Podcast Summary: The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Episode: Day 243: The Virtue of Hope (2025)
Date: August 31, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1817-1821

Overview:

This episode focuses on the theological virtue of Hope, unpacking what makes Christian hope unique, and how it shapes the Christian life. Fr. Mike Schmitz explains how hope differs from simple optimism and wishful thinking by anchoring itself in the promises of Christ and the grace of the Holy Spirit, rather than human effort. The episode provides both a catechetical explanation and pastoral encouragement, addressing contemporary misconceptions and connecting the virtue of hope to everyday Christian living.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Definition of Hope (Catechism 1817) [05:20]

• Fr. Mike reads the Catechism’s definition:
  • “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.”
• Emphasizes that hope is more than optimism—it is a supernatural virtue orienting our deepest desires to heaven and eternal life.

2. Hope vs. Worldly Optimism [09:30]

• Fr. Mike distinguishes Christian hope from mere positive thinking or wishing for a better outcome:
  • “For many of us, hope is a wish... optimism things are going to get better... and yet Christian hope is not that.”
• Christian hope is not just about outcomes, but a confident trust in Christ’s promises.

3. Hope and Desire—Contrasting with Stoicism [10:10]

• Notes the rise in Stoic philosophy, which he appreciates but critiques as incomplete:
  • “Stoicism... has some good to offer, but it's not complete. It's not Christianity, because we're called to have hope.”
  • Unlike Stoicism, which downplays desire, Christian hope calls us to actively desire eternal life.
• Encourages listeners to pray:
  • “God, put that fire in my heart. Give me a fire to desire life with you... eternal life with you.”

4. Faith vs. Hope—Trust in Presence vs. Trust in Promise [13:00]

• Fr. Mike introduces his own definition:
  • “Hope is trust in another extended into the future.”
• Faith is trust in God’s presence now; hope is trust that God's promises will be fulfilled—trusting that God is and will be faithful.

5. The Aspiration to Happiness [14:25]

• Everyone longs for happiness—God has placed this aspiration in the heart of every person.
• Hope purifies and orders our desires toward the ultimate good:
  • “Hope takes up the hopes that inspire our activities and purifies them so as to order them to the kingdom of heaven.”
• Instead of seeking to be the best for oneself or for the world, hope aims at being the best for God.

6. Hope in Suffering and Difficulty [16:00]

• Addresses hope’s power to sustain during discouragement and abandonment.
• Memorable moment:
  • “It keeps man from discouragement. It sustains him during times of abandonment. It opens up his heart in expectation of eternal beatitude.”

7. Hope as Freedom from Selfishness [17:30]

• Hope anchors one in God’s promises, freeing from self-pity and selfishness:
  • “If God has promised something to me... that this struggle has a victory at the end, then I don't have to look at myself and feel sorry for myself.”

8. Hope as Perseverance to the End [19:15]

• Concludes with the necessity of hope in every circumstance:
  • “We are called in every circumstance to hope that the grace of God will preserve us to the end.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On hope’s true nature:
  • “Hope is trust in another extended into the future.”
    (Fr. Mike Schmitz, 13:05)
• On contrasting Stoicism and Christian hope:
  • “Stoicism... has some good to offer, but it's not complete. It's not Christianity, because we're called to have hope.”
    (11:25)
• On desire and prayer:
  • “God, put that fire in my heart. Give me a fire to desire life with you... eternal life with you.”
    (12:10)
• On hope’s role in trials:
  • “Hope is the sure and steadfast anchor of the soul that enters where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.”
    (paraphrasing the Catechism, 15:00)
• On hope amid discouragement:
  • “Hope keeps us from discouragement... It sustains him during times of abandonment. It opens up his heart in expectation of eternal beatitude.”
    (16:10)
• On hope’s practical effect:
  • “Because we need in every circumstance to hope... that's what paragraph 1821 says. We are called in every circumstance to hope that the grace of God will preserve us to the end.”
    (19:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [05:20] — Definition of hope from the Catechism
• [09:30] — Hope vs. worldly optimism
• [10:10] — Hope and desire; Stoicism compared
• [13:00] — Faith vs. hope; trusting presence vs trusting promise
• [14:25] — Hope purifies desires; aim for ultimate good
• [16:00] — Hope in times of discouragement
• [17:30] — Hope frees from selfishness
• [19:15] — Hope and perseverance to the end

Episode Tone & Takeaways

• Tone: Warm, encouraging, relatable, faithful to Catholic teaching; Fr. Mike uses analogies, real-life references, and gentle humor.
• Key takeaway: Christian hope is vital, active, and future-oriented, rooted not in our abilities but in God’s faithfulness.
• Actionable encouragement: Pray for the virtue of hope, especially in the face of discouragement, abandonment, or fatigue in faith. Trust in Christ’s promises and open your heart to desire heaven.

Final Thought

Fr. Mike ends with a prayer for listeners’ perseverance and hope, especially in difficult times:
“By the grace of God, we will persevere to the end. By the virtue of hope, we will persevere to the end... my prayer again is that you will persevere, especially in the midst of discouragement, especially when you feel abandoned, especially when it seems like there's no hope, there's no way out—that you will not give up.”
[20:15]

For next time: Keep praying for hope and be assured of Fr. Mike’s prayers for all listeners.