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Ascension

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

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 incomplete. We are called to love...and yet we do not have it in us to be able to love the way we need to. Thankfully, God meets us in our need and our lack and supplies us with all we need.
 Mass Readings from December 8, 2024: Baruch 5:1-9 Ps 126:1-6Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11 
Luke 3:1-6

12/8/24 Face to Face: Incomplete

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 ourselves and about the Lord. In order to be able to see the Lord face to face, we will need to know ourselves and some before God as our true selves.
 Mass Readings from December 15, 2024: Zephaniah 3:14-18 Isaiah 12:2-6Philippians 4:4-7 
Luke 3:10-18

12/15/24 Face to Face: Til We Have Faces

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 unknown. We can fear the unknown in the afterlife and we can fear the unknown of our own inner life. God's mercy leads us to a place of trust.
 Mass Readings from December 22, 2024: Micah 5:1-4 Psalms 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19Hebrews 10:5-10 
Luke 1:39-45

12/22/24 Face to Face: Fear to Fiat

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 from December 25, 2024: Isaiah 52:7-10 Psalms 98:1-6.Hebrews 1:1-6 
John 1:1-18

12/25/24 Face to Face: Two Words

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

12/29/24 A Hidden Life

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 6:22-27 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8Galatians 4:4-7 
Luke 2:16-21

01/01/25 The Power of "Yes"

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.Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 
Matthew 2:1-12

01/05/25 Optimism

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, 9-10Acts 10:34-38 
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

01/12/25 Claimed

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 2:1-11

01/19/25 On Purpose: Be Great

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 mission.
 Mass Readings from January 26, 2025: Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 151 Corinthians 12:12-30 
Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

01/26/25 On Purpose: Off Purpose

Homily from Holy Thursday, Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper
 
He loved them to the end.
 
One of the characteristics that marks modern man is that we find ourselves angry at God. In fact, we are so angry that we would be willing to hurt God if we could. Yet, God is invulnerable. He cannot be hurt. Still, God chose to step into this world and love us...while making Himself vulnerable.
 Mass Readings from April, 17, 2025: Isaiah 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9 Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18.1 Corinthians 11:23-26 
John 13:1-15

4/17/25 The God Who Makes Himself Vulnerable

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