Podcast Summary: "Words Fail" – Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

Podcast: Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz
Host: Ascension
Date: September 13, 2025
Episode: 9/14/25 Words Fail

Overview

In this homily for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the profound power of symbols—especially the Cross—when words fall short. Drawing from Scripture, tradition, and personal storytelling, he reflects on how God transformed the ultimate sign of human shame into an enduring symbol of hope and love through Jesus’ crucifixion. Fr. Mike invites listeners to consider the deeply personal meaning of the Cross, not only for all humanity but for each individual.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Limits and Power of Words (03:00–08:00)

• Fr. Mike begins by affirming the value of words, but points out that they sometimes fail to fully express reality or convey meaning.
• Symbols and signs (e.g., restroom signs, wedding rings, emojis, the power button symbol) often communicate more directly and powerfully than language, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers.
  • “Words are good. Words are really good. Big fan, big fan of words. … And yet we know that there are times when words fail.” (04:00)
• The wedding ring is highlighted as a universal sign—no words needed to declare someone’s marital status.

Biblical Foundation: The Serpent and the Cross (08:00–18:00)

• Fr. Mike draws a parallel between the grumbling Israelites in Numbers 21 and Adam and Eve in Genesis 3—both stories of people doubting God’s goodness despite His care.
  • “God has fought for them … is currently leading them, protecting them, and feeding them … still they’re like ‘yeah, but God’s not good enough.’” (10:30)
• The snake that becomes a sign of shame (the consequence of sin and rebellion) is lifted up by Moses as a symbol of healing at God's command.
• Quoting Fr. Dave Pivonka: “He (God) takes the sign of their shame and it becomes a symbol of their hope.” (16:15)
• The Cross, like the bronze serpent, becomes the transformed sign—as Fr. Mike notes, the primary and essential symbol of Christianity for 2000 years, unlike the non-central symbols of other faiths.

The Horror and Redemption of the Cross (18:15–28:00)

• Fr. Mike unpacks the historical brutality and shame of the Roman crucifixion, emphasizing how inconceivable it is that Christianity would center its identity on such an instrument.
  • “The cross was the worst form of punishment that human beings ever thought to invent.” (19:45)
  • “What was the sign of our shame has become the symbol of our hope.” (25:45)
• Early Christians were reluctant to depict Jesus on the Cross due to its horrific reality; yet, over time, the symbol of execution became the global sign of God’s love.
• The Cross visually represents human sin, brokenness, and humiliation—but through Jesus, it now proclaims hope.

God’s Response to Human Brokenness (28:00–34:00)

• Fr. Mike articulates the classic Christian narrative: before the Holy God, we stand guilty, and His answer is not condemnation but self-giving love through the Cross.
  • “This is what we believe as Christians… What is God’s answer to our guilt? The cross.” (28:55)
  • “God so loved the world that he gave his only son that all who believe…might not perish, but might have eternal life.” (29:35)
• When humanity points to God and says “not good enough”—when we are angry at God for suffering and evil—God’s response is again the Cross.
  • “When we say, God, you’re guilty, what’s his answer? It’s the same answer. It’s the cross.” (33:25)

Making the Cross Personal – A Story of Salvation (34:00–39:30)

• Fr. Mike recounts a conversation between Fr. Boniface Hicks and a college student who pressed beyond theological explanations, suggesting maybe Jesus died on the cross just to save the good thief beside Him.
  • “Maybe Jesus did it for just that one guy. And maybe Jesus died on the cross just for you. Maybe that’s possible.” (37:45)
• The homily challenges listeners to move from the general (“for all”) to the personal:
  • “Even if you were the only person in the universe, Jesus would have died on the cross for you.” (38:33)
  • Pushing further: “What if you were the only person in the universe who needed it?” (38:58)

The Final Invitation: Hope Out of Shame (39:30–End)

• Fr. Mike ends with a call to deeply accept the gift of the Cross, as personal as if Jesus died for the listener alone.
• The sign of shame has become the symbol of hope; the sign of our anger against God is transformed into the sign of His love.
  • “Because sometimes, in the midst of a broken world, words fail and we need something more… the sign of my shame has now become the symbol of my hope, and the sign of my anger has become the symbol of his love.” (40:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Words are good. Words are really good. Big fan, big fan of words. We need them. And yet…there are times when words fail.” (04:00)
• “That serpent is the sign of their shame. That serpent is a sign of what’s killing them. The serpent is a sign of their brokenness…And God says, make that serpent in bronze and put it on a pole… What does God do? He takes the sign of their shame and it becomes a symbol of their hope.” (14:45–16:15)
• “The cross was the worst…form of punishment. … The sign of our shame has become the symbol of our hope.” (19:45, 25:45)
• “What’s God’s answer to our guilt? His response to our being guilty is the cross.” (28:55)
• “When we say ‘God, you’re guilty’… what’s his answer? It’s the same answer. It’s the cross.” (33:25)
• “Maybe Jesus died on the cross just for you. Maybe that’s possible.” (37:50)
• “The sign of my shame has now become the symbol of my hope, and the sign of my anger has become the symbol of his love.” (40:40 – closing)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:00–08:00 — The uses and limits of words; why we need symbols.
• 08:00–18:00 — Numbers 21, Genesis 3, and the transformation of shame through God’s action.
• 18:15–28:00 — The historical reality of crucifixion; why the Cross is central to Christianity.
• 28:00–34:00 — The courtroom dynamic: humanity’s guilt and God’s non-condemning response; shifting perspective on God’s goodness.
• 34:00–39:30 — The personal question: why did Jesus die, and for whom?
• 39:30–end — The call to accept the Cross as hope, not shame, and take it personally.

Tone & Style

Fr. Mike’s homily is characteristically warm, engaging, and challenging—filled with analogies, humor, and direct, thought-provoking questions. He combines scriptural depth with relatable stories, aiming to ground the theological in personal reality. His language is accessible, inviting listeners not just to ponder but to receive and live what the Cross truly means.

Summary prepared for listeners who want the heart, depth, and call of Fr. Mike’s message without missing a word.