray as we ought. Prayer is more a posture than it is a procedure. And the posture is trust. Mass Readings from July 19, 2026: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16Romans 8:26-27 Matthew 13:24-43
11 Jul 2026 · 16 min

07/12/26 No Bad Days

Homily from the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is possible to live the rest of your life with no more bad days. Life can be so overwhelmingly difficult and challenging. But challenge and suffering can and do change us; they can break us down or they can change us. Not only that, but every challenge can be united to Christ and can change lives. Mass Readings from July 12, 2026: Isaiah 55:10-11 Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14Romans 8:18-23 Matthew 13:1-23
4 Jul 2026 · 27 min

7/5/26 Citizens, Not Subjects

Homily from the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Citizens must live with conviction, responsibility, and courage. On the 250th anniversary of our nation, it is a moment to stop and reflect on our identity. Are we "subjects" or are we "citizens"? Are we "American Catholics" or are we "Catholics who are citizens of America"? And what would it be to live as a citizen without the virtue of patriotism? Mass Readings from July 5, 2026: Zechariah 9:9-10 Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14Romans 8:9, 11-13 Matthew 11:25-30
27 Jun 2026 · 15 min

6/28/26 Intentional Limitation

Homily from the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time The necessary risk we must take. Jesus calls us to love Him first. To place Him ahead of every other goal or desire in our lives. In order to answer the question "What are you living for?", we have to take the risk of knowing what we are NOT living for. Mass Readings from June 28, 2026:2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a Psalm 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 Matthew 10:37-42
20 Jun 2026 · 15 min

06/21/26 The Moment of Moments

Homily from the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time. We will need Humility and Hope. The moment will come when we will all stand before the Good and Holy God in judgment. This truth can fill us with fear, but there are two virtues we need more powerful than fear: humility and hope. Mass Readings from June 21, 2026: Jeremiah 20:10-13 Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35Romans 5:12-15 Matthew 10:26-33
13 Jun 2026 · 18 min

06/14/26 Precisely

Homily from the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Precisely as strong as it needs to be. When Jesus sends out His Apostles in His Name, He also gives them all of the strength and ability that they are going to need. He continues to give us the same: precisely the strength that we need at every moment. Mass Readings from June 14, 2026: Exodus 19:2-6 Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5Romans 5:6-11 Matthew 9:36—10:8
6 Jun 2026 · 19 min

06/07/26 May They Be One

Homily from the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). To have the Real Presence in the Eucharist, one needs the Apostolic priesthood. Corpus Christi is an important feast for an important Reality. We know that Jesus was clear when He taught about His Body and Blood in the Eucharist...yet this true Presence requires the true ministerial priesthood that Jesus established with His Apostles. Christ's followers are divided, but He continues to desire our unity. Mass Readings from June 7, 2026: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16 Psalm 147:12-15, 19-201 Corinthians 10:16-17…
30 May 2026 · 17 min

05/31/26 Understanding...or Trust?

Homily from the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. God is not a problem to solve, but One to be trusted. The Holy Trinity is the term that we use to try and convey the Mystery of Who God ultimately is. But no definition will suffice. And no explanation could possibly capture God's fullness. God is simply beyond anything that we can conceive of or imagine...but He has revealed Himself and called us into relationship with Him. Even if we do not fully grasp Him. Mass Readings from May 31, 2026: Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9 Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 562 Corinthians 13:11-13 John 3:16-18
23 May 2026 · 14 min

05/24/26 Near Occasion of Grace

Homily from Pentecost Sunday. God always answers our prayers, but our prayers do not control or convince Him. We can say that "prayer works", but we must be very careful to know what we mean if we were to utter such words. Mass Readings from May 24, 2026: Acts 2:1-11 Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 341 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 John 20:19-23
16 May 2026 · 11 min

05/17/26 A Necessary Goodbye

Homily from the Ascension of the Lord. "It is better for you that I go...". Is that true? Jesus told His apostles that it was better for them that He ascended to the Father; that it was better for them if He left them. But why? Mass Readings from May 17, 2026: Acts 1:1-11 Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9Ephesians 1:17-23 Matthew 28:16-20
9 May 2026 · 16 min

05/10/26 A Reason to Hope

Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter. Hope that is not tested is hope that cannot be trusted. How do we grow in hope? Saint Paul tells us: through affliction that leads to a new level of trust in the God who loves us. Mass Readings from May 10, 2026: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Psalm 66:1-3, 4-7, 16, 201 Peter 3:15-18 John 14:15-21
2 May 2026 · 25 min

05/03/26 The Next...: The Next Goodbye

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Easter. What is this in light of eternity? Our perspective either helps us see things clearly or muddies the waters. The only way forward is perspective, and not just any perspective, eternal perspective. Without eternal perspective, our hearts will never find rest and we will always be searching for our true purpose. Mass Readings from May 3, 2026: Acts 6:1-7 Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-191 Peter 2:4-9 John 14:1-12
25 Apr 2026 · 22 min

04/26/26 The Next...: The Next Road

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter. There is no perfect road. There is only the next right road. There are many things that we might end up regretting in the course of our lives. But the most important thing is to keep our eyes on Jesus and our ears attuned to the sound of His voice; to listen to Him, stay close to Him, and follow Him. Mass Readings from April 26, 2026: Acts 2:14, 36-41 Psalm 23: 1-3, 3-61 Peter 2:20-25 John 10:1-10
18 Apr 2026 · 26 min

04/19/26 The Next...: The Next Mass

Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter. The Enemy wants to steal your heart. The Lord wants to give you His. It is possible to know the truth; the truth about the Resurrection, the truth about Christianity, the truth about Jesus...and still struggle. It is possible to know and wrestle to have the courage it requires to continue on. Courage is necessary. Heart is necessary...especially in the battle of discouragement. Mass Readings from April 19, 2026: Acts 2:14, 22-33 Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-111 Peter 1:17-21 Luke 24:13-35
11 Apr 2026 · 26 min

04/12/26 The Next...: The Next Confession

Homily from Divine Mercy Sunday. It’s not about your first or last confession. It’s about your next one. The Christian life doesn’t end with a first confession, baptism, or Easter moment, it continues through the next step. What keeps love alive is not looking back, but continually returning to Christ through confession, mercy, and grace. Each “next” encounter with Jesus strengthens faith and guards against a cold heart. Mass Readings from April 12, 2026: Acts 2:42-47 Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-241 Peter 1:3-9 John 20:19-31
5 Apr 2026 · 17 min

04/05/26 Easter Sunday: Everything is Restored

Homily from Easter Sunday. Everything given and taken is restored. Jesus did not rise from the dead to merely prove a point. He rose so that all could be restored. Everything we give to Him...everything we allow Him to take...all of it can be restored. Mass Readings from April 5, 2026: Acts 10:34,37-43 Psalms 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23Colossians 3:1-4 John 20:1-9
3 Apr 2026 · 13 min

04/03/26 Good Friday: Everything is Taken

Homily from Good Friday. A king without His armor. At the end of our lives, there are no defenses. At the end of Christ's life, He clings to no defenses. He has poured it all out, and all is taken from Him. All that is left is the Man Himself. At the end of our lives, we will only be left with our heart...everything else is taken. Mass Readings from April 3, 2026: Isaiah 52:13—53:12 Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 18:1—19:42
2 Apr 2026 · 16 min

04/02/26 Holy Thursday: Everything is Given

Homily from Holy Thursday. Jesus knew. And He still gave everything. At the end of Lent, we realize that we have been called to give. To give our time and attention to God in prayer. To give up things in fasting. To give help to those in need. Jesus gives at the Last Supper. He gives everything...fully knowing the truth of the people for whom He gives everything. Mass Readings from April 2, 2026: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 Psalm 116:12-13, 15-181 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-15

About Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

Every week, Catholic priest Fr. Mike Schmitz delivers powerful homilies based on the Sunday Mass Scripture readings, inviting you to live more fully as the person God created you to be. Engaging and motivating, these 20-30 minute homilies will help ground your faith, fortify your heart, and transform your life. Fr. Mike Schmitz preaches from Duluth Minnesota, where he serves as the Newman chaplain for University Minnesota Duluth’s Bulldog Catholic campus ministry.

Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz is a English devotional & spiritual podcast from Ascension. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Ascension
Language: English
Category: Devotional & Spiritual
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 21 min
Latest episode: 10 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id273537688

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