The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Episode: Day 1: In the Beginning (2026) – January 1, 2026

Episode Overview

This kickoff episode of "The Bible in a Year" podcast, hosted by Fr. Mike Schmitz and produced by Ascension, sets the foundation for the yearlong journey through the Bible. Using the Great Adventure Bible Timeline, Fr. Mike introduces listeners to the creation narratives in Genesis chapters 1 and 2 and reflects on Psalm 19. The episode focuses on the unique, profound, and groundbreaking vision of creation in Genesis, the dignity of the human person, and God's intention for humanity—from the very beginning.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Uniqueness of Genesis’ Creation Narratives

• Comparative Perspective:

  • Fr. Mike underscores how Genesis 1 stands apart from other ancient near-eastern creation myths, which often feature violence, conflict, or domination among gods.
  • In contrast, Genesis presents a peaceful act of creation:

    "In the beginning, God created. And that word created is the Hebrew word 'bara'... It means simply creation out of nothing." (10:40)

  • God’s act of creation is described as free, intentional, and rooted in goodness—not necessity, compulsion, or rivalry.

• Theological Implications:

  • God didn’t create out of loneliness or need, unlike pagan myths where gods make humans as servants or playthings:

    "He wasn’t lonely. He didn’t create us to be his entertainment...or to be his pawns...In a plan of sheer goodness, He freely created man to make him share in His own blessed life." (12:15)

2. Image and Likeness: The Dignity of the Human Person

• Source of Human Dignity:

  • The radical biblical claim is that all people are made in God’s image and likeness:

    "There is literally no other religion, no other worldview that believes that all human beings are created in God’s image and likeness except for the Judeo-Christian worldview. Like this is where that comes from." (13:30)

  • This understanding is the foundation for the idea of inherent human dignity.

• Equal Dignity of Male and Female:

  • Both men and women are created in God’s image, emphasizing equal worth and vocation.

3. The Threefold Original Purpose of Humanity:

Fr. Mike identifies three original purposes for humanity, as revealed in Genesis:

• Labor:

  • Work is not a punishment but part of our original calling:

    "He puts man before the fall...in the garden and says, go to work, till the soil...You can labor like Me." (15:09)

• Leisure:

  • The rhythm of creation includes rest, highlighting Sabbath and leisure as part of holiness:

    "On the seventh day, God rested, and He commands us ultimately to rest like that, for labor, for leisure, and for love." (15:14)

• Love (Relationship):

  • Human beings are made not to be isolated, but to live in loving communion, as seen in the creation of Eve.

4. Genesis 1 and 2: Macro and Micro Perspectives

• Different Lenses on Creation:
  • Genesis 1 is described as the “macro” account (cosmic overview), while Genesis 2 is the “micro” account (zoomed-in, personal narrative).
• Non-literal but Poetic and Truthful:
  • Fr. Mike explains the literary structure—pairs of creation days forming patterns—suggesting readers approach the text for meaning, not as strict scientific history:

    "It is so deeply and profoundly poetic and revealing...not meant to be taken literally, but meant to be taken truthfully and poetically." (15:44)

5. The Creation of Woman: Dignity and Partnership

• "Helpmate" and the Hebrew "Ezer Kanegdo":
  • The Hebrew word isn’t about inferiority but describes a partner, sometimes even used of God as the helper of Israel.
• Memorable Poem on Partnership:
  • Fr. Mike shares a cherished family poem illustrating the equal dignity between man and woman:

    "When God took Eve from Adam, he did not take her from his head to lord it over him, nor from his foot to be walked upon by him. He took her from his side to walk with him, from beneath his arm to be guarded by him, and from near his heart to be loved by him." (16:35)

6. The Goodness of Creation

• Repeated Affirmation:
  • Genesis repeatedly affirms that creation is “good” and at the end “very good.”
  • Fr. Mike stresses:

    "The world that God made because he's good is good." (18:29)

• Setting Up Tomorrow’s Theme:
  • The foundational message: the world is good, but tomorrow’s reading will explore what went wrong.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Uniqueness of Genesis:

  "If we get these two and tomorrow’s chapters wrong, we’re going to get the entire rest of the story wrong. In fact, the trajectory of the entire Bible, the entire story of salvation, in fact, the trajectory of Western civilization is based off of the uniqueness of these two chapters..." (10:30)

• On God’s Creative Reason:

  "God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself. In a plan of sheer goodness, freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life." (12:20; from the Catechism)

• On Human Dignity:

  "Where do human beings get their dignity? ...every human being is made in God's image and likeness. That both male and female are made in God's image and likeness. It is remarkable." (13:40)

• On the Intended Relationship Between Man and Woman:

  "When God took Eve from Adam, he did not take her from his head to lord it over him, nor from his foot to be walked upon by him..." (16:35)

• On the Goodness of Creation:

  "Every day of creation is good. Good, good. Day six is very good. The world that God made because he's good is good." (18:29)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:04–01:20] — Fr. Mike’s introduction, reading plan explanation, and today's selections.
• [02:00–08:43] — Reading of Genesis 1–2 and Psalm 19 (with Fr. Mike and narrator/reader alternating).
• [10:22–18:29] — Fr. Mike’s reflection, commentary, and application of Genesis 1–2 and Psalm 19.
  • [10:22] Importance of Genesis 1–2
  • [12:00] Creation myths compared; Catechism’s teaching on creation
  • [13:30] Human dignity, created in God's image
  • [15:09] Purposes: Labor, Leisure, Love
  • [15:44] Poetic structure of Genesis
  • [16:35] Poem on the creation of woman
  • [18:29] Affirmation of the world’s goodness

Tone and Style

Fr. Mike Schmitz’s approach is passionate, engaging, and accessible. He seamlessly blends theological insight with relatable anecdotes and warm encouragement, making the episode approachable for listeners at any stage of their faith journey.

Summary Takeaways

• Genesis 1 and 2 are foundational not only to the Bible but to an understanding of human purpose—emphasizing goodness, dignity, and relationship.
• The biblical creation account is radically different from other ancient stories, focusing on God’s free, loving act and humanity’s invitation to share His life.
• The rhythm of work, rest, and love is built into creation from the start.
• The equal dignity of men and women is rooted in the very structure of Genesis.
• Tomorrow’s episode will build on these themes, exploring the introduction of brokenness into a good world.

Listen to this episode to ground yourself in the story of salvation, the goodness of creation, and your place in God’s ongoing narrative!