Episode Summary: “Freedom and Joy”

Podcast: Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz
Date: August 30, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz (Ascension)

Main Theme & Purpose

Fr. Mike Schmitz’s homily this week unpacks the concepts of freedom and joy as found in true humility. Reflecting on the Sunday Gospel (Luke 14:1, 7–14) and the other readings, he explores how living in humility—acknowledging the truth about who we are—leads to profound liberation and authentic joy. Using personal stories, spiritual insights, and humor, Fr. Mike encourages listeners to set aside pretensions and find their worth not in worldly honors or performance, but in the steadfast love of God.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Social Performance and Its Burdens

• Begins with a reflection on a dad’s social media post proclaiming his child as “the best kid ever.” Fr. Mike humorously questions the literal truth of such statements, observing how we all sometimes pretend (03:10).
• Extends the idea to titles like “World’s Best Dad” or “World’s Best Boss,” and how such affirmations often sit uncomfortably with the one receiving them, who knows their own imperfections.
• Insight: The energy spent on managing appearances—what he terms “impression management”—is exhausting and keeps us from true freedom.

2. What Humility Really Means

• Draws from the first reading (Sirach): “Conduct your affairs with humility, and humble yourself the more, the greater you are.”
• Shares C.S. Lewis’s wisdom:
  “Humility is not a pretty woman trying to believe she's ugly or a clever man trying to believe he’s a fool. Humility is being honest about what you are and also not thinking about yourself all the time.” (06:24)
• Humility isn’t negative or self-deprecating—it is living honestly with both strengths and weaknesses.
• Joy and freedom flow from this honesty: “To know the truth, to acknowledge the truth, and to live the truth is not sad. It is the first step towards freedom. It’s the first real step towards joy. Because that step is humility.” (07:20)

3. Humility: Acknowledging Gifts Without Exaggeration

• Tells stories of “unknown celebrities” like barbecue pitmasters and professional dart players (Stephen Bunting) who are feted for niche skills but, outside their circles, are regular people (11:00).
• Fr. Mike’s sister Beth (who worked as a wardrobe manager for Prince and Ricky Martin) is highlighted for her groundedness:
  “The thing I love about you is that you just treat me normally... You aren’t special. You are normal. It’s not like you’re curing cancer. You sing and you dance.” (14:30)
• Quote:
  “Humility is not pretending I’m not good at something. But it's also not thinking that because I’m good at it, I’m more than that. That’s all it means.” (16:05)

4. Humility, Weakness, and Growth

• References Carol Dweck’s work (“Mindset”) as a healthy model:
  “If I’m good at this, that’s all it means. If I’m bad at this, that’s all it means. But it also can mean that I could get better.” (18:14)
• Humility is acknowledging the full truth: “I am not yet who I should be.” (20:13)
• Emphasizes: “I’m not the center of the universe.” (20:49)

5. The Gospel and Freedom in Humility

• Jesus’ advice to take the lowest place at a banquet isn’t about faking lowliness to get advanced, but about recognizing and living in the truth of one’s heart (22:00).
• Quote:
  “When I walk into a room, I don’t know anyone else’s heart here... But based on what I know about me, I deserve the lowest spot.” (23:40)
• The true joy of humility: being grateful just to be included, “glad to make the cut, glad to be at the feast.” (24:30)

6. Joy of Humility: Freedom to Laugh at Ourselves

• Tells a story of his nephew Alex, who could easily laugh at himself and, therefore, was not threatened or defensive (26:22).
• Quote:
  “You can laugh at yourself when you’re not threatened. When you’re not defensive. When you don’t need to perform or be perfect or manage impressions.” (27:11)
• Humility lets us both acknowledge our sins and weaknesses, and trust in God’s mercy:
  “The humble person can look at their weakness, their sins, and look at God and chuckle—‘What a mess I am. I need you so badly.’” (29:07)
• Compares to Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12: “Therefore, I rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.” (30:09)

7. Taking Ourselves Lightly and God’s Declaration Over Us

• Shares a quote from Chesterton:
  “The reason why angels can fly is because they take themselves so lightly.” (31:19)
• Contrasts this with Satan, who cannot laugh at himself, illustrating the joy and freedom of humility.

8. Our Real Identity in God’s Eyes

• Childhood memory:
  “My dad would say, ‘You’re a pretty good kid...when you’re sleeping.’” (32:50)
  Reveals the deep truth: worth is not about achievement, but simply being a beloved child.
• Hebrews 12:24: The blood of Christ “speaks more eloquently than that of Abel”—not for justice or vengeance, but for mercy and forgiveness.
• Key closing insight:
  “In baptism, he doesn’t say, ‘You’re the best.’ In baptism, he says, ‘You’re mine. And I love you.’” (35:22)
  Our dignity is rooted not in being the best, but in being claimed and loved by God—this awareness is the heart of humility, and the path to freedom and joy.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Fr. Mike (07:20):
  “To know the truth, to acknowledge the truth, and to live the truth is not sad. It is the first step towards freedom. It’s the first real step towards joy. Because that step is humility.”

• Fr. Mike paraphrasing C.S. Lewis (06:24):
  “Humility is not a pretty woman trying to believe she's ugly or a clever man trying to believe he’s a fool. Humility is being honest about what you are and also not thinking about yourself all the time.”

• Fr. Mike (16:05):
  “Humility is not pretending I’m not good at something. But it's also not thinking that because I’m good at it, I’m more than that.”

• Fr. Mike (27:11):
  “You can laugh at yourself when you’re not threatened. When you’re not defensive.”

• Fr. Mike (29:07):
  “The humble person can look at their weakness...and look at God and chuckle—‘What a mess I am. I need you so badly.’”

• Fr. Mike (31:19):
  “The reason why angels can fly is because they take themselves so lightly.”

• Fr. Mike (35:22):
  “In baptism, he doesn’t say, ‘You’re the best.’ In baptism, he says, ‘You’re mine. And I love you.’”

Important Timestamps

• 03:10 – Introduction to the theme: birthday posts and “world’s best” claims
• 06:24 – C.S. Lewis on humility
• 11:00 – Story: Texas BBQ pitmasters and humility of niche talents
• 14:30 – Wardrobe stories: Prince and Ricky Martin, Beth’s groundedness
• 16:05 – “Humility is not pretending...”
• 22:00 – Jesus’ teaching on seating at the banquet
• 27:11 – The ability to laugh at ourselves
• 30:09 – St. Paul boasting of weakness (2 Corinthians 12)
• 31:19 – Chesterton and the lightness of angels
• 32:50 – “You’re a pretty good kid...when you’re sleeping.”
• 35:22 – Identity in baptism: “You’re mine. And I love you.”

Tone and Language

Fr. Mike Schmitz’s style is conversational, humorous, and deeply pastoral—combining relatable anecdotes, spiritual wisdom, and joyful encouragement. The episode balances lighthearted storytelling with earnest reflections, offering listeners a fresh, hopeful perspective on humility and the joy of living in the truth.

Takeaway

True freedom and joy are found not in striving to be “the best,” but in humbly acknowledging both our gifts and weaknesses, taking ourselves lightly, and rooting our deepest identity in being God’s beloved. Humility is the freedom to stop performing and start living honestly, joyfully, as God’s own.