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

Episode: Day 363 – Forgive Us Our Trespasses (2025)
Date: December 29, 2025
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz, Ascension

Episode Overview

Theme:
Fr. Mike Schmitz focuses on one of the most demanding petitions of the Lord’s Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" (Catechism paragraphs 2838–2845). The episode unpacks the foundational Christian challenge of forgiveness—what it asks of God and of us—and why it is at the heart of Christian living. Fr. Mike explores the depths of this command, its connection to God’s mercy, and the practical steps and interior attitudes required to live out real forgiveness, especially when it feels impossible.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Astonishing Demand of Forgiveness

• Fr. Mike opens with a reflection on the difficulty of forgiveness, rating it as possibly the hardest Christian commandment (00:59).

  "I don't know if there's a more difficult teaching than this teaching: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. It asks a lot." (01:05)

• The two parts of the petition ("forgive us" and "as we forgive") are joined by "as"—meaning our openness to receive God’s forgiveness is conditioned on our readiness to forgive others (04:05, Catechism 2838).

2. Confession of Our Wretchedness and God's Mercy

• The petition starts with a confession: coming to God like the prodigal son, admitting our own sin and wretchedness (05:30).

  "Our petition begins with a confession of our wretchedness and his mercy. Our hope is firm because in His Son we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (05:50)

• Double Conviction Needed: Both acknowledging our sinfulness and recognizing God's overwhelming mercy—avoiding the lies that we are either wholly depraved or totally fine without repentance (16:00).

  "We need that double conviction—the conviction of, yeah, I’m a sinner. And the conviction of, and the Lord is merciful and He loves me." (17:40)

3. The Sacraments as Signs of Forgiveness

• Forgiveness is offered tangibly in the sacraments, especially Reconciliation, providing a concrete, "undoubted sign" of God’s mercy regardless of feeling (18:45).

  “You go to confession and… you know that the Lord God has forgiven you through the ministry of His Church. It’s amazing.” (19:15)

4. The Necessity (and Difficulty) of Forgiving Others

• God’s mercy cannot penetrate our hearts unless we forgive those who have wronged us.

  “This outpouring of mercy cannot penetrate our hearts as long as we have not forgiven those who have trespassed against us. Love, like the body of Christ, is indivisible.” (19:40, referencing Catechism 2840)

• We cannot claim to love God if we fail to love (and forgive) other people. Hardness of heart blocks God’s love and grace (20:00).

5. The Parable of the Merciless Servant and Justice

• Fr. Mike retells the parable, explaining the enormous debt we owe to God compared to the relatively small debts others owe to us (20:40).
  • 10,000 talents (debts to God) vs. 100 denarii (debts others owe us).
• Forgiveness does not mean excusing, trusting, or reconciling; it is simply “releasing from the debt,” not demanding repayment for what was lost or hurt (25:00).

  "I'm simply not going to make you pay me back... That's the heart of forgiveness." (25:45)

6. Practical Steps: Naming the Hurt and Releasing the Debt

• Step 1: Name what was lost—what the offender "owes" you.
  • Take that wound before Jesus, especially in prayer or in church (26:35).
• Step 2: Willingly “release them from the debt.”

  “With God’s help, we say: I release you from your debt. I’m not going to make you pay me back.” (28:00)

• Step 3: Transform hurt into intercession—pray for the one who hurt you (29:00).

7. Forgiveness vs. Feeling and Forgetting

• Forgiving does not necessarily mean “forgive and forget” or not feeling pain—it’s not within our power to erase memory or hurt (27:50, Catechism 2843).

  “It is not in our power not to feel or to forget an offense. So don’t worry about it if you still feel upset.” (28:10)

8. The Witness of Forgiveness

• Forgiveness is the “high point of Christian prayer,” showing the world that love is stronger than sin—visible in every crucifix and every Eucharist (29:40).

  “Forgiveness bears witness that in our world, love is stronger than sin. God’s love for us is stronger than sin. And we have to love with the love with which we have been loved.” (30:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• CS Lewis Reference (12:45):

  “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until you have something to forgive.”

• Forgiveness Defined (25:45):

  “Forgiveness can be very, very simple... I release you from your debt. I’m not going to make you pay me back.”

• On Healing vs. Reconciliation (26:55):

  “Forgiveness is not always the restoration of the relationship. It just means, ‘I release you from your debt.’ Doesn’t mean I trust you again... It just means I’m not going to make you pay me back.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:59 – The profound challenge of the Lord’s Prayer’s petition on forgiveness
• 05:30–07:00 – Confession of wretchedness and the gift of God’s mercy
• 12:45 – C.S. Lewis and the true unpopularity of forgiveness
• 16:00–18:00 – Lies about our unworthiness and the double conviction
• 19:15–20:00 – The sacrament of confession as a sign of forgiveness
• 20:40–23:30 – The parable of the merciless servant; what real justice and debt mean
• 25:00–26:55 – Differentiating between forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoring trust
• 27:50 – Why feeling or remembering hurt does not preclude forgiveness
• 29:00–30:00 – Forgiveness as prayer, intercession, and Christian witness

Tone and Final Encouragement

Fr. Mike’s tone is encouraging yet honest about the difficulty of forgiveness. He urges listeners to reflect deeply and pray for both the grace to forgive and the humility to accept God’s mercy. He closes in his characteristic way, offering supportive prayers and reminders of God’s empowering love.

“It’s impossible without God’s grace, without God’s help, without prayer. So please, pray for each other. Pray for those who’ve hurt you. I am praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.” (31:10)

Summary prepared for listeners looking to understand and apply the Christian call to forgive, as guided by the Catechism and Fr. Mike Schmitz’s pastoral insights.