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

Episode: Day 340: Scripture and the Liturgy (2025)
Date: December 6, 2025
Reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraphs 2650–2655

Episode Overview

In Day 340 of "The Catechism in a Year," Fr. Mike Schmitz turns to the start of Chapter Two in the Catechism section on prayer, focusing especially on the tradition of prayer. He emphasizes what prayer truly is—and isn’t—while exploring its deep roots in Scripture and the liturgy. Today's episode unpacks the "wellsprings of prayer," specifically the Word of God (Sacred Scripture) and the Church’s liturgy. Fr. Mike highlights how prayer is learned, experienced, and continually renewed in communion with God and the believing Church.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introduction and Gratitude

• (00:05) Fr. Mike welcomes listeners and expresses gratitude for their accompaniment and support, noting it is "kind of close to the home stretch" as the series nears its end.
• He assures listeners of his daily prayers for them—regardless of whether they keep up daily.

2. Setting the Stage: What Is Prayer?

• Fr. Mike reflects on the Catechism’s opening lines for this section:
  • “Prayer cannot be reduced to the spontaneous outpouring of interior impulse.” (04:13)
  • Prayer isn’t just about spontaneous feelings; discipline and the will to pray are essential.
• He draws an analogy to learning any skill, like playing the piano:
  • "I can know how a piano works... But I have to actually learn how to play the piano." (06:36)
• Emphasis: Prayer isn’t just natural ability or copycatting others. It’s something learned from Scripture, guided by the Holy Spirit, and formed through the praying Church.

3. The Wellsprings of Prayer (04:57)

• The Catechism identifies core "wellsprings" where Christ meets us:
  • The Word of God (Sacred Scripture)
  • The Liturgy of the Church
• The Holy Spirit is the "living water, welling up to eternal life in the heart that prays." (04:57)

A. The Word of God

• The Catechism (and Fr. Mike) stress:
  • “The Church forcefully and specially exhorts all the Christian faithful to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ by frequent reading of the Divine Scriptures.” (04:57)
• Fr. Mike describes how Scripture must be read within prayer:
  • “Let them remember…prayer should accompany the reading of sacred Scripture so that a dialogue takes place between God and man.” (05:15)
• Fr. Mike introduces Lectio Divina as a traditional way of praying with Scripture:
  • Lectio (reading)
  • Meditatio (meditation/thinking)
  • Oratio (prayer—actually talking to God)
• Memorable advice:
  • "Even if you're reading scripture a bunch, even if you're thinking about God a lot, at some point you have to look up. ... At some point, just look up and talk to God about what you've been thinking about." (09:18)
• Encouragement for those who feel God is silent:
  • "People who say, 'Ah, God never talks to me.' Well, have you read his book?" (10:23)

B. The Liturgy of the Church

• Catechism: “In the sacramental liturgy of the Church, the mission of Christ and of the Holy Spirit proclaims, makes present and communicates the mystery of salvation which is continued in the heart that prays.” (05:59)
• Fr. Mike’s “afterburn” analogy:
  • Just as your body continues to burn calories after a workout, there’s a “spiritual afterburn” after Mass—the effects of the liturgy continue in the praying heart. (12:15)
  • "It’s kind of like the spiritual afterburn…long after you’ve gotten done with Mass, the mission of Jesus and the Holy Spirit is still made present, it’s still communicated, it’s still proclaimed. Isn’t that remarkable? Isn’t that kind of cool? I think that's amazing." (13:05)
• The heart is likened to an altar, carrying forth the mission and presence of Christ from the liturgy into the world.
  • “When you pray, you’re internalizing, you’re assimilating what happened in the liturgy, even after the celebration.” (13:44)

4. Takeaways and Looking Ahead

• Today’s focus: Bible (Scripture) and liturgy as wellsprings of prayer.
• Teaser for tomorrow: Additional wellsprings will be discussed, namely the theological virtues and the “grace of each day.”
• Fr. Mike encourages ongoing prayerful engagement with Scripture and the Church’s worship.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the need for discipline in prayer:
  • "We have to have the will to pray and we have to learn how to pray. We don't know how to pray. We have to seek the Scriptures to be taught by that." (01:43)
• On Scripture and Prayer:
  • "Let them remember, however, that prayer should accompany the reading of sacred Scripture so that a dialogue takes place between God and man." (05:15)
  • "For we speak to him when we pray, we listen to him when we read the divine oracles." (05:19)
• On Lectio Divina:
  • "At some point, just look up and talk to God about what you've been thinking about. And that's that prayer part." (09:50)
• On the Liturgy’s lasting impact:
  • “That's remarkable. I mean, think about this. To be able to realize that everywhere you go, you are carrying the mission of Jesus and the Holy Spirit out into the world. ... And that's if we pray, and that's if we pray, we need to have the heart to pray so the heart can become an altar.” (14:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:05 – Introduction, gratitude, and context
• 01:36 – Framing the episode: what is prayer, what is it not
• 04:13 – Reading: Catechism paragraphs 2650–2655 (start of the tradition of prayer)
• 04:57 – Article 1: At the wellsprings of prayer; introduction of the primary sources
• 05:59 – The Liturgy’s role in prayer
• 06:30 – Commentary: learning to pray, analogy of learning a skill
• 08:48 – The two wellsprings: Word of God and Liturgy explained
• 09:18 – Lectio Divina: practical steps for praying with Scripture
• 12:15 – “Spiritual afterburn”: Liturgy’s ongoing effects in the praying heart
• 13:44 – The heart as an altar; carrying mission beyond the liturgy
• 14:05 – Conclusion and encouragement for prayer

Conclusion

Fr. Mike Schmitz eloquently introduces the “wellsprings of prayer” as described by the Catechism: the indispensable Word of God and the ever-living liturgy of the Church. Through personal insight, relatable analogies, and deep reverence for tradition, he emphasizes that prayer is learned, lived, and sustained through both personal effort and grace—especially as we are taught by the Holy Spirit and guided by the Church. Listeners are left with encouragement to approach prayer not as a mere technique or spontaneous activity, but as a dynamic, living tradition centered on relationship and transformation.

Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Production: Ascension
Next Episode: More on the wellsprings of prayer (theological virtues and the grace of daily life)

"Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless." (14:23)