Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

Episode: April 6, 2025 - The Place of the Way: Dead Ends
Release Date: April 5, 2025

Introduction

In the April 6th episode of Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Fr. Mike delves deep into the concept of "dead ends" as pivotal moments in our spiritual journeys. Drawing from the Gospel reading, personal anecdotes, historical figures, and cultural references, he illustrates how encountering dead ends can lead us closer to God and transform our lives.

The Gospel Passage: The Woman Caught in Adultery

Fr. Mike begins by reflecting on the Gospel of John (8:1-11), where Jesus encounters a woman caught in adultery. The scribes and Pharisees bring her before Jesus, challenging Him to enforce the Mosaic law of stoning for adultery. Jesus responds by saying, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her" (06:20). This powerful moment sets the stage for understanding dead ends in our lives.

The Story of the Friend and the Chickens – Dead Ends

To illustrate the concept, Fr. Mike shares a poignant story about a friend whose years of raising and showing chickens were devastated when a mink destroyed her coop, killing all her chickens. This event represented a dead end for her ambitions to compete in county and state fairs. Despite the ruin, instead of giving up, she pivoted and reached nationals with a grilled chicken recipe (10:15). This example underscores how apparent dead ends can lead to unforeseen opportunities.

The Nature of Dead Ends and Their Spiritual Significance

Fr. Mike defines dead ends as moments when everything we rely on is stripped away, leaving us feeling broken and without direction. He emphasizes that during such times, our natural reactions are limited to two options:

1. Excusing Ourselves: Justifying our actions or circumstances to mitigate responsibility.
2. Condemning Ourselves: Falling into self-condemnation and feeling irreparably broken (22:45).

These moments are not just obstacles but opportunities for spiritual growth and deeper reliance on God.

Temptations in Dead Ends: Excusing vs. Condemning

Drawing from the Gospel, Fr. Mike discusses the woman's predicament, highlighting that she was guilty and saw herself as irredeemable. He relates this to our temptations when facing dead ends:

• Excusing Ourselves: Shifting blame or minimizing our faults, e.g., "I'm no worse than anyone else" (35:10).
• Condemning Ourselves: Embracing self-condemnation and believing we're beyond repair (35:55).

Both options prevent us from finding true healing and transformation through God's grace.

The Story of Takashi Nagai and Finding Faith

Fr. Mike recounts the life of Takashi Nagai, a Japanese man who struggled with sin and personal demons before encountering the profound thoughts of Blaise Pascal. Nagai's journey from atheism and self-indulgence to Catholicism illustrates the transformative power of encountering Jesus at one's dead end. Fr. Mike notes, "When Paul's excuses run out, when his strength runs out, he says, I consider all these things as loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ" (48:30).

Testimonies: Transformation in Dead Ends

Fr. Mike shares testimonies of individuals who reached their dead ends and found solace and transformation through faith:

• The Nurse and the Lepers: A nurse in Nagasaki read Takashi Nagai's writings to blind lepers, inspiring them to find hope despite their circumstances. One leper, Hearesson, expressed gratitude for his leprosy and Nagai, acknowledging that dead ends led him to Jesus and faith (52:20).
• A Young Woman's Struggle: A student contemplated suicide but was comforted by a priest's prophetic words, which led her to embrace Jesus in her darkest moment. This encounter transformed her dead end into a testament of God's presence (55:10).

These stories highlight how dead ends can become turning points towards deeper faith and purpose.

The Art of Kintsugi: Embracing Brokenness

Fr. Mike introduces kintsugi, a Japanese art form where broken pottery is repaired with gold resin, making the cracks a feature of beauty rather than shame. He parallels this with our lives:

• Brokenness and Sin: Acknowledge the cracks and flaws without hiding them.
• Transformation through Grace: Allow God to use our brokenness to highlight His glory, much like the gold in kintsugi enhances the repaired pottery (60:05).

This metaphor emphasizes that our imperfections, when embraced and transformed by God, contribute to our unique beauty and testimony.

Conclusion: Embracing Dead Ends as the Place of the Way

Fr. Mike concludes by reiterating that dead ends are not endpoints but places of the way—moments where God intervenes to lead us beyond our limitations. He encourages listeners to:

• Embrace the Whole Truth: Acknowledge our brokenness and sin without excuses or condemnation.
• Bring Our Dead Ends to God: Trust that God can transform our darkest moments into avenues of grace and new beginnings.

By embracing our dead ends and surrendering them to Jesus, we open ourselves to the endless possibilities that God can create from our brokenness.

Notable Quotes

• On Dead Ends as the Way:

  "The place of the way is the dead end." (18:30)

• On Excusing vs. Condemning:

  "When we hit that dead end, we either excuse it or we condemn ourselves." (40:25)

• On Transformation through Confession:

  "Confession is saying, God, I'm willing to bring this part of my story that's true. And if I surrender it to you, you transform this broken part of my story to something whole." (58:45)

Reflection

Fr. Mike Schmitz's homily invites listeners to view their lowest points not as final destinations but as profound opportunities for encountering God's transformative grace. By reframing dead ends as divine pathways, we can navigate our struggles with hope and faith, trusting that God is always making a way even when all seems lost.