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

Episode: Day 262: Habitual and Actual Grace (2025)
Date: September 19, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1996–2001

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode explores the Catholic doctrine of grace—specifically, the distinctions between habitual (sanctifying) grace, actual grace, and the concept of prevenient (preparing) grace. Fr. Mike guides listeners through foundational Catechism passages (CCC 1996–2001), unpacks their meaning, and offers real-life analogies, emphasizing that all participation in the divine life is God’s initiative—a gift that cannot be earned, only received.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction & Recap of Justification

• [02:00] Fr. Mike recaps yesterday’s topic of justification, referring to St. Augustine:

  “The justification of the wicked is a greater work than the creation of the heaven and earth, because heaven and earth will pass away, but the salvation and justification of the elect will not pass away.”
  (Fr. Mike quoting St. Augustine, [02:40])

• The connection: Justification is an act of God’s love and it happens by grace.

2. What is Grace?

• [04:00] Catechism definition:

  "Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature, and of eternal life.”

• Grace makes possible what is naturally impossible for us: participation in God’s own life.

3. Types of Grace Explained

A. Habitual (Sanctifying) Grace

• [10:25]

  • "Sanctifying grace is a habitual gift, a stable and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul itself to enable it to live with God and to act by his love."
    (CCC 2000, paraphrased)
  • Analogy: Not like an unconscious routine (e.g., turning on a blinker in a car), but “permanent disposition” that transforms a baptized person, enabling them to live with God.
  • Baptism imparts this grace, making us “new creatures” able to abide in God’s presence.

• Analogy [12:45]:

  “Imagine that at some point it's made possible through science and technology to actually fly to the sun... you’d need a special suit to withstand the intensity. That's like us in God's presence. Grace is like that suit—but even better: grace actually changes us so we can be with God.”
  (Fr. Mike, [12:45])

  • Emphasizes that grace does not merely cover us; it transforms us from within so we “belong” in God’s presence.

• Loss of Sanctifying Grace:

  • Lost through mortal sin—“when we choose to walk away from our Father’s house.”

B. Actual Grace

• [16:00]
  • Defined as: “God’s interventions at the beginning of conversion or in the course of the work of sanctification.”
  • Examples:
    • Moments of enlightenment, supernatural counsel, healing, powerful works.
    • Gifts given either for personal sanctification or for building up the Church.
  • “Actual graces are like little nudges or pushes from God, helping us at specific moments.”
    (Paraphrase of Fr. Mike, [16:50])

C. Prevenient Grace

• [18:00]

  • The Catechism says: “The preparation of man for the reception of grace is already a work of grace.”

  • "Prevenient grace" is the "before" grace—the grace that prompts us even to begin to seek God or respond to Him in the first place.

  • “Before you and I even have the idea, you know what I should do? I should press play on The Catechism in a Year... it's prevenient grace.”
    (Fr. Mike, [18:20])

  • Key Insight:

    • “We only respond; God always initiates. Prayer is always a response. The life of grace is always a response.”

  • Maintains human freedom: “Grace arouses in us a desire to start, a desire to say yes to God—but always while still maintaining our freedom.”
    (Fr. Mike, [19:40])

4. Collaboration with God: Quotations from St. Augustine

• [20:10] The Catechism and Fr. Mike highlight St. Augustine’s teaching, emphasizing the primacy of God’s action and our role as collaborators:

  “Indeed, we also work, but we are only collaborating with God who works, for his mercy has gone before us. It has gone before us so that we may be healed, and follows us so that once healed, we may be given life...”
  (St. Augustine, CCC 2001; read by Fr. Mike, [20:28])

  • This section summarizes the Catholic synthesis: without God, we can do nothing, but “God is here and he’s moving…giving us the power to respond.”

5. Memorable Analogies & Key Takeaways

• The “space suit” analogy for sanctifying grace: God doesn’t just protect us from His holiness but transforms us into the kind of creatures who can live in His presence.
• Prevenient grace as the nudge even to press play on the podcast, or go to confession, or pursue God at all: “God always wants to work.”

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Paraphrased definition of grace:

  "Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us…so we can respond to his call…to do something that's impossible."
  (Fr. Mike, [05:35])

• On the nature of habitual grace:

  "This sanctifying grace…is a habitual gift…that perfects the soul and enables us to live with God."
  (Fr. Mike, paraphrasing CCC 2000, [10:40])

• Space suit analogy:

  "You could say God gives us this special suit…to protect us from the intensity of divinity. But even better, grace changes us into a new creature—so now you are the kind of being who can live in the presence of the sun without a suit."
  (Fr. Mike, [13:00])

• On prevenient grace:

  "Before you and I even have the idea, 'I should press play on The Catechism in a Year'…it's prevenient grace. God was moving first."
  (Fr. Mike, [18:20])

• St. Augustine on collaboration with God:

  "Indeed, we also work, but we are only collaborating with God who works, for his mercy has gone before us…"
  (St. Augustine quoted by Fr. Mike, [20:28])

• Summary of the episode’s message:

  "That is in so many ways the gospel: without God we can do nothing. But here's the great news: God's here and he's moving; he's starting, initiating, and giving us the power to respond."
  (Fr. Mike, [21:10])

Most Important Segments with Timestamps

• Definition of Grace and why it matters – [04:00–06:00]
• Habitual (Sanctifying) Grace – [10:25–15:00]
• Space suit/Transformation Analogy – [12:45–14:00]
• Actual Graces – [16:00–17:40]
• Prevenient Grace – [18:00–19:50]
• St. Augustine’s synthesis on grace and our cooperation – [20:10–21:15]

Conclusion & Forward Look

Fr. Mike closes by teasing upcoming episodes:

• Tomorrow: More on grace, including sacramental graces and charisms.
• In two days: The concept of “merit” in the Catholic life.

He encourages listeners to recognize their dependence on God’s initiative, to remain humble, and to respond with gratitude for every moment of grace.

Fr. Mike’s concluding thought:

“Please pray for me. My name's Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.”
(Fr. Mike, [22:10])

This summary captures the episode’s warmth, clarity, and emphasis on grace as the lifeblood of the Christian journey—unearned, ever-initiated by God, yet inviting our free response and collaboration.