Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz: Episode Summary
Episode Title: The Place of the Way: Home
Release Date: March 29, 2025
Podcast: Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz, Newman Chaplain at University Minnesota Duluth’s Bulldog Catholic Campus Ministry
Introduction and Gospel Reading
Fr. Mike Schmitz opens the homily by extending a warm welcome to listeners, expressing hope that the message will inspire and deepen their relationship with God. He introduces the day's Gospel reading from Luke 15:1-32, which recounts the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This parable serves as the cornerstone for the episode's exploration of the concept of "home" as the foundational place of spiritual growth and training.
Understanding the Parable of the Prodigal Son
Fr. Mike delves into the nuances of the parable, highlighting that both the younger and older sons share a common struggle: neither knows how to truly live at home with their father. While the younger son physically leaves home seeking independence and later returns in repentance, the older son remains but harbors resentment and a sense of unappreciated loyalty.
Notable Quote:
“Both the older son and the younger son might not only be incredibly similar to each other. I think they might be incredibly similar to us.”
(Timestamp: 15:45)
Personal Anecdotes: Lessons from Family Dynamics
Fr. Mike shares personal stories to illustrate the challenges of family roles and the often subconscious patterns that emerge within familial settings. He recounts an experience with his niece, Lucy, an eight-year-old who preferred to avoid tasks and attention, mirroring his own tendencies as a middle child. This reflection leads to a broader discussion on how familial roles can influence one's ability to engage authentically with God.
Notable Quote:
“Lucy and I are using our place in the middle to hide... I just want to avoid being seen.”
(Timestamp: 12:30)
The Place of the Way: Home as Spiritual Dojo
Central to the homily is the concept of "the place of the way," likening it to a dojo—a place of training and discipline. Fr. Mike emphasizes that home is not merely a physical space but a spiritual arena where believers can develop a deeper relationship with the Father. He contrasts previous discussions on silence, the desert, and the crossroads with today’s focus on home, highlighting its significance in spiritual training.
Notable Quote:
“The place of the way is the father’s house. To be able to be in that place where I can let myself be seen by the father and not hide.”
(Timestamp: 27:10)
Time and Trust: Foundations for Living Like Jesus
Fr. Mike identifies time and trust as essential components for nurturing a meaningful relationship with God. He shares his journey of building a deeper connection with his own father through shared activities, such as training for an Ironman triathlon. These moments of vulnerability and collaboration fostered mutual understanding and trust, paralleling the spiritual journey believers undertake with God.
Notable Quote:
“We only need really two things in order to know how to live in the Father's house... we just need time and we need trust.”
(Timestamp: 35:50)
Building Trust Through Vulnerability and Honesty
Trust with God, according to Fr. Mike, grows through vulnerability and honesty. He references the trials of Takashi Nagai, a Japanese Catholic who endured the devastation of Nagasaki, to illustrate how honest grappling with suffering and doubt can lead to profound faith and reliance on God's love.
He further explores how expressing genuine emotions, such as tears, signifies hope and trust in God's presence and care. This emotional honesty is essential for authentic spiritual growth and mirrors the sons’ eventual candid confessions to their father in the Gospel.
Notable Quote:
“Trust begins with becoming vulnerable, and vulnerability begins with being honest.”
(Timestamp: 42:25)
Applying the Homily: Living in the Father's Presence
Fr. Mike challenges listeners to imagine a life where they actively engage with God’s presence at home. He envisions a daily routine where individuals collaboratively seek God’s guidance, moving beyond a checklist mentality to a relational approach grounded in trust and shared purpose.
Notable Quote:
“Imagine morning comes and the older son... they make breakfast together. They plan out their day. God, what do you want me to do in my life today?”
(Timestamp: 55:40)
Conclusion: Embracing Home as the Place of the Way
Fr. Mike concludes by reiterating that home is a vital spiritual environment where believers can grow to resemble Christ through time spent in trust and openness. He encourages listeners to embrace vulnerability, foster honest relationships with God, and view their home as a sacred space for spiritual training and transformation.
Notable Quote:
“If we were vulnerable with the father because we were honest and we even showed him our tears, it wouldn't just be the desert, it wouldn't just be crossroads and it wouldn't just be the valley, but even our home would be the place of the way.”
(Timestamp: 1:05:15)
Key Takeaways:
- Home as Spiritual Training Ground: Viewing home as the place where believers can develop their faith through daily interactions and openness with God.
- Time and Trust: Prioritizing time spent with God and cultivating trust through honest vulnerability.
- Shared Experiences: Engaging in activities that foster deeper connections and mutual understanding, both with family and in spiritual life.
- Honesty and Vulnerability: Embracing genuine emotions and trusting God even amidst doubts and suffering.
This episode of Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz offers profound insights into cultivating a meaningful and authentic relationship with God by transforming the concept of home into a dynamic space of spiritual growth and training. Through relatable anecdotes and deep theological reflections, Fr. Mike invites listeners to embrace vulnerability, trust, and intentionality in their spiritual journeys.