If you had told me a year ago that I would be looking forward this much to a homily every week like this I would have never believed it! I am so grateful for these Holy moments! 🙏🙏🙏
Dear Father Mike, I met Fr. Walter once he returned home. He gave us a retreat and I had my heart and all my attention on him and his words. After about the third day of retreat Fr. Walter said; "There is someone in this Chapel who is glued to my words and it's YOU (he pointed to me) and I want to have supper with you". That supper was one that I will never forget.. Thank you for using his book for this talks. Wonderful!
I want to accept God's will in the reality of situations. To follow Christ in my own family has been very painful. I am not sorry, because He is the way the truth and the life. It cost me my home, my job, my marriage, as my own spouse did not want a Catholic wife. Please pray for me to be given strength to accept the heart pains of sadness that sometimes desire to hold me hostage and tempt me to be discouraged. I believe God is faithful and full of compassion. He promises to never leave or forsake me and anyone who is reading this who may be suffering for their faith. I will pray for you!❤ May this Lenten homily remind all of us, that God's desire is for us not against us. Thank your Father Schmidt!😊
I do agree with you left my home honey over 20 years ago..lost family and friends..feel lonely at times .if it wasn't for my faith i wouldn't be here today..God bless you dear sister in Jesus christ ❤
Because if we don't learn. to accept the reality of our situations as part. of God's will, we are going to be missing out on God. We are going to miss out on this life, this incredible, beauitful life that is beyond anything we ever expected or dreamed of.
And also, we turn into impatient narcissistic selfish jerks. Acceptance is too wise. So is knowing when it's out part to do the work to change our situation. Many want easy, lazy faith.
Thank you Father for the book suggestion and your words. Helping others, which we're called to do, can be very difficult. I had a long career in non profits helping vulnerable people. Many have the myth that it is always rewarding, and the truth is that its hard, and sometimes the more you try the worse it gets. If you help others you can't expect gratitude, you just do it because you're committed and not giving up the effort. You have to keep listening and trying to understand, there's no ivory tower from which perfect ways to help flow outward like they do from the Lord. The best approach is like the Lord's, see and love and care as much as you can, and don't rely on your own strength, but His instead.💖
I had a floodgates of Blessing from God.. Thank you O' Lord I believe you with all my heart and Soul !!! I had a floodgates of Blessing from God.. Thank you O' Lord I believe you with all my heart and Soul !!!
I love the grounded reality of this channel!!! Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the gift of life and blessings to me and my family £27,000 weekly profit Our lord Jesus has lifted my Life!!!🙏❤️❤
I am 65. I grew up one hour north of Shenandoah, PA where Father Mike states the Jesuit priest Walter Ciszek was from in the Diocese of Allentown. I attended Catholic elementary school and a Jesuit university in northeast PA. I also later lived in Allentown three years. It was not until today that I ever heard of Father Ciszek! To hear Father Mike say his book is second only to the Bible in how it influenced his own life Is so incredible. I am so grateful for today's sermon.
Oh Father your words resonate, in sickness, my guilt, everything changed……God opened my eyes like a lightening bolt it’s not about me….praying,praying my rosary, in this first week of Lent as been the start of a cleansing Thank you Father Mike and all the good Shepherds who are praying for us….
Fr Mike, you are a Blessing to so many. My faith has grown so much with you help. I have done the Bible in a year twice and this year catechism in a year. I listen to the different talks that you do. God Bless you❤
When we want to do God's will, it is easier said than done because we Never know what lies ahead, and reality could be very raw. It robs us our joy, dignity at time, and there is plenty of sorrow, heartaches, pain, etc..., but in the midst of it all, we learn to see a different aspect of life, of humanity, and most of all, the true meaning of love. There is no greater sacrifice than to sacrifice with God, the One who is always sacrificing with us and keeping us company throughout the journey. Tears will flow, but we will be enlightened to realize that the life with God is always very enriching, and He will keep us entertained eternally.
Wow..powerful! This is amazing. I just felt called to read this book years after a friend told me about it. Started it last night and it’s Fr’s Lenten series. 🙏🏻❤️
This is a significant book in being able to accept the providence of God in our lives. Where ever we are is where God has lead us to and continues to lead us. If he can trust in God's providence in the horrendous circumstances he was faced with then so can we.❤
“The Kingdom of God is at hand” ~now~in the reality of His Will for this day. Ask, Offer & Accept. Thanks, Fr Mike , blessing your ministry and faithful perseverance
You are right. I used to “plan” what I’ll do for Lent or my spiritual life, but almost none succeeded. Now, I just tell God daily, “i’m your slave/servant, please let me do it your way” and I do feel so much better.
“If I don’t actually learn how to recognize God’s will in the reality of my situation, I’m going to end up missing out on God” 21:16 So Powerful! God was in their midst, but He wasn’t what they expected, so they ended up missing Him and avoided Him. God is in the midst of us in the reality. “It’s not what I said yes, too. I did not say yes to these things!” We’re going to miss out on God’s will and in God. Put aside our expectations
Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes so loved this-- all the way to the end❤😁❤😁❤😁❤😁❤😁❤😁❤💯💯TRUTH Reality really bites!! That last part-- i loved it very MUUUUUCH.. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥Thank u so veryyyyy much Fr.Mike for that consoling words!!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏✝️God bless u ✝️💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙
Thank you so very much Father Mike! I've said this so many times about you, and that is that God has blessed you so well because; in times when I am feeling in a dark and confusing place; somehow your homilies say something that literally yanks me out. Case in point; I am writing this from Lublin, Poland but I am soon to return to the US due to family circumstances; one being that a brother-in-law of mine is dying... my husband's brother... and as my husband is needed by his family; I am needed there by him. Yet there are so many details in Father Ciszek's book that fit me so incredibly well.... Fr. Ciszek, (pronounced more closely as Chishek btw), is EXACTLY what I need right now....I have been looking for my place in God's life for so long, but so many things feel like it is being blocked... like God is shouting at me but I am not hearing it... I am sure in my heart Father Ciszek's books will help...So again Father Mike; thank you so very much!
"Jesus was constantly in touch with reality" ...YES. Our modern culture is totally out of touch with reality, and needs offer up INTERNET for Lent. "Smart" devices. This will be a huge step in returning to reality, in addition to working on the reality of one's wounds, and not just expect the Sacraments to do it all and no work required.
I have both books. I’ve read both books. I loved “With God in Russia.” I didn’t care for “He Leadeth Me.” I thought about re-reading “With God in Russia” this lent, but I heard that some people were going to read from “He Leadeth Me” during lent this year, so I thought I would give the book a second chance. I’ve read a bit from “He Leadeth Me” so far this lent, and it is weighing heavily on me, not in a good way. It has left me more fearful of the cross, more fearful of what God, in His love, will allow. I’m thinking of setting the book aside and not reading it this lent. Maybe I will pick up “With God in Russia.”
Needed this reality check to support me & supplement what help God's grace has provided to definitely combat disillusionment & discouragement at this season of my life. So providential to place this in Fr. Mike's heart! Thank you & thank you God.
Thank you so much Fr. Mike for this sermon and all other you have done. I live in Poland and must admit I haven't heared neither of the mentioned polish priest nor his books. I am inspired to look for information. Your sermon is so powerful and the sentence at the end: "I can not know what I am saying to but with Jesus I know Who I am saying yes to" summarise the homily perfectly. God bless You.
Wow! I am just astonished, what a beautiful message Father...we are blessed as Catholics, l needed this message, watching and crying from South Africa..
Similar to what just happened to me. Rejected by all with whom I just traveled a long way to see to hopefully share my joy in God. I was crushed and came to tears but eventually accepted it and eventually found that same joy I initially wanted to share on my trip, but ended up finding it in prayerful solitude at a candlelit grotto at night in the rain. It was amazing grace and was God’s will apparently. Keep going everyone! Let God take the wheel.
Hey y'all, for anybody who enjoys Catholic podcasts, we're a new podcast trying to get off the ground! If you like conversations relating to theology, philosophy, or prayer, give us a listen!
Amen. Yes to Christ Jesus ❣️ My Lord and my God. Thank you so much Fr. Mike and Sundays with Ascension. As always, I am praying for all of you. God Bless 🙏🏻
Thanks father Mike. I needed to hear this but I’m not sure I understand it very well or maybe it’s just my usual go to reaction of what was so bad with what I wanted? Did I want bad things? I thought I wanted to do good so many times when I thought I was doing good I didn’t get any feedback or any kind of reaction to confirm that I did good. So I’d look for some other way to do good. Never hit the right thing. Of course there’s more than to what you said and it makes so much sense. I need to know how to incorporate it into my revised thinking, renewed mind. Definitely something to study. If anyone has an easy way to move the transcript of these sermons, and every thing on RU-vid, into a word processing program or notepad or something without the timestamp on it - that really works - please let me know. Gracias
Im not a catholic but I am a Christian I down loaded the hallowed app around the start of lint and followed it through but father Mikes sermons are rockstar material bought the book they do have it on RU-vid as an audiobook
"We get into a situation where it's not what we expected and we wanna run, or we wanna ignore it, or medicate it"... he says after me saying a thousand times today I wanna run away. Or maybe even just die for a day. So I don't have to deal with this frustrating reality. Boyyy Fr Mike always telling my life's story lol he never misses. God bless him. Can't wait to hear the remedy in the rest of the homily 😊
A friend from India once said to me, in wonde, "Americans think they have a right to be happy. Nowhere else in the world is that true." And ironically we are all poorer for it.
Father Mike I know you do CrossFit. I made this one up for lent. Just wanted to share it with everyone 40 Minutes EMOM Minutes 1&2 - 1000 C2 Bike Minute 3 - 6 Sandbags Over Shoulder (100lbs) Minute 4 - 8 BBJO (24in) Minute 5 - 10 TTB - 40 days in lent - Bike for His journey - Sandbag for Him pick up his cross on His shoulder - BBJO for Him falling and getting up - Ttb Him hanging on the cross
Hmm… my expectation was that I would never divorce and that I would raise a loving family with Gods help… reality is that my former spouse quit after 17 years, annulment granted and, because of divorce poison and parental alienation, I’m estranged from my 5 kids (4 girls, 1 boy ages 26-16)… faith, which God has given me, is the only way I can live with this reality…
Colossians 1:12 KJV Giving thanks unto the FATHER, which has made us meet (accepted) to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in Light: 13 Who has delivered us (saved us) from the power of darkness (sin and death), and has translated us (changed us from death to life by free gift of grace through faith not of works) into the Kingdom of HIS DEAR SON (CHRIST): 14 In Whom we have redemption through His blood (shed on the cross once for all), even the forgiveness of sins: (paid the penalty for sin which is death for us in our place once for all giving true believers eternal life). 18 And He (CHRIST) is the Head of the body, the church (not the pope): Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence (CHRIST has the preeminence in the true church and does not share it with any sinner). 19 For it pleased the FATHER that in Him should all fulness dwell (the GODHEAD); 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross (Jesus crucified to die for the forgiveness of all sins), by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in Earth, or things in Heaven.
This is true, but with some refinement, perhaps. I don't ask God to give me my selfish wishes, only what God wants for me. When I don't expect what God wants for me, it doesn't come to pass, and this causes depression. It sincerely depresses me when God's will is not fulfilled in my life, because I sacrificed everything God asked me to sacrifice to fulfill His will, not mine. When I expect what God showed me He wills for me, and it comes to pass, this brings me joy. So in this sense, God does want us to expect. God wants us to come to Him with the expectation that what He wills for us will be done, because our trust in His wisdom and power is very pleasing to Him. Now, I don't ask God to give me my selfish wishes, I ask God what He wants me to do. More often than not, when I do exactly what God wants me to do, even the selfish things but not harmful things that I never asked God for, He gives me! And so because I never expected God to fulfill anything but His will for my life, even the legitimate pleasures I desired but did not expect to receive, are given to me, and that brings me joy. And so this is the secret of my joy - I grieve when the Holy Spirit grieves because what the Lord wanted for me did not happen, but I rejoice as the Spirit of God rejoices when the divine will is accomplished in my life.
