The Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz

Episode: Day 276 – Haman’s Plan (2025)
Air Date: October 3, 2025
Podcast Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Featured Readings: Nehemiah 8; Esther 3, 13; Proverbs 21:5–8

Episode Overview

On Day 276, Fr. Mike Schmitz leads listeners through pivotal moments in salvation history by reading Nehemiah 8 (Ezra’s public proclamation of the Law and the people’s moving response), Esther 3 and 13 (Haman’s sinister plot against the Jews, and the king’s decree), and Proverbs 21:5–8 (contrasting diligence and wickedness). Fr. Mike’s reflections focus on recurring biblical themes of covenant, mercy, justice, and identity, offering both context and personal application for contemporary Christian life.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Ezra and the Reading of the Law

[Nehemiah 8]

• Ezra, with Nehemiah and the Levites, gathers the Israelites who have returned from exile and reads the Law to them publicly.

• The people listen attentively, standing in reverence, and respond to the reading with tears—moved by the rediscovered depth of their covenant relationship with God.

• Fr. Mike explores why hearing the Law inspires both conviction and joy, emphasizing the merciful and just nature of God’s commandments as expressions of His relationship with Israel.

  "It could be that they're weeping because they've never heard such powerful and wise and good commands. But it also could be what the law reflects... It reflects the fact that they have a relationship. They have a relationship with God."
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (16:55)

• Ezra and Nehemiah encourage celebration—not mourning—highlighting the importance of joy in the Lord:

  "Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
  — Nehemiah 8:10 (quoted by Fr. Mike, 18:30)

• Fr. Mike likens the rediscovery of the Law to a Christian rediscovering the meaning of baptismal identity, noting how easy it is to take one's status as God's child for granted until reminded by Scripture.

2. Haman’s Plot and the Threat to the Jews

[Esther 3 & 13]

• Haman is elevated to a position second only to King Ahasuerus but is infuriated by Mordecai’s refusal to bow to him.

• Haman manipulates the king with false accusations, portraying the Jews as subversive and dangerous, and secures royal authorization to initiate genocide.

• Chapter 13 supplements the narrative with a copy of the king’s official decree, presenting it as a matter of national security and peace.

• Fr. Mike exposes the twisted logic behind the decree, comparing it to historical and modern atrocities justified by a perverse ideology of peace through elimination.

  “I’m going to bring peace by destroying anyone who might not… I’m going to make sure everyone is 5 foot 2 by cutting off the feet of anyone who’s taller than that.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (22:00)

  “When they said that they eliminated Down syndrome in the country of Sweden, and you’re like, wow, that’s incredible. How did they do that? Well, they killed every baby who had Down syndrome.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (22:30)

• The stage is set for Esther’s critical intervention. Fr. Mike highlights the king’s volatility and the grave risk Esther faces by standing up for her people.

3. Proverbs on Diligence, Honesty, and Righteous Living

[Proverbs 21:5–8]

• Proverbs reinforce the contrast between diligence and hastiness, honesty and deception, wickedness and righteousness.

  "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to want. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death."
  — Proverbs 21:5–6 (Read at 24:17)

• Fr. Mike connects these proverbs to the broader themes in Nehemiah and Esther: that God’s justice and truth endure, and unrighteous plans ultimately fail.

Memorable Quotes & Context

• On the Law and Identity:

  “You realize, actually, that’s not true. And not only that, but we can sometimes not really know what that means. Again, of course I know I’m Jewish. I just didn’t know what that meant. And we could say, yeah, I’m a Christian. I just didn’t know what that meant.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (17:45)

• On Haman's Evil and Modern Parallels:

  “You’ve eradicated this issue from your lives, but you did that by killing every human being who had Down syndrome...”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (22:35)

• On the Necessity of Joy in God:

  “The joy of the Lord must be your strength. That is not an option… it’s necessary.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (19:35)

• On Courage and the Covenant:

  “You have been brought into the covenant, and it is a… a covenant of love, covenant of mercy, covenant of justice, covenant of truth. And so, in order to live this covenant and proclaim this covenant, we need grace.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (26:00)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:04] – Episode intro and context
• [01:25] – Scripture readings begin (Nehemiah 8, Esther 3 & 13, Proverbs 21:5–8)
• [16:40] – Fr. Mike’s reflection: Ezra, Nehemiah, and rediscovering the law
• [21:45] – Fr. Mike’s commentary on Haman, King Ahasuerus, and the threat to the Jews
• [24:17] – Proverbs 21:5-8 reading and brief application
• [25:15] – Final prayer and challenge to listeners
• [26:00] – Closing encouragement on covenant and faithfulness

Tone and Delivery

Fr. Mike is conversational, passionate, and pastoral. He balances reverent reading with practical, often urgent, application, and is unafraid to draw striking modern parallels to ancient events. His tone is inviting, earnest, and at times deeply personal, urging listeners to treasure their relationship with God and live out the covenant courageously.

Summary

• The Israelites, led by Ezra and Nehemiah, rediscover and rejoice in the covenant after exile, moved to tears by the law’s mercy and justice.
• In Esther, Haman’s plot against the Jews reveals the persistent threat of evil cloaked in the language of “peace” and “security.”
• Proverbs adds wisdom on diligence and honesty, reinforcing the episode’s moral arc.
• Fr. Mike challenges listeners to understand what it truly means to be in covenant with God, to find strength in divine joy, and to stand up for faith in the face of adversity.

A deeply moving episode encouraging listeners to know, celebrate, and courageously live out their covenant with God, mindful of the ever-present call to justice, mercy, and joy.