Podcast Summary: "If This Doesn’t Bother You, That’s a Problem"

The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Host: Ascension
Guest: Fr. Mike Schmitz
Date: February 5, 2026

Episode Overview

In this reflective episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz delves into the theme of empathy, compassion, and the importance of valuing every individual. Drawing from a Gospel story where Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, Fr. Mike examines the reactions of the crowd and challenges listeners to examine their own hearts. He explores the spiritual dangers of indifference and the call to foster a "magnanimous" (large-hearted) spirit that echoes Christ’s love for everyone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Gospel Story and Its Challenge

• Jesus heals a man with dropsy (edema) on the Sabbath ([00:00]–[02:00])
  Fr. Mike examines the familiar Gospel trope where Jesus heals on the Sabbath and those present respond with anger:
  • "There are some stories in the Gospels that strike me as like, why, what? What's your deal, man?...all of these other people are angry about it." ([00:12])
• He questions the mindset of those who are unable to rejoice when others are healed, reflecting:
  • "What is going on in your life, man, that you can't rejoice because someone got healed even if it's on the Sabbath?" ([00:24])

2. Personal Reflection and Self-Examination

• Recognizing the Potential for Indifference in Ourselves ([02:00]–[03:20])
  Fr. Mike is candid about the human tendency to overlook others’ suffering, inviting listeners to self-examination:
  • "When it comes to anything in the spiritual life, whenever we see the bad thing, we have to know that's also in my heart, right?" ([01:07])
• He illustrates the temptation to minimize others’ pain, using humor and honesty:
  • “I can see myself being one of the people in the crowd going, oh, for Pete's sake, he's got edema. Can you cure my athlete's foot, Lord?” ([00:01], [01:36])

3. The Real Issue: Whose Suffering Matters?

• It's Not About the Law, But the Heart ([03:20]–[05:20])
  Fr. Mike underscores that the law itself permitted compassionate acts on the Sabbath, pointing out that the crowd’s indignation wasn’t justified:
  • "I think what Jesus is saying is... the law actually says you can do stuff like this... The issue is you don't think this person with edema is that important." ([02:29])
• He presses further:
  • "The issue is his suffering doesn't matter enough to you because he doesn't matter enough to you." ([03:22])

4. Practical Takeaway: The Call to Magnanimity

• Becoming Large-Hearted Like Christ ([05:30]–[07:00])
  Fr. Mike challenges listeners to avoid indifference:
  • "What is it in our hearts that refuses to celebrate when someone is set free...when God does something great in their lives? My guess is it's that same thing—not that what just happened was not good, but the person to whom it happened didn't matter to me." ([04:20])
• He introduces the spiritual virtue of magnanimity:
  • "It's called magnanimity... to become magnanimous, which means large-hearted, of large spirit, of large soul, and to recognize that God's graces, God's gifts, God's blessings, they are more than enough to go around. And everyone matters." ([05:22])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Self-Reflection:
  • "I have to ask myself, where could that go wrong in my heart. And I found it out when the individual...when the person in front of me, when they don't matter to me." ([06:10])
• On the Heart of a Christian:
  • "I want to be a Christian. I want to be someone who is like Jesus, which means everyone has to matter, everyone gets to matter and everyone hopefully gets mattered to you too." ([06:30])
• Action Step:
  • "So magnanimity, be magnanimous, have that large heart, that large spirit that recognizes everyone matters anyways." ([06:50])

Important Timestamps

• 00:00 — Fr. Mike humorously imagines his reaction in the Gospel crowd
• 01:07 — The need for self-examination: bad tendencies exist in all of us
• 02:29 — The law permitted compassion; the issue is about valuing others
• 03:22 — Direct statement: the suffering doesn't matter to you if the person doesn't matter to you
• 05:22 — Introduction and definition of "magnanimity"
• 06:10–06:50 — Fr. Mike’s personal resolution and the call for all to be large-hearted

Final Thoughts

This episode invites the listener to an honest, challenging examination of their own compassion for others. Fr. Mike’s message is both accessible and profound, encouraging an active, affectionate concern for every individual—a reflection of the magnanimous heart of Christ. The episode closes with a simple call: "Everyone matters anyways."