Podcast Summary: The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Episode: Day 20: Judah and Tamar (2026)
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz (Ascension)
Date: January 20, 2026
Episode Overview
On Day 20, Fr. Mike Schmitz reads and reflects on Genesis 38 (the story of Judah and Tamar), Job 29–30, and Proverbs 3:28–32. The central theme is the brokenness found in the lives of the patriarchs—particularly Judah—and how God brings beauty and redemption even through these messy, imperfect situations. Fr. Mike explores how even scandalous chapters of salvation history ultimately become channels of God's grace, with an emphasis on hope amid personal or familial brokenness.
Key Scripture Readings
- Genesis 38: The story of Judah, his sons, and his daughter-in-law Tamar, culminating in an intricate episode of deception, failure, and surprising fulfillment in the family line of Jesus.
- Job 29–30: Job reminisces about his former prosperity and laments his current suffering and humiliation.
- Proverbs 3:28–32: Admonitions regarding kindness, avoiding envy, and trusting in the Lord’s uprightness.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Brokenness in Judah and Tamar’s Story
- Judah, the fourth son of Israel, encounters a series of failures: the death of his sons, not fulfilling his promise to Tamar, and an incident with Tamar that reveals the depths of his and his family's dysfunction.
- “Once again in the book of Genesis, we have another story where keyword: brokenness, keyword: messiness...” (10:30)
- The account highlights both the sin of Onan (separating the unitive and procreative aspects of sex) and the failure of familial responsibilities.
- Fr. Mike unpacks the gravity of the sin, explaining Catholic teaching on sexuality:
- “It’s the sin of Onanism, essentially would be the sin whenever we separate the unitive aspect of the sexual act from the procreative aspect.” (12:30)
- Tamar’s bold action in seeking justice for herself results in a child with Judah. When the truth comes to light, Judah confesses his fault:
- “She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah.” (Genesis 38:26, read aloud at ~04:45)
2. Messy Family Lines and Redemption
- Fr. Mike draws out the startling detail that Tamar is included in the genealogy of Jesus. He details the four women named in Matthew’s genealogy:
- “When we read the Gospel of Matthew... one of the things that strikes us is that there are four women who are mentioned in the genealogy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.” (14:15)
- Each woman—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba—represents a story of profound brokenness, sin, or outsider status, showing how God works through messy, complicated histories.
- “All of this sin in the line, in the family of Jesus highlights... that God can write straight with crooked lines.” (15:00)
3. Job’s Lament and the Mystery of Suffering
- Job laments his lost status and current misery in extremely poetic terms, contrasting past honor with present shame and pain (06:40–09:30).
- Notable lines:
- “My lyre is turned to mourning, and my pipe to the voice of those who weep.” (Job 30:31, read at ~09:00)
- “God has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust in ashes.” (Job 30:19, read at ~08:40)
- Notable lines:
4. Proverbs: Living Upright in Community
- Fr. Mike briefly highlights the practical wisdom in Proverbs:
- “Do not plan evil against your neighbor who dwells trustingly beside you… for the perverse man is an abomination to the Lord. But the upright are in his confidence.” (read at ~09:45)
- The wisdom literature invites listeners to simple faithfulness and kindness, even as great dramas of brokenness play out in other readings.
5. The Hope of Redemption Through Brokenness
- Fr. Mike emphasizes the hopeful message that God brings salvation and beauty out of even the messiest situations—nothing is wasted when offered to Him:
- “God can take something broken and make it something beautiful. Because nothing given to God is ever wasted.” (16:35)
- The episode closes with an invitation to community and mutual prayer amidst individual and shared struggles.
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- On facing brokenness:
- “Brokenness, brokenness and brokenness, brokenness upon brokenness. Now, Judah does honor his pledge, essentially because Tamar is able to prove that. Yep, you did. You thought it was a harlot and it was your daughter in law. Again, keywords: brokenness, messiness.” (13:30)
- On the hope of transformation:
- “It’s not a good thing. It’s not a beautiful thing. But God can make something beautiful out of what’s broken. That’s an encouraging word for us today and that’s an encouraging word for us every single day, particularly when we recognize our brokenness.” (15:45)
- On community in faith:
- “We are not on this journey alone. We’re not broken alone. We’re not being made beautiful alone. But we are broken together. We are being made beautiful together and we need each other. So please continue to lift each other up in prayer as I lift you up in prayer...” (16:55)
Notable Timestamps
- 00:04: Episode intro and explanation of readings.
- 01:40: Genesis 38—The story of Judah and Tamar.
- 06:40: Job 29–30—Job’s lament and reflections on suffering.
- 09:45: Proverbs 3:28–32—Wisdom on neighborly kindness.
- 10:30: Fr. Mike begins reflection: theme of brokenness.
- 12:30: Onan’s sin, sexual ethics, and their biblical roots.
- 13:30: Tamar’s bold actions and the confrontation with Judah.
- 14:15: Women in Jesus’ genealogy and the scandal of grace.
- 15:00–16:35: Theme of hope: “God can write straight with crooked lines.”
- 16:55: Prayer for the community and concluding thoughts.
Recap
Day 20 of The Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz spotlights the deeply human, messy stories at the heart of salvation history—stories marked by sin, scandal, and disappointment but also by repentance, hope, and the strange, beautiful ways God works through human imperfection. Through the stories of Judah and Tamar, Job’s lament, and the wisdom of Proverbs, listeners are reminded that God’s plans are never thwarted by human failings. Instead, He invites us to bring our brokenness to Him, trusting that He will not let any pain or mistake go to waste.