Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz — “In The Light”

Episode Date: November 15, 2025
Podcast Host: Ascension Presents
Preacher: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Location: Duluth, Minnesota, Bulldog Catholic, University of Minnesota Duluth

Overview

In this heartfelt homily, Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the theme of what it means to truly live "in the light" of God versus simply being seen “in a good light” by others. Drawing on the Gospel from Luke 21:5-19 and the writings of Malachi, Fr. Mike invites listeners to confront the difference between being admired and being loved. He reflects on the human tendency toward hiding imperfections, the liberating yet challenging call to authenticity, and the freedom and transformation that come from allowing ourselves to be fully known and loved in God's light.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Admiration vs. Love

• Would you rather be admired or loved?

  • Fr. Mike poses a perennial question (07:34): "Would you rather be admired or loved?"
  • He unpacks that while admiration is safe—showing only curated, favorable traits—love is riskier, requiring us to be seen as we truly are.
  • “I can only be loved to the degree that I am truly known.” (08:21)

• Seeking the Good Light vs. Living in The Light

  • Many people, Christians included, desire to be seen in a “good light.”
  • Fr. Mike identifies the difference: "To be seen in a good light means you don't see what I don't want you to see, and you see the things I do want you to see." (06:32)
  • Authenticity, not image, is what God calls us to.

2. Scriptural Foundations: Malachi & The Gospel of John

• The liturgical reading from Malachi warns of the “Day of the Lord”—a blazing oven in which "nothing will be hidden." (09:00)
• John 3:16 emphasizes God’s love, but also notes that “people preferred darkness to light so that their evil works would not be exposed.” (10:42)
• Jesus, “the light of the world,” invites people to step out of the darkness, yet many resist.

3. Hypocrisy: Reputation vs. Character

• The Greek root of “hypocrite” is “actor” or “pretender.”

  • Fr. Mike distinguishes reputation (“what people think is true of me”) from character (“what is actually true of me”). (11:12)
  • “If I'm going to be a hypocrite, what it means is, I want you to think something of me is true, that I’m not willing to actually choose.” (11:26)
  • Integrity is when "your video matches your audio"—when how you live aligns with what you profess. (11:39)

• Memorable Story:

  • The Hot Mic Incident: Fr. Mike recounts a story about a Catholic speaker whose negative backstage comments were accidentally broadcast to the entire church (13:15).
    • This story illustrates the perils of hidden sin and the inevitable revelation of our true selves, intentionally or otherwise.

4. Being Known: The Freedom and Challenge

• Fr. Mike describes encounters that reveal how our hidden lives can inadvertently become public—reflecting that this is true for everyone at some point. (15:15)
• We are called to bring all parts—bright and dark—of our hearts honestly to God. This is found through prayer and especially through confession, which he describes as an act of “letting go”—or, in spiritual terms, repentance. (17:35)

5. The Day of the Lord, Judgment, and Full Disclosure

• Particular Judgment: When we die, we receive what we have chosen—God or not God. (19:17)
• Last Judgment: At the end of history, “the truth of each man's relationship with God will be laid bare.” (21:00)
  • Everyone will be fully known, not only to God and self but to each other.
  • In heaven, “there will be no pride and there will be no shame.” (22:12)
    • We will understand how much good came from grace and from others, undercutting pride.
    • Sins and wounds, once surrendered to Christ, become “testimonies to God’s mercy”—removing shame.

6. Transformation & Redemption: The Great Divorce

• Drawing from C.S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce, Fr. Mike tells the story of a man enslaved by a lizard (representing lust), who is only freed and transformed once he surrenders and allows the angel to kill the lizard. (25:40)
  • The lizard, once surrendered, transforms into a beautiful stallion—illustrating how what once enslaved us, redeemed, becomes our glory.
• Key Lesson:
  • “What was this man's downfall, what was this man's slavery, because of God’s grace, became this man's glory because of Jesus.” (26:45)
  • True love requires being “fully known,” allowing even our sin to be redeemed and transformed.

7. Stepping Into the Light: Starting Now

• Fr. Mike encourages listeners:
  • Authenticity with God can begin “now”—in prayer, Mass, and especially in confession.
  • “Heaven can start now. Love can start now.” (28:30)
  • The choice is before each person: to be admired (and remain hidden) or to be loved (and step into the light).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Admired or Loved:
  “Would you rather be admired or loved?... Admired is safe. Loved is risky...To be loved, I have to be known.” (07:34 – 08:21)

• On Reputation vs. Character:
  “Reputation is what people think is true of me, and character is what is actually true of me.” (11:17)

• Integrity:
  “[He] was a man of character, a man of integrity...his video matches his audio.” (11:39)

• On the Last Judgment:
  “In the presence of Christ, who is truth itself, the truth of each man's relationship with God will be laid bare.” (21:30)

• No Pride, No Shame:
  “To be fully known like that, there’s no pride and there’s no shame...our wounds, in fact redeemed, submitted to the Lord, will point to God’s grace, point to God’s mercy.” (22:12 – 24:10)

• C.S. Lewis’s ‘Lizard’ Story:
  “What sin does is it makes us a ghost of ourselves. What grace does is it makes us into the beings God has created us and redeemed us to be.” (26:40)

• Invitation:
  “Would you rather be seen in a good light or have something more?...to be loved not in a good light, but in the light—to be loved as you are.” (29:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Admired vs. Loved? The Central Question – [07:34]
• Scriptures on Light and Darkness – [09:00–10:50]
• Hypocrisy, Reputation, Character – [11:12–12:00]
• Hot Mic Story (Integrity vs. Image) – [13:15]
• Bringing Our Broken Parts to God – [15:15–17:35]
• Repentance and Judgment Explained – [17:35–21:30]
• No Pride, No Shame in Heaven – [22:12–24:10]
• The Great Divorce (Transformation Story) – [25:40–26:45]
• Immediate Application: “Heaven Starts Now” – [28:30–29:05]

Conclusion

Fr. Mike calls every listener to choose authenticity over image, to risk being fully known so that we can be fully loved—by God and, ultimately, by one another. The path to freedom, healing, and transformation is not in hiding our darkness, but in stepping into the light—starting now.