Why We Keep Forgetting What We Believe as Catholics (Foundations of Faith Preview)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast Episode: Why We Keep Forgetting What We Believe as Catholics (Foundations of Faith Preview)
Release Date: May 29, 2025

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Introduction

In this enlightening episode of The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast, hosted by Ascension, Fr. Mike Schmitz delves into the foundational aspects of Catholic faith, specifically focusing on the importance of the Creed—the profession of faith that Catholics recite every Sunday during Mass. The discussion addresses why repetition of the Creed is essential for maintaining and reaffirming one's beliefs, especially in today's secular age where individual beliefs often take precedence over established doctrines.

The Necessity of Repetition in Faith

Timestamp [00:32] - Fr. Mike Schmitz:
Fr. Mike begins by explaining the primary reason for the repeated recitation of the Creed: “We tend to forget.” Drawing parallels from the Bible, he illustrates how the story of salvation is reiterated multiple times to ensure it remains vivid in the believers' hearts. He emphasizes that in a "broken world, in a world that's full of sadness, a world full of loss and challenges," it's easy to lose sight of foundational truths. Therefore, the Creed serves as a weekly reminder of these eternal truths, reinforcing the believers' identity and relationship with God.

Identity Through the Creed

Timestamp [01:53] - Ascension:
Ascension likens the recitation of the Creed to a family tradition of retelling a child's birth story on their birthday. This practice not only reinforces the children's sense of belonging and love but also solidifies their identity within the family. Similarly, the Creed anchors Catholics in their faith, reminding them of who God is and what He has done for their salvation.

Addressing Secular Perspectives

Timestamp [02:38] - Ascension:
In today's secular society, many individuals question the need for a fixed set of beliefs, advocating for personal morality and subjective truths. Ascension poses this real-world dilemma: “What would you say to someone coming from a perspective that emphasizes personal belief over established creed?”

Timestamp [02:38] - Fr. Mike Schmitz:
Fr. Mike responds by drawing an analogy to relationships: “Do you have a relationship with an imaginary spouse, or do you actually know your spouse?” He challenges listeners to consider whether they are worshipping the true God as revealed in the Creed or a self-invented version of God that aligns with personal preferences. This reflection underscores the importance of adhering to the authentic revelation of God rather than constructing a personalized deity.

The Creed as a Relationship Statement

Timestamp [04:22] - Ascension:
Looking ahead, Ascension mentions that upcoming sessions will explore the Catechism's presentation of the Creed, highlighting the relational aspect between humans and the divine Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Timestamp [04:53] - Fr. Mike Schmitz:
Fr. Mike encourages listeners to view the Creed not just as a list of beliefs but as a declaration of trust in who God is. He suggests reframing the Creed by focusing on “who I believe in” rather than simply “what I believe.” This perspective fosters a deeper, more personal connection with God.

The Personal Nature of God's Law

Timestamp [05:16] - Speaker C:
An additional contributor, Speaker C, recounts the dramatic event at Mount Sinai where God delivered the Ten Commandments to Israel. This moment is portrayed as highly personal, with God addressing each individual directly. Quoting the Catechism, “In all God's commandments, the singular personal pronoun designates the recipient,” Speaker C emphasizes that God's laws are meant to be understood and accepted personally, not just collectively.

Conclusion and Encouragement

Timestamp [07:18] - Fr. Mike Schmitz:
In wrapping up the discussion, Fr. Mike reiterates the importance of the Creed in maintaining a steadfast faith. He encourages listeners to embrace the upcoming exploration of the Catechism, promising that it will deepen their understanding of who God is and the relationship He desires with each individual.

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Notable Quotes

• [00:32] Fr. Mike Schmitz:
  “We tend to forget. So if you go back to the Bible, one of the things you'll notice if you're reading through the story of salvation is that the story is repeated again and again.”

• [02:38] Fr. Mike Schmitz:
  “Is that the true God, Is that the God as he's revealed himself to us? ... my religion isn't necessarily I'm not Christian, I'm not Catholic, I'm a mistake. And I just basically have the religion of me.”

• [04:22] Fr. Mike Schmitz:
  “Sometimes when we recite the Creed, we can imagine that we're saying what God is. Here's what I believe. We could reframe that and say, oh, no, this is who I believe in.”

• [05:16] Speaker C:
  “In all God's commandments, the singular personal pronoun designates the recipient. God makes his will known to each person in particular at the same time as he makes it known to the whole people.”

Final Thoughts

This episode serves as a profound reminder of the significance of the Creed in the Catholic faith. Fr. Mike Schmitz effectively communicates the necessity of repeated affirmation of beliefs to counteract forgetfulness and the distractions of a secular world. By framing the Creed as a personal relationship with God and emphasizing the personal nature of His commandments, listeners are encouraged to deepen their faith and understanding of their identity in Christ.

For Catholics seeking to reinforce their foundational beliefs and navigate the challenges of modern society, this episode offers invaluable insights and practical reflections.

Transcript

[A]

Father Mike, you've been involved with the Bible in Ear podcast. You've done the Catechism in the Year podcast, and we're getting ready to jump into this first pillar of the catechism here on the profession of faith, which is something a lot of Catholics have familiarity with, Right? They hear the profession of faith, the creed, that we recite it every Mass. They recite it every Sunday. But some people may wonder, why do I have to keep saying this thing over and over? I still believe from last week. My beliefs haven't really changed. Why do we have to recite the Creed over and over again Sunday after Sunday?

[B]

A great question. Why repeat ourselves all those times? I think the. The main reason is because we tend to forget. So if you go back to the Bible, one of the things you'll notice if you're reading through the story of salvation is that the story is repeated again and again. Like, say, the story of, here is the people of Israel who were enslaved in Egypt. And so they tell the story over and over again of, we were slaves at one point. Then God came to our rescue. He set us free. He led us through the wilderness. He took care of us. And this is. They repeat themselves over and over again, and not as if they've never heard the story, but it's just that it's so easy to forget the story, and so similarly for ourselves. Of course I know that God is three persons. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Of course I know that he made this world good. Of course I know all these things. But, you know, in a broken world, in a world that's full of sadness, a world full of loss and challenges and all their voices, I can tend to forget those things that I knew are true. And so we keep reciting this creed because a lot of times, you know, how we sit like this, so easy. It's so easy to forget in the darkness, what I knew was true in the light. And so every Sunday, we come back to Mass, we come back to the creed, and we recite this saying, okay, no matter what season I'm in in my life, this is true. No matter what, what circumstances I'm going through, no matter what kind of difficulty or dilemma I'm going through, this is the truth. And it's so easy to forget. That's why we need to repeat.

[A]

I think it's so important, too, to understand who we are. So we're remembering who God is, remembering his amazing love for us and what he's done for us in salvation. But that's where we find our Identity. It's like in my family home, what we have a little tradition on the kid's birthday, we always go back and retell the story of the day they were born. And then we all remember different things about that day. And I think it's fun for the kids, but it also reminds them they are loved and they are part of this family. And I think the creed does the same thing for us. But I do have to say, in our secular age today, some people might kind of balk at the idea of a creed, that there's this list of beliefs I have to follow. Because in our age, many people think each individual should make up their own beliefs. They should make up their own morality, their own reality, their own truth. What would you say to someone that's coming from that perspective about the importance of the creed?

[B]

Yeah, I would say, do you have a relationship with an imaginary spouse, or do you actually. Did your spouse get to say at some point, ted, this is who I am, and she revealed her heart to you, and you are given a choice in that moment, you're given a choice of, oh, I can either love my idea of this woman or actually, I can love her as she is. So the story of the Bible and the story that's revealed to us in the creed here is that God at some point has revealed to us who he is. And I can still hold on to my own version of God. I can have my own, my own particular flavor of God. But the question I have to ask is, is that the true God, Is that the God as he's revealed himself to us? You know, if I find myself, this is one of those convicting moments. If I find that when I approach God, he likes everything that I like, he approves of everything that I approve of, he dislikes what I dislike. Then I have to step back and ask the question. Wait, is who's made, in whose image? Am I made in God's image? Or have I created, fabricated, invented a God who is in my own image? In which case my religion isn't necessarily I'm not Christian, I'm not Catholic, I'm a meist. And I just basically have the religion of me. The religion of me. And it is my own particular version. This is my personal flavor of God. That's why the creed is so important, because it reminds us, no God has actually revealed himself to us, and we have a choice now. Will I love God? Will I love the God who's revealed himself to me? Or will I choose to love a God of my own invention?

[A]

Well, in the next several sessions, we're going to walk through the Catechism's presentation of the Creed. And this is so foundational to give us that story, the revelation of who God is and the relationship he's calling us to. What advice, encouragement do you have for us as we begin this journey through this section of the catechism?

[B]

Well, the encouragement is to let yourself be challenged. Let yourself be challenged by this, the reality that God is revealing aspects about himself. And I will say it like this. Sometimes when we recite the Creed, we can imagine that we're saying what God is. Here's what I believe. We could reframe that and say, oh, no, this is who I believe in. So I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Like, that's who I believe. I believe Jesus Christ is only Son and Lord. That's who I believe in. It's not just simply who what I believe. This is in whom I put my trust.

[A]

I think that's what we're going to see in this pillar. And really all the pillars of the catechism is it really is about a who, and it's about our relationship with that divine who. Who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

[C]

It was here on top of Mount Sinai that one of the most dramatic event in world history took place. And that event was God giving His law to Israel. It was here that he gave them the Ten Commandments. And the Ten Commandments are very personal. They speak to each and every individual. It must have been incredible. Normally this is a quiet place, an arid place, but during this event, there was lightning, there was thunder, and a cloud descended upon this mountain. And God spoke. And you know what? Every single person heard it. Why? Because God wanted it to be personal. Not to just everybody as a whole, but he wanted it to be personal. And the Catechism says something about this in paragraph 2063. The Covenant and dialogue between God and man are also attested to by the fact that all the obligations are stated in the first person. I am the Lord. And addressed by God to another personal subject, you. In all God's commandments, the singular personal pronoun designates the recipient. God makes his will known to each person in particular at the same time as he makes it known to the whole people. And so, yes, God spoke to the entire nation, but each person heard that word personally. So how does God reveal Himself to us and why? That's what we're going to look into in this lesson.

[B]

Sam.