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

Episode Summary: Day 84 – The Claim of Savior (2026)

Date: March 25, 2026
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Reading: Catechism paragraphs 587–594

Episode Theme Overview

In Day 84 of "The Catechism in a Year," Fr. Mike Schmitz guides listeners through the Catechism’s intense focus on Jesus’ claim to divinity and his unique role as Savior. The episode explores why Jesus’ self-identification as God was so scandalous to the religious authorities of Israel and how his actions—particularly the forgiveness of sins—marked a turning point in salvation history. Fr. Mike discusses the concept of Jesus as Lord, not merely prophet or wise man, bolstered by C.S. Lewis’s famous “liar, lunatic, or Lord” argument, and reflects on the challenges and grace inherent in believing this claim.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jesus and Israel’s Faith in the One God ([00:05–03:30])

• Fr. Mike frames the context: Israel was a people uniquely formed to worship the one true God.
• Jesus invites faith in himself to the same extent God did in the Old Testament, which shocked and offended many.
  • “There is this scandalization that happens … there’s a scandal that happens. In fact, it says paragraph 587: If the law and the Jerusalem Temple could be occasions of opposition to Jesus, his role in the redemption of sins, the divine work par excellence, was the true stumbling block for them.” [02:47]

2. The Stumbling Block: Jesus’ Claim to Forgive Sins ([03:31–07:10])

• Jesus’ teachings challenged established religious expectations:
  • Statements like “You have heard it said ... but I say to you” and “Destroy the temple and in three days I will raise it up” disrupted the status quo.
• The ultimate “stumbling block” was Jesus’ claim to be the agent of redemption and to forgive sins, a prerogative attributed to God alone.
  • “But Jesus’ claim to be the agent of redemption, the agent of the salvation of the world … was the primary true stumbling block.” [03:55]
• The Catechism highlights the gravity: He didn’t just claim to be holy or prophetic—he claimed to be God.

3. C.S. Lewis’s Trilemma: Liar, Lunatic, or Lord ([07:11–08:50], [17:20–19:05])

• Fr. Mike invokes C.S. Lewis’s argument:
  • “He didn’t just claim to be a prophet … he claimed to be God. And if he wasn’t God, he was either lying because he knew he wasn’t God, or he was disconnected from reality … The only third option is that he was God and he knew he was God.” [07:27]
  • Listeners are invited to confront the reality of this claim and its implications for faith.

4. The Demand of Faith and the Sanhedrin’s Tragic Misunderstanding ([08:51–13:20])

• Catechism paragraph 591: The scope of Jesus’ claim required a “mysterious death to self” and a leap of faith supported by divine grace.
  • Notable quote:
    • “Such a demand for conversion in the face of so surprising a fulfillment of the promises allows one to understand the Sanhedrin’s tragic misunderstanding of Jesus. They judged that he deserved the death sentence as a blasphemer.” [12:07]
• Dual factors in the rejection of Jesus: Ignorance (not knowing) and hardness of heart (willfully resisting faith).
  • “...the members of the Sanhedrin were thus acting at the same time out of ignorance and the hardness of their unbelief.” [12:50]

5. Jesus’ Miracles as Divine Proof ([13:21–15:45])

• Miraculous acts, especially the forgiveness and healing in events like Mark 2 (healing the paralyzed man), corroborate Jesus’ divine claims:
  • “Who but God can forgive sins? Exactly. Jesus is demonstrating that he actually is the Lord himself, that he actually is God himself. Not only does he declare he can forgive sins, but then he proves it.” [14:43]
• The resurrection stands as the ultimate sign.

6. The Challenge and Grace of Faith ([15:46–18:10])

• Fr. Mike speaks with empathy for the initial Jewish resistance:
  • “...No one anticipated that God would fulfill his promises by becoming one of us. It makes sense, right? I love how it says, ‘allows one to understand the Sanhedrin’s tragic misunderstanding of Jesus.’”
• He distinguishes between ignorance and “hardness of heart,” inviting personal reflection:
  • “So I need to say, okay, God, I recognize that in so many areas I can be ignorant. Also in so many areas, I can have a hardness of heart, hardness of mind, hardness of unbelief.” [16:58]

7. Unity with Jewish Tradition and Prayer for Conversion ([18:11–19:15])

• Importance of Israel:
  • Christians are “grafted onto the tree of Israel” (cf. St. Paul); unity and distinction are respected.
  • “We’re so grateful for [our Jewish brothers and sisters]. We also pray for their conversion … but especially for God’s chosen people.” [18:44]
• Faith in Christ requires humility and openness to surprising manifestations of God's promise.

8. Memorable Closing Reflection: C.S. Lewis ([19:16–20:03])

• Fr. Mike closes with Lewis’s powerful dichotomy:
  • “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” [19:30]
• Emphasizes the totality of Christ’s claim: Our response cannot be lukewarm.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the scandal of Jesus’ claim:
  “Jesus claim to be the agent of redemption, the agent of salvation of the world. Jesus' claim to be able to forgive sins was the stumbling block, the primary true stumbling block for them.” [03:55]

• C.S. Lewis’s trilemma (liar, lunatic, Lord):
  “He didn’t just claim to be a prophet … he claimed to be God … the only third option is that he was God and he knew he was God.” [07:27]

• Why Jesus’ divinity is a big ask:
  “What he's asking of them is not just accept me as one of the prophets. He's saying, accept me as the author of salvation, accept me as the author of the universe, accept me as the one through whom and for whom all things are made.” [05:25]

• Empathy for the Sanhedrin’s disbelief:
  “No one anticipated that God would fulfill his promises by becoming one of us. It makes sense ... allows one to understand the Sanhedrin's tragic misunderstanding of Jesus.” [16:18]

• Christianity’s relevance (C.S. Lewis):
  “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” [19:30]

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Jesus and Israel’s Faith in the One God | 00:05–03:30| | The Stumbling Block: Forgiveness of Sins | 03:31–07:10| | C.S. Lewis’s Trilemma Explained | 07:11–08:50, 17:20–19:05| | The Demand of Faith & Sanhedrin's Rejection | 08:51–13:20| | Jesus’ Miracles as Divine Proof | 13:21–15:45| | Faith: The Challenge of Conversion | 15:46–18:10| | Unity with Israel and Prayers for Conversion | 18:11–19:15| | C.S. Lewis’s Memorable Closing Reflection | 19:16–20:03|

Episode Tone & Style

Fr. Mike’s tone is warm, direct, and full of pastoral empathy. He balances deep theology with personal encouragement, regularly referencing Scripture and tradition while also inviting listeners into prayerful reflection and humility. His references to C.S. Lewis bring energy and clarity, and his closing prayer provides practical spiritual grounding for his audience.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Jesus’ claim as Savior and God is the central truth of Christianity; it is both a cause for awe and a challenge to faith, then and now.
• The scandal of Jesus for his original audience is understandable and rooted in both ignorance and hardness of heart; believers today are invited to approach in humility and ask for grace.
• Fr. Mike encourages ongoing prayer for deeper faith—for ourselves, for others, and especially for the Jewish people—celebrating God’s surprising fidelity to his promises.
• Christianity demands a definitive personal response; as Lewis said, it cannot be only “moderately important.”

"Praying for you. Please pray for each other. And please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless." [Final Blessing]