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

Episode: Day 246: Mercy and the Mystery of Sin (2025)
Date: September 3, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz (Ascension)
Reading: Catechism paragraphs 1846–1853

Overview

In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz carries listeners into Article 8 of the Catechism: “Sin.” Today begins a three-day focus on the nature of sin, what sin is, its many kinds, and — crucially — the Church’s insistence that understanding mercy is impossible without first understanding sin. Fr. Mike emphasizes the intertwined mysteries of human brokenness and divine mercy, unraveling the Church’s nuanced definition of sin, the need for honest self-examination, and a call to gratitude for God’s inexhaustible forgiveness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mercy and Sin: Intertwined Mysteries

(00:55-04:40, 12:10-15:45)

• The Catechism starts its section on sin by emphasizing mercy, not condemnation.
• Mercy is intelligible only in the context of sin; without an awareness of sin, the Good News of the Gospel loses its impact.
• Quote (Fr. Mike, 02:45):
  "We can't really understand mercy until we understand sin. We can't really understand what it is to be forgiven until we really grasp what it is we're forgiven of."
• The Gospel itself is described as Jesus Christ revealing God's mercy to sinners.

2. The “Good News” is Only Good if We Know We Need It

(12:30-15:00)

• Fr. Mike uses a vivid analogy: A heart transplant is “bad news” if you think you’re healthy, but a lifeline if you know you’re dying.
• Many in modern culture lack a sense of original sin, leading to indifference toward God’s mercy.
• Quote (Fr. Mike, 14:45):
  "If the mercy of God is just 'oh, that's neat', then the Gospel is lost on us because we're not that desperate heart patient.... But every one of us is born into this world with a broken relationship with God, with other people, and with ourselves."

3. Admitting Fault: The Condition for Mercy

(15:00-17:08, Catechism 1847)

- Admitting our faults — confessing sin — is the necessary precondition for receiving mercy.

• St. Augustine is quoted:
  "God created us without us, but he did not will to save us without us."
• Quote (Fr. Mike, 16:20):
  "God created us without your permission, but he will not save you without your permission, without your cooperation."

4. Definitions of Sin: What are We Talking About?

(17:08-22:21, Catechism 1849–1851)

• Sin is far more than “breaking a rule”; it’s an offense against reason, truth, right conscience, and — fundamentally — a failure in love for God and neighbor.

• Sin involves a perverse attachment to certain goods, trading the “ultimate” (God) for the “penultimate” or lesser thing. - Esau trading his birthright for “red stuff” (Genesis) is used as an example.

• Quote (Fr. Mike, 18:40):
  "Every time we sin, there's an attachment... a perverse attachment to certain goods."

• Sin diminishes our humanity; it wounds not just us but also human solidarity.

• Personal Definition: (Fr. Mike, 21:45)
  "My definition, you've heard it a thousand times, is when I turn to God and say, 'God, I know what you want. I don't care. I want what I want.'"

• The Catechism: Sin as love of oneself “even to contempt of God,” which is diametrically opposed to Jesus’s obedience.

5. Sin Revealed in Christ’s Passion

(22:21–24:38, Catechism 1851)

• Sin’s violence is fully exposed in the events leading to Christ’s crucifixion: unbelief, hatred, betrayal, cowardice, etc.
• These moments serve as a mirror for our own hearts — an examination of conscience.
• Quote (Fr. Mike, 23:35):
  "All of these ways that sin can manifest itself are revealed... It convicts and says, okay Lord, where is there unbelief in my heart? Where is their murderous hatred in my heart? Where is there shunning or mockery or cowardice?"

6. Kinds of Sin: The Bible’s Lists & the Human Heart

(24:38-28:57, Catechism 1852–1853)

• Sin is classified by object, virtue opposed, commandment violated, whether directed against God, neighbor, or self, and whether spiritual/carnal, thought/word/deed/omission.
• Fr. Mike lists St. Paul’s “works of the flesh” from Galatians, questioning whether we take all these seriously as sins.
• Jesus’ list from the Gospels: “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.”
• Sin’s root is always in the heart and free will.
• Quote (Fr. Mike, 27:40):
  "From our hearts come these wounds, come these sins. But the last line here... in the heart also resides charity, the source of the good and pure works which sin wounds."
• Our hearts are “good, but broken”; from them flow both sin and love.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• (02:45) Fr. Mike:
  “We can’t really understand mercy until we understand sin...”
• (14:45) Fr. Mike:
  “If the mercy of God is just ‘oh, that’s neat,’ then the Gospel is lost on us...”
• (16:20) Fr. Mike:
  “God created us without your permission, but he will not save you without your permission, without your cooperation.”
• (18:40) Fr. Mike:
  “Every time we sin, there’s an attachment... a perverse attachment to certain goods.”
• (21:45) Fr. Mike’s own definition of sin:
  “God, I know what you want. I don't care. I want what I want.”
• (23:35) Fr. Mike:
  “Where is there unbelief in my heart? Where is there murderous hatred in my heart? Where is there shunning or mockery or cowardice?”
• (27:40) Fr. Mike:
  “From our hearts come these wounds, come these sins. But... in the heart also resides charity, the source of the good and pure works which sin wounds.”

Noteworthy Timestamps

• 00:55-04:40: Introduction to mercy and sin as interconnected mysteries
• 12:10-15:45: The “Good News” is only good for those who know they need it (heart transplant analogy)
• 15:00-17:08: St. Augustine quote; admitting our need for mercy
• 17:08-22:21: Catechism and personal definition of sin; discussion of perverse attachment & biblical examples
• 22:21–24:38: Sin in Christ’s Passion as an examination of conscience
• 24:38-28:57: Lists of sins, the human heart, and the possibility for both charity and sin

Conclusion & Takeaways

Fr. Mike wraps up the episode by reinforcing the overarching theme: To receive and marvel at mercy, we must be deeply honest about the reality and gravity of sin. The Church’s definition of sin is both psychological and relational — it is a wound to reason, love, our human nature, our solidarity, and most crucially, our relationship with God. Accepting and confessing our sinfulness is not about wallowing in shame but about opening ourselves to the transformative love and mercy poured out through Christ, especially visible in his Passion.

Final words:
"Your heart is good, just broken. And from my heart comes all these sins, but also from my heart comes love. From your heart comes all these sins, but also from your heart comes love. That's why today we're focusing on not just sin, but sin and mercy." (28:57)

Fr. Mike closes with prayer and a reminder:
He’s praying for listeners, and asks for prayers in return — see you tomorrow!