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

Episode: Day 58 – Man’s Spiritual Battle (Paragraphs 407–412)

Date: February 27, 2026
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode examines the concept of humanity’s “spiritual battle” as rooted in the doctrine of original sin, based on Catechism paragraphs 407–412. Fr. Mike unpacks how original sin’s effects leave us wounded, inclined to evil, and locked in a cosmic struggle against the powers of darkness—but also how God’s mercy and Christ’s victory provide us with hope, purpose, and the assurance that good can come from even the gravest evils.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Hard Battle” Humanity Faces

• Original Sin's Effects:
  Fr. Mike clarifies that, based on the Catechism, because of original sin, humanity is “born into the condition where, because of that first sin, we’ve lost that original justice… that original righteousness before God, we’ve lost that original holiness.” (04:05)
• The Loss of Trust:
  With original sin, "trust died in the human heart." We must now “fight for that trust” (04:35), but it’s comforting to recall that “God fights for us… through the mystery of the passion of our Lord.” (05:00)
• Role of the Devil:
  The devil has “acquired a certain domination over human beings, even though we still remain free.” (05:42) We experience both the captivity of darkness and the liberation that Christ brings.
• Call to Battle:
  “We have to be aware… that we have a wounded nature inclined to evil,” or we risk major errors in “how we educate people, in how we do politics, how we do social action, how we look at morals.” (06:25)

2. Misunderstanding Human Nature: Good but Broken

• Some worldviews—such as Jean Jacques Rousseau’s tabula rasa (“blank slate”) theory—claim humans are corrupted only by society, but the Catechism corrects this:
  • “We are made good, but broken. We are inclined to evil.” (08:45)
  • Ignoring this reality can cause grave errors in all areas of life. (10:34)
• Quote:
  “If you forget or ignore or don’t even know the fact that we have a wounded nature, then… you might get part of the story… where God made human beings and… declared it good… then I’m fine, in that case, whatever I want must be fine… But the full story is we are made good, but broken.” — Fr. Mike, (06:45)

3. The “Sin of the World” and Social Sin

• Personal and Communal Consequences:
  The effects of original and personal sin extend beyond individuals, establishing what John calls "the sin of the world."
  Social structures themselves can become “broken” because “broken people create broken structures.” (11:09)
• Quote:
  “This expression, the ‘sin of the world,’ can also refer to the negative influence exerted on people by communal situations and social structures that are the fruits of men’s sins. So what it’s saying is, yes, broken people create broken structures.” — Fr. Mike, (11:17)

4. The Battle is Lifelong, and Not Without Grace

• Historical Struggle:
  Humanity faces a centuries-spanning battle against evil—cited from Gaudium et Spes and 1 John 5:19, “the whole world... in the power of the evil one.”
• Preparedness in Battle:
  Fr. Mike uses a memorable analogy:
  “If life was a cruise ship and all of a sudden you were under attack, that would be really difficult… But if life is a battleship and you’re under attack, you kind of expect that… To know that life is a battle… helps us have a prepared attitude.” (13:28)
• Inner Integrity:
  Achieving goodness and inner harmony comes “at great cost to yourself, and aided by God’s grace, [only then] that he succeeds in achieving his own inner integrity.” (13:52)

5. God Did Not Abandon Humanity After the Fall

• Protoevangelium:
  Genesis 3:15 is the “first Gospel,” promising a Redeemer and a definitive victory over evil. (16:33)
• Mary, the New Eve:
  Mary is seen as the woman in Genesis 3:15, uniquely preserved from sin by Christ’s future merits—“the Immaculate Conception.” (17:23)
• Quote:
  “Mary benefited first of all and uniquely from Christ’s victory over sin. She was preserved from all stain of original sin, and by a special grace of God committed no sin of any kind during her whole earthly life.” — Fr. Mike, reading Catechism, (18:15)

6. The Problem of Evil: Why Did God Allow Sin?

• Catechism Question:
  “Why did God not prevent the first man from sinning?” (19:04)
• The “O Happy Fault” Mystery:
  Fr. Mike cites St. Leo the Great and St. Thomas Aquinas:
  • “Christ’s inexpressible grace gave us blessings better than those the demon’s envy had taken away.”
  • “God permits evil in order to draw forth some greater good.”
• Memorable Images:
  “Every Easter we sing… O happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a redeemer.” (20:33)
• Quote:
  “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” – St. Paul, as quoted by Fr. Mike (20:43)

7. The “Battle of Trust”

• Trust Amidst Suffering:
  Ultimately, acknowledging original sin and God’s response leads to the ongoing “battle of trust”:
  • “It is a hard battle. Part of that is not just the battle against evil… It also means it’s a battle of trust.” (21:30)
  • Even in the hardest seasons—“if you had not come and lived in human nature and rescued us from slavery to the evil one, we would be dead in our sins”—we are not abandoned. (22:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker/Summary | Quote | |-----------|-----------------|-------| | 06:45 | Fr. Mike | “We are made good, but broken.” | | 11:17 | Fr. Mike | “Broken people create broken structures.” | | 13:28 | Fr. Mike | “If life was a cruise ship and all of a sudden you were under attack... But if life is a battleship... you expect that. To know that life is a battle... helps us have a prepared attitude.” | | 19:10 | St. Leo the Great (read by Fr. Mike) | “Christ’s inexpressible grace gave us blessings better than those the demon’s envy had taken away.” | | 20:33 | Exsultet (read by Fr. Mike) | “O happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a redeemer.” | | 20:43 | St. Paul (quoted by Fr. Mike) | “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” | | 22:00 | Fr. Mike | “If you had not come and died for me... we would be dead in our sins… we have to understand and never can ever forget the reality of original sin.” | | 21:58 | Fr. Mike | “You did not abandon us to the domain of death, but in your mercy you came to the aid of all of us.” |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:05 – Introduction to the “hard battle” (Catechism 407)
• 06:45 – On being made good yet broken (core Catholic anthropology)
• 11:09 – “Sin of the world” and social sin explained
• 13:28 – Analogy: battleship vs. cruise ship (attitude in spiritual warfare)
• 16:33 – The Protoevangelium; God’s promise after the fall
• 17:23 – Mary as the New Eve; Immaculate Conception discussed
• 19:04 – 20:43 – Why God permits evil; “O happy fault” and the greater good
• 21:30 – The “battle of trust” in the Christian life

Tone & Closing Thoughts

Fr. Mike’s tone is earnest, pastoral, and infused with a sense of hope amid struggle.
He repeatedly reminds listeners:

• Humanity is good, but broken;
• Life is a spiritual battle, but one we don’t fight alone;
• God never abandons us, and greater good can be drawn even from evil (if we trust God’s mysterious providence).

Personal Encouragement:
Fr. Mike closes with encouragement for listeners who are struggling, suffering loss, or wrestling with trust in God. He prays for everyone, asks for prayers in return, and urges steadfast hope:
“I am praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.” (22:45)

Summary Table

| Main Theme | Humanity’s perpetual spiritual battle due to original sin, God’s abiding mercy, and the victory offered in Christ. | |------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Key Catechism Sections | 407–412 | | Takeaway | Know human brokenness, enter the struggle intentionally, cling to God’s grace, and trust that evil never has the last word. |

For those who didn’t listen:
This episode is a rich, accessible dive into why life often feels like an uphill spiritual struggle—and why, despite our brokenness, the Christian story is ultimately one of trust and victory in God’s greater plan.