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

Episode: Day 95 – Christ’s Reign on Earth (2026)

Date: April 5, 2026
Host: Fr. Mike Schmitz | Podcast by: Ascension

Overview of the Episode

This episode focuses on Article 7 of the Catechism: “From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.” Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the mystery of Christ’s reign—how it is already established through the Church on earth and yet still incomplete, awaiting its final fulfillment at Christ’s glorious return. The discussion dives deeply into the Catechism’s teaching on the “already and not yet” nature of God’s kingdom, the distinct holiness and ongoing struggle of the Church, the relationship between Christianity and Judaism, and the call to vigilant hope and personal conversion as we await the fullness of Christ’s reign.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Already and Not Yet” of Christ’s Reign

• Christ’s kingship is real and present, but not yet complete:
  • Summary: Jesus is exalted in heaven and is head of the Church, which is his body on earth. His kingdom is present in mystery, but its full presence will be manifest when Christ returns in glory.
  • Quote:

    “Christ already reigns through the church, that Christ's kingdom has been established on this earth through His Church. So it's already here and at the same time it is still to come, right? So this, this reality of already and not yet.” — Fr. Mike (03:10)

• Scriptural and Catechetical roots of this concept:
  • Catechism 671:

    “Though already present in his church, Christ's reign is nevertheless yet to be fulfilled with power and great glory by the King's return to earth… We are called the Church Militant.” — Fr. Mike (04:21)

2. The Church’s Holiness—Real but Imperfect

• Sanctity of the Church:
  • The Church is already holy because it is animated by the Holy Spirit and is the body of Christ, yet its sanctity is imperfect due to the weakness and sin of its human members.
  • Quote:

    “The Church is holy. This is one of the things again, in coming days when we hit the Church, we're going to talk about this. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church, and therefore the Church is holy. The Church is the body of Christ, therefore the Church is holy. It already has a sanctity. … The last two words of that sentence, though, it says again, the Church on earth is endowed already with a sanctity that is real. It's already holy. The last two words... are: but imperfect.” — Fr. Mike (27:30)

• Practical implication for believers:
  • We, too, are holy yet broken, and ought not be discouraged by our imperfections but bring our darkness into the light.

3. The Church Militant: Ongoing Spiritual Conflict

• The battle persists despite Christ’s victory:
  • Evil powers are already defeated by Christ, but their effects remain; so the Church and its members must remain vigilant and continue the fight against evil.
  • Quote:

    “There's this recognition that we're already and not yet... The kingdom is established already and not yet... Jesus Christ has conquered death, he's conquered the evil one. And yet there still is a battle to fight.” — Fr. Mike (32:32)

• Analogy from Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings:
  • Even after Sauron’s defeat, the Shire must still be cleansed—so too, even after Christ’s victory, evil’s effects must be purged from the world and the Church.
  • Quote:

    “One of the final chapters is called the Scouring of the Shire. And so basically, evil has been defeated and yet there's still work to be done, that there's consequences to evil just like there's consequences to good. And so here we are, we find ourselves, Jesus Christ has conquered death, he's conquered the evil one. And yet there still is a battle to fight.” — Fr. Mike (33:50)

4. The Hope and Fulfillment of Israel

• Christianity as the fulfillment of Judaism:
  • Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel; yet God’s covenant with the Jewish people remains and full inclusion of Jews in the Messiah’s salvation is part of God’s plan.
  • Quote:

    “Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of every promise that God made to the people of Israel. And so Christ is Christianity, is the fulfillment of Judaism... What Christ wants, what God wants is for the people of Israel to win.” — Fr. Mike (08:46)

  • Catechism 674:

    “The full inclusion of the Jews in the Messiah's salvation in the wake of the full number of Gentiles will enable the people of God to achieve the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ in which God may be all in all.” — Fr. Mike (10:06)

5. The Mission and Vigilance of Christians

• Called to wait, witness, and hope:
  • The present era is one of testimony, shaped by the Spirit, but also marked by the trial of evil.
  • Christians are watchmen—called to vigilance, to recognize and bring what is in darkness to light, both in the world and in their own hearts.
  • Quote:

    “This is important for us. Think about this… it's a time still marked by distress and the trial of evil, which does not spare the church. And we recognize, I think it'd be pretty, pretty, I don't know, stupid, pretty ignorant of ourselves to deny that. The trial of evil, of course, has entered the church as well as it’s entered every aspect, every corner of humanity.” — Fr. Mike (38:15)

• Vigilant action:
  • “A time of waiting and watching is being vigilant … part of that fight is simply bringing what is dark into the light. That's where we start today.” — Fr. Mike (40:02)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Church’s dual nature:

  “So we need the church. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and we need the head. ... To have a relationship with merely the head and to … consider ourselves exempt from the body would be to decapitate Jesus in some ways, right? It'd be kind of like cradling the head and ignoring the body. We are made as Christians … to not only love our head, Jesus Christ, but also to love his body.” — Fr. Mike (23:56)

• On the urgency of Christ’s final coming:

  “Since the ascension, Christ's coming and glory has been imminent, even though it is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. This eschatological coming could be accomplished at any moment…” — Fr. Mike (15:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:10 – The “already and not yet” of Christ’s reign explained
• 04:21 – Catechism 671: Christ’s reign present, but not yet fulfilled
• 08:46 – The fulfillment of Israel and the role of the Jewish people
• 10:06 – Catechism 674 and the inclusion of the Jews in salvation
• 23:56 – Distinguishing between the head (Christ) and body (Church); why both are essential
• 27:30 – The Church’s sanctity is real but imperfect
• 32:32 – The ongoing spiritual battle despite Christ’s victory
• 33:50 – Lord of the Rings analogy: “The Scouring of the Shire”
• 38:15 – The Church’s experience of evil and the need for vigilance
• 40:02 – The call to bring what is in darkness to the light

Concluding Prayer and Invitation

Fr. Mike ends with a prayer: for the Holy Spirit to convert us and draw all people—including the Jewish people and those who do not know Christ—into the fullness of God’s plan. He encourages listeners to pray for one another, to recognize their dignity as beloved and holy, even in brokenness, and to be vigilant in this time of waiting.

“Please pray for each other that we have that grace. Please pray for me. And I'm praying for you, Man. What a great day. And a great invitation to know that you're made holy, even though we remain broken.” — Fr. Mike (end)

Summary Table of Key Points

| Segment | Theme | Timestamps | |---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Christ’s Reign | Already established, yet to be fulfilled | 03:10–04:21 | | Holiness of the Church | Real but imperfect, divine and human | 23:56–27:30 | | Ongoing Battle | Victory won, but effects of evil remain | 32:32–33:50 | | Fulfillment of Judaism | Full inclusion of the Jews | 08:46–10:06 | | Vigilance and Hope | Waiting, watching, bringing light to darkness | 38:15–40:02 |

For Listeners

This episode is a stirring meditation on Christ’s reign and the lived tension between present sanctity and ongoing struggle. Fr. Mike’s teaching offers encouragement, challenge, and a call to personal and communal vigilance as we await the ultimate fulfillment of Christ’s kingdom.

Recommended action:

• Reflect on areas in your life where God’s light is needed.
• Recognize the Church as both holy and needing ongoing conversion.
• Pray for the unity of all God’s people, including our Jewish brothers and sisters.
• Persevere in hope—the Kingdom is already among us, and yet, “Come, Lord Jesus!”