Podcast Summary: Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

Episode: 9/7/25 Two Questions
Date: September 6, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz (Ascension)
Main Theme:
Fr. Mike Schmitz unpacks the challenging words of Jesus from Luke 14:25-33, examining what it truly means to be a disciple rather than just a “fan” of Christ. He frames the call of discipleship around two big questions: “How much does it cost?” and “Can I afford it?”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. From Fan to Disciple: The Cost of Following Christ

• Opening Analogy (Minnesota Vikings fandom):

  • Fr. Mike humorously explains his status as a "fair-weather fan" of the Vikings, supporting them only when they win.
  • Quote:
    • "I am a die hard, dedicated, fair weather fan. Like 100%... If they're not winning, if they're losing, I'm like, yeah, I don't care. They're dead to me." (02:50)
  • He connects this to being a “fan” of Jesus—offering support when it’s easy, but not when it costs something.

• Key Idea:

  • True discipleship requires more; it invites us into a relationship that costs everything and asks everything of us.

2. Two Big Questions for Anything Valuable

• The Two Questions:
  • "How much does it cost?"
  • "Can I afford it?"
  • Applied to faith, these questions become decisive in our journey from mere belief to active discipleship.
  • Quote:
    • "Whenever there's something that we actually want, something valuable, we ask those two questions: how much does it cost? And can I afford it?" (04:10)

3. The Gospel Challenge: Jesus Wants It All

• Difficult Words of Jesus:

  • Jesus says we must "hate" our families—even our own life—to be his disciple (Luke 14:26).
  • Fr. Mike clarifies this hyperbole means Jesus must be first, not that we literally hate our families.
  • Quote:
    • "In comparison to me, I should be first. Everyone else is second. Even your father and mother, I'm first… and I have no rivals." (16:45)
  • If Jesus is not God, this is outrageous. Because He IS God, he’s right to claim first place.

• Why Family?

  • Family relationships touch every aspect of our lives—they're deep, pervasive, and hard to compartmentalize.
  • Jesus asks for the central role in our decisions, identity, and love—beyond even that of family.

4. Faith: More Than Belief

• The Distinction Between Belief and Trust:

  • Referencing James 2, Fr. Mike explains that belief alone isn't enough—even the demons believe in God, but it means nothing to them (09:55).
  • Practical atheism: Many “theists” live as if God doesn’t exist.

• Discipleship as Imitation:

  • The disciple’s goal is to “end up looking like your rabbi, to end up living like your rabbi."
  • Jesus wants us to walk so closely with him we’re “covered in the dust” of his journey.

5. The True Cost: "Nothing Less than Everything"

• The All-In Commitment:
  • Jesus’ call isn’t partial: “Anyone who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” (22:25)
  • Quote:
    • "How much does it cost? It costs nothing less than everything." (26:05)

6. “Can I Afford It?” — Facing the Unknown

• The Honest Answer:
  • Fr. Mike admits, "I don't know." Like marriage or parenthood, following Jesus leads into an unknown future.
  • The wise questions are not about self-sufficiency, but about willingness to take faithful steps.
  • Quote:
    • "I don't know if I can afford to finish. But I do know I can't afford not to start." (31:45)

7. Excitement, Fear, and Deadness — The Gut Check

• Arthur Brooks’ Framework:
  • Facing a big decision, we feel a mix of excitement, fear, and (sometimes) deadness.
  • The right mix for following Jesus: 80% excitement, 20% fear, 0% deadness.
  • Quote:
    • "If you would look at Jesus... and your heart, your gut, has 80% excitement, 20% fear, and zero percent deadness, then it's time to move." (29:40)

8. Being a Fan vs. Being a Disciple — Demands and Rewards

• Low-Demand Living (Fanship, Porn, Video Games):
  • Fr. Mike draws a stark analogy: fanhood, pornography, and video games are all attractive because they demand nothing but also give nothing.
  • Quote:
    • "Being a fan demands nothing... Porn demands nothing... Video games demand nothing and they end up giving nothing. Family demands a lot, actually gives you a lot. Jesus asks for everything and he gives you everything." (30:50)

9. How to Start: Fall in Love

• Fr. Pedro Arrupe’s Counsel:
  • The secret of discipleship isn’t simply obedience, but love.
  • Memorable Quote:
    • "Nothing is more practical than finding God... Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything." (32:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Fandom and Cost:
  • "I'm a fan. I hope the Vikings win. And it cost me nothing... therefore my being a fan is kind of worth nothing." (03:40)
• On “Level of Demon” Faith:
  • "If you don't do anything with it, you're now at the level of demon." (10:55)
• The Heart of Discipleship:
  • "The goal of being a disciple is to end up looking like your rabbi, to end up living like your rabbi." (12:20)
• On the Centrality of Christ:
  • "Every decision you make from now on... if you want to be my disciple, every decision you make is made through the lens of us—you and me." (19:55)
• On the Mystery of Commitment:
  • "Can I afford it? I don't know... There's so much that's unknown going into any of those relationships." (27:35)
• On Practical Love:
  • "That's what Jesus is inviting us today, not to hate, but to love." (33:30)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:50] – Fr. Mike’s “die hard, dedicated, fair weather fan” story
• [04:10] – Introduction of the “two questions”
• [09:55] – The distinction between mere belief and discipleship (James 2)
• [12:20] – What it means to be a disciple, “to look like your rabbi”
• [16:45] – Jesus’ claim to be first in our lives
• [19:55] – Jesus as the central relationship affecting all aspects of life
• [26:05] – The true cost: “nothing less than everything”
• [29:40] – Arthur Brooks’ “80% excitement, 20% fear, 0% deadness” decision framework
• [30:50] – Analogy: fans, porn, and video games vs. family and discipleship
• [32:55] – Fr. Pedro Arrupe’s “fall in love” wisdom

Conclusion

Fr. Mike Schmitz calls listeners to examine the difference between being a “fan” and being a true disciple of Jesus. He invites us to wrestle with the two essential questions—about the cost and affordability of following Christ—while challenging us to place Jesus first, even above the most important earthly relationships. The answer isn’t to avoid the questions, but to risk everything in faith and love, confident that what Christ asks of us, he also enables with his grace. The invitation: don’t settle for being a fan. Fall in love with God, and let it decide everything.