Episode Overview

Episode Title: Day 261: Justification (2025)
Podcast: The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Date: September 18, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz (Ascension)

Main Theme:
This episode marks the beginning of a pivotal section in the Catechism focused on grace and justification. Fr. Mike unpacks what it truly means to be justified by God's grace—how it's not just an exterior change but a deep, interior transformation through the Holy Spirit. Central to the discussion are the questions: How are we justified? What does grace do in us? What is the relationship between faith, works, and the power of God’s love?

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introducing Justification: Transformative Grace (00:50 – 03:30)

• Justification Defined:
  The grace of the Holy Spirit justifies us—that is, cleanses us from sin and communicates God’s own righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ and through baptism.
• Not a Surface Matter:
  "We're not just covered by grace. Grace does something inside of us... Our fundamental disposition towards the Lord is radically reoriented. We are made into new creatures." — Fr. Mike Schmitz (01:30)
• Big Theological Words, Simple Truth:
  Concepts like justification, sanctification, merit, faith, and works can seem overwhelming but all point to this essential reality: "The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us." (02:50)

2. Catechism Reading – Highlights & Synthesis (03:45 – 12:30)

• Fr. Mike reads and reflects on Catechism paragraphs 1987–1995, summarizing and explaining each.
  • 1987: The Holy Spirit justifies and cleanses from sin.
  • 1988: “Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we take part in Christ’s passion by dying to sin and in his resurrection by being born to a new life.”
  • 1989–1991: The first work of grace is conversion. Justification includes not only our remission of sins but our sanctification and renewal, pouring faith, hope, and charity into our hearts and enabling obedience.
  • 1992: Justification is merited by Christ’s passion and conferred in baptism—not merely declared, but inwardly transforming.
  • 1993–1994: Cooperation of God’s grace and human freedom—“We are active recipients of God’s grace. We could reject it, but we absolutely need God’s grace” (12:00)
  • 1995: The Holy Spirit “is the master of the interior life, giving birth to the inner man. Justification entails the sanctification of his whole being.”

3. Deep Dive: What Justification Really Means (12:30 – 17:00)

• Justification is Relational, Not Only Legal:
  • “We’re made inwardly just. We’re not simply declared just. God makes us righteous by baptism and faith… Grace changes us, the Holy Spirit changes us.” — Fr. Mike (13:45)
• The Purpose of Justification:
  • It’s for the glory of God and for the gift of eternal life.
• Active vs. Passive Cooperation:
  • Even though we cooperate, it is God’s grace that enables us—“We are not passive recipients… Without God’s grace, we could not by our free will move ourselves toward justice.” (14:10)
• St. Augustine’s Stunning Insight:
  • “The justification of the wicked is a greater work than the creation of heaven and earth, because heaven and earth will pass away, but the salvation and justification of the elect will not pass away.” (15:30)

4. Concrete Impact—Making Grace Tangible (17:00 – 19:10)

• From Abstract to Concrete:
  • Fr. Mike stresses that justification and grace aren’t just theological abstractions—they are lived realities. “His life, death, and resurrection…that cross is tangible…What Jesus did for us is tangible.” (17:55)
• Living Justified:
  • “If I keep myself away from God's grace…then it's abstract…But when you and I look at our lives and say, ‘Today, Jesus, because of your grace…I'm going to walk in faith, hope, and love’…then every action is an act of grace. It's very tangible, very concrete.” (18:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Reality of Grace:

  “We are not just passive recipients of God’s grace. We are always active recipients, because we could reject it…Yet without God’s grace, we cannot by our own free will move ourselves toward justice in God’s sight.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz [14:10]

• On Justification’s Profound Depth:

  “The justification of the wicked is a greater work than the creation of heaven and earth…because the salvation and justification of the elect will not pass away.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz (quoting St. Augustine) [15:30]

• On Tangibility of Faith:

  “What Jesus did for us is tangible…the cross is tangible, those nails, the crown of thorns…When the Holy Spirit comes upon us in justification and gives us grace, that is tangible as well.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz [17:55]

• On Living Out Justification:

  “Today, because of what you’ve done, Jesus, because you poured out your grace into my heart and brought me into your body, the Church…I’m going to be obedient to the Father’s will. Because when that happens, every action of the day is an act of grace.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz [18:45]

Key Timestamps

• 00:50 – Introduction to justification, grace, and transformation
• 03:45 – Catechism reading begins (paras. 1987–1995)
• 10:50 – Sacraments, grace, and internal renewal
• 12:30 – What justification means practically and the role of faith
• 14:10 – Human freedom, God’s grace, and Council of Trent insights
• 15:30 – St. Augustine’s perspective on justification
• 17:00 – Justification as a concrete, lived reality
• 18:30 – Living faith and grace in daily obedience

Final Reflection

Fr. Mike emphasizes the marvel and concreteness of God’s gift in justification: It’s not merely about being “legally” declared righteous, but truly being transformed and enabled to live a new life in Christ. This grace is accessible, tangible, and meant to be lived every day. The episode invites listeners to thank God for the gift of salvation, to cooperate actively with His grace, and to realize the profound mystery and mercy behind being justified and sanctified through Christ.

Tomorrow’s Topic: Grace—what it is and how it works in our lives.