The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) Episode: Day 14 – The Eternal Word of God (2026) Date: January 14, 2026 Covered Catechism Paragraphs: 101–108

Episode Overview

This episode dives deeply into the Catholic Church’s understanding of Sacred Scripture as the unique and living Word of God. Fr. Mike Schmitz explores why the Church venerates the Scriptures, how God communicates through human words, what Catholics mean by calling Scripture “inspired” and “true,” and how both God and human authors are involved in its writing. Listeners are encouraged to see Scripture not as “a dead letter,” but as the living voice of God who meets us like a loving Father.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. God’s Motivation in Revealing Himself (02:10-04:30)

• Fr. Mike emphasizes that God reveals Himself out of sheer goodness, desiring deep relationship with humanity.
  • Quote: “God speaks to them in human words... He just wants to speak like a father to his children...” (03:25)
• This act is described as the “condescension of His goodness”—God stooping down to our level to be understood.
• Scripture is God’s deliberate choice; He could have chosen any way to communicate but uses human language.

2. Christ as the Unique Word of Scripture (04:31-06:10)

• Central teaching: Through all Scripture, God speaks one single Word—His Son, Jesus Christ.
• Fr. Mike notes St. Augustine’s teaching: “It is one and the same utterance that resounds in the mouths of all the sacred writers...” (05:10)

3. Veneration of Scripture in the Church (06:11-08:20)

• The Church esteems Scripture as highly as the Lord’s Body; both are received as “bread of life.”
  • Quote: “The Church has always venerated the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord’s Body.” (06:50)
• Fr. Mike shares a personal devotional practice of kissing the Bible, illustrating reverence.
  • He recounts witnessing an Eastern Catholic priest perform a procession blessing people with an ornate Bible—parallel to Eucharistic processions.

4. Scripture as Nourishment & Strength (08:21-09:30)

• The Church and believers draw constant nourishment and strength from Scripture.
  • Quote: “The church constantly, through Sacred Scripture, … finds her nourishment and her strength.” (08:45)
• Reflects on his Bible in a Year experience—feeling spiritually fed regardless of comprehension level each day.

5. God as Author, Human Authorship and Inspiration (09:31-13:10)

• Both God and human authors are true authors of Scripture.
  • Quote: “If you were to ask, ‘Who wrote the Gospel of Matthew?’ ... God did—yes. Matthew did—yes.” (10:15)
• God inspires human authors, fully employing their faculties and styles; they write as true authors what God wants—“and no more.”
  • “God chose certain men who all the while He employed them in this task made full use of their faculties and powers...” (11:15)
• This cooperation between divine grace and human freedom is mysterious—akin to all cooperation with God’s grace in our lives.
• The varied literary styles and voices in the Bible reflect this inspired diversity.

6. The Truth of Sacred Scripture (13:11-15:01)

• Scripture teaches “firmly, faithfully, and without error” the truth God intended for our salvation.
  • Quote from Dei Verbum: “All that the inspired authors... affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture... without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures.” (13:45)
• Fr. Mike clarifies: Scripture’s truth is always for our salvation and must be interpreted according to genre and intent—not all books are literal science or history texts.

7. The Living Word vs. ‘Religion of the Book’ (15:02-16:45)

• Christianity is not a ‘religion of the book’ but a “religion of the Word” (capital “W”)—the Word incarnate and living in Jesus.
  • “When we pick up Scriptures, we are encountering not a dead letter, we are encountering the Word who is alive.” (15:35)
• Christ, through the Spirit, opens our minds to truly understand Scripture. “If the Scriptures are not to remain a dead letter, Christ, the eternal Word of the living God, must, through the Holy Spirit, open our minds to understand...” (16:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On God’s condescension: “In order to reveal himself to men in the condescension of his goodness, God speaks to them in human words.” (03:40)
• On Veneration: “The Church has always venerated the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord’s body.” (06:50)
• Personal Devotion: “I will almost every time... kiss [my Bible] before I set it down... It just reminds me this is the sacred text, the word of God..." (07:35)
• Authority of Scripture: “God is the author of sacred Scripture...” (10:35)
• On Inspiration: “God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. God chose certain men... so that... it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written and no more.” (11:15)
• On the Living Word: “The Christian faith is not a religion of the book. Christianity is the religion of the Word of God—a word which is incarnate and living.” (15:12)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• God’s Motivation & Word – 02:10–04:30
• Christ as the Unique Word of Scripture – 04:31–06:10
• Veneration & Devotional Practices – 06:11–08:20
• Scripture as Nourishment – 08:21–09:30
• God & Human Authorship – 09:31–13:10
• Inspiration and Truth of the Bible – 13:11–15:01
• Living Word vs. Religion of the Book – 15:02–16:45

Final Thoughts & Tone

Fr. Mike speaks with warmth, reverence, and personal passion. His tone is humble, pastoral, and deeply encouraging—urging listeners to personally engage with Scripture as a living encounter with God. The episode is rich with catechetical clarity, practical devotional advice, and a reminder of the mystery and intimacy of God’s communication.

Practical takeaway: Every time you encounter Sacred Scripture, remember you are meeting the living God, who lovingly speaks as a Father to His children. Let it nourish and strengthen you daily.