Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz
Episode: 1/25/26 God Shows Up (January 24, 2026)
Overview
In this homily, Fr. Mike Schmitz meditates on moments of hopelessness—both personal and historical—where it seems impossible for God to redeem a loss or situation. Through a blend of biblical history, personal stories, and lived faith, he answers the central question: “Does God show up?” By exploring family sacrifice, biblical restoration, and the quiet ripple effect of faith-driven choices, Fr. Mike emphasizes that we should never ask if God will show up, but rather how He will do so.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Personal Sacrifice and the Cost of Conviction (02:00–09:30)
- Fr. Mike recounts his grandmother Helen’s story:
As a head nurse in a Minneapolis hospital in 1973, she opposed participating in abortions after Roe v. Wade.- She confronted hospital leadership and said, “Either you stop doing this, or you lose me.”
- The hospital chose to continue, and she resigned, losing her lifelong dream and livelihood.
- He poses the big questions:
- “How do you come back from something like this?”
- “Did God show up because of what she did?”
“She chose to sacrifice her entire livelihood, her dreams, her work for her faith... You can ask the question, what did God do? Did God show up in any way because of what she did?”
— Fr. Mike (07:20)
2. Hopelessness & God’s Promises in Biblical History (09:30–17:00)
- Contextualizes the hopelessness of ancient Israel:
- Recalls God’s promises to Abraham: land, kingdom, worldwide blessing.
- Kings David and Solomon bring temporary unity, but division leads to the loss of ten tribes and repeated foreign domination.
- By Jesus’ time, the people of Israel were powerless, facing Roman occupation, and many of God’s promises seemed unfulfilled.
- Highlights Gospel reading (Matthew 4:12–23):
- Jesus begins His ministry in Zebulun and Naphtali—the “hopeless” region where Israel was first shattered.
- He calls 12 disciples, symbolically restoring the twelve tribes and inaugurating God’s kingdom against every odd.
“When there’s no hope...is God going to show up? And then Jesus shows up and goes to the region of Zebulun and Naphtali...and then he proclaims the kingdom of God is at hand.”
— Fr. Mike (15:35)
3. Is the Kingdom Real? Jesus’ Restoration and the Catholic Church (17:00–23:30)
- A modern Jewish rabbi’s perspective:
- The rabbi studied Jesus and found He fit every Messianic expectation—except he saw no restored kingdom.
- Pope Benedict XVI’s response:
- The “kingdom” Jesus established is the Catholic Church: a worldwide, diverse family where every person belongs.
- The Church is meant to transcend all divisions—ethnic, social, or personal.
“We recognize that the Catholic Church is the only institution that actually does this...where every kind of person belongs, regardless of ethnicity or race or nationality or male or female or wealthy or poor or...saint or sinner.”
— Fr. Mike (21:15)
4. Shifting the Question: Not If, but How God Shows Up (23:30–27:20)
- Key spiritual pivot:
- For Christians, the question isn’t “Is God going to show up?”
- It’s: “How is God going to show up?”
- Trust in God’s timing and ways:
- Faith is about surrender in moments of darkness and letting God reveal His plan, even if it’s not immediate or obvious.
5. Modern Testimonies of God Showing Up (27:20–32:00)
a) Jonathan Roumie’s Story
- Actor (now known for “The Chosen”) shared an experience of complete financial desperation.
- He prayed, surrendered, and trusted.
- Within a day, unexpected checks arrived, providing just what he needed.
- Months later, he was cast as Jesus.
“It’s that recognition of, okay, God, it’s not a matter of if you will show up. It’s a matter of how you will show up.”
— Fr. Mike (30:20)
b) The Ripple Effect of Fr. Mike’s Grandma’s Choice
- No big policy or law changed after her protest and resignation.
- Her deep conviction impacted her children and grandchildren;
- Visual, pro-life reminders were a fixture in the Schmitz family home.
- Years later, through Fr. Mike’s ministry, a terrified college student considering abortion chose life for her child, after he simply said:
“You already are a mom. That’s your baby in your womb.”
— Fr. Mike to student (approx. 36:10 recounted)
- The child, now a thriving teenager, is alive because of a legacy of faith and courage—“because of something my Grandma did in 1973.”
- One faithful act can save a life generations later, despite no visible societal shifts.
6. Closing Reflection (32:00–end)
- God specializes in working through apparent defeat and hopelessness—He is, after all, the one who conquered the grave.
- The ripple effect of everyday faithfulness can accomplish God’s mysterious purposes long after the world has forgotten.
“The question is not, is God going to show up? The question is, how is he going to show up? Because God is the God who can work when there’s no hope.”
— Fr. Mike (39:10)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “She (Grandma Helen) chose to sacrifice her entire livelihood, her dreams, her work for her faith... Did God show up in any way because of what she did?” (07:20)
- “When there’s no hope...is God going to show up? And then Jesus shows up and goes to the region of Zebulun and Naphtali...” (15:35)
- “The Catholic Church is the kingdom of God where every kind of person belongs.” (21:15)
- “For Christians, we know—the question is never is God going to show up? The question is only, how is God going to show up?” (23:50)
- “You already are a mom. That’s your baby in your womb.” (36:10)
Important Timestamps
- 02:00 – Introduction & Grandma Helen’s story
- 09:30 – The hopeless history of Israel & God’s promises
- 15:35 – Jesus fulfills the promise in the most broken place
- 19:45 – The Church as the restored “kingdom”
- 23:30 – The right spiritual question: “How is God going to show up?”
- 28:30 – Jonathan Roumie’s testimony
- 32:45 – The lasting impact of one act of conviction
- 36:10 – “You already are a mom” story leading to new life
- 39:10 – Closing encouragement
Summary
Fr. Mike’s homily invites listeners to reframe moments of defeat and impossible situations. Through stories past and present—biblical restoration, family courage, artistic surrender, and campus ministry—he demonstrates that God always finds a way to “show up,” often in ways we can neither predict nor demand. Hope, therefore, is never naive; it is rooted in the reality of a God who conquered the grave and redeems all things in His time. The question for believers is never “will He act?” but only “how will He act?”—and how will we carry faith forward as we wait and witness.