The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 91: Christ Rose from the Dead (2025)

Episode Date: April 1, 2025

The Catechism tackles Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead which is the “the crowning truth of our faith in Christ". Fr. Mike makes sure we understand that Christ's resurrection cannot be interpreted as a legend or a metaphor, but as a true, historical fact. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 638-644. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

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making free Catholic content we can post online, please consider making a financial contribution, an ongoing financial contribution, by going to ascensionpress.com slash support. That's ascensionpress.com slash support. Thank you and God bless. Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz and you're listening to the Catechism in a Year podcast where we encounter God's plan of sheer goodness for us, revealed in scripture and passed down to the tradition of the Catholic faith. The Catechism in a Year is brought to you by Ascension. In 365 days, we'll read through the Catechism of the Catholic Church, discovering our identity

in God's family as we journey together toward our heavenly home. This is Day 91, we're reading paragraphs 638-644. I'm using the Ascension edition of the Catechism, which includes the Foundations of Faith approach. You can follow along with any recent version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. You can also download your own Catechism in your reading plan by visiting ascensionpress.com slash C I Y. And lastly, you can click follow or subscribe to your podcast app for daily updates and daily notifications.

Today is day 91 reading paragraphs 638 to 644. Yesterday, we talked about the fact that Jesus descended into hell, all that that meant. Well, I guess we didn't plumb the depths of that, but we did talk about it and hopefully shed some light on what it really is when we say, declare, profess that Jesus descended to the realm of the dead today. Paragraph two is, on the third day,

he rose again from the dead. And we're gonna talk about the reality that the resurrection is an historical and transcendent event. We're going to recount basically the story of the resurrection today and not only recount the story of the resurrection but the catechism today. We're making it absolutely clear that the resurrection really and truly happened. Now we know this. This is an historical reality. There is proof of the reality of the resurrection Now there are some people who would say that well, you know the resurrection is real

But that's because Jesus really rose in the heart of the believers. That is not true That is not what the church is saying Jesus really rose literally from the dead bodily from the dead really rose literally from the dead, bodily from the dead, corporeally from the dead, right? And so we have to affirm this as Catholic Christians. We recognize that all of the signs of Christ's resurrection from the empty tomb to the appearances to Mary Magdalene and to the other Holy Women, his appearances to Peter, his appearances to all the other apostles, even as St. Paul says to over 500 people at once all of that points to the fact the historical fact of the physical resurrection of Jesus bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead we're gonna affirm that today and we're just gonna walk in that today because this is this is a fundamental truth a fundamental truth about Christianity if

Jesus has not risen from the dead, then our faith is worthless. It is absolutely worthless if Jesus has not truly risen from the dead. And so because of that, we just get to launch into that today. I'm just, no more words. Let's just pray and let's dive in to paragraphs 638 to 644. Father in heaven, we give you praise. Thank you so much for your son's resurrection thank you so much not only for the fact that he gave himself out of love that he lived a life of obedience to redeem us and to glorify you but also thank you thank you for his resurrection thank you for the gift of proving to us that he is who he says

he is in the resurrection from the dead. We thank you for inviting us to have a share in that resurrection. As you have invited us to participate in his passion, as you've invited us to participate in his suffering, you also, Lord God, you also invite us to participate in his resurrection. So this day we rejoice, because this day we know, we know that you are the conqueror of death. We know that you are the one who was slain and yet still live forever and ever. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end,

the one who was, who is, and who is to come. And we praise and glorify you in Jesus' name, amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Again, it's day 91, we're reading paragraphs 638 to 644. Paragraph 2. On the third day he rose again from the dead. The Acts of the Apostles states, We bring you the good news, that what God promised

to the fathers this day he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ, a faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community, handed on as fundamental by tradition, established by the documents of the New Testament, and preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross. As is prayed in the Byzantine liturgy, Christ has risen from the dead. Dying he conquered death, to the dead, he has given life.

The Historical and Transcendent Event The mystery of Christ's resurrection is a real event, with manifestations that were historically verified as the New Testament bears witness. In about AD 56, St. Paul could already write to the Corinthians, I delivered to you, as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cepha, then to the Twelve. Apostle here speaks of the living tradition of the resurrection, which he had learned after his conversion at the gates of Damascus. The empty tomb. tradition of the resurrection which he had learned after his conversion at the gates of Damascus. The Empty Tomb The angels asked, Why do you seek the living among the dead?

He is not here, but has risen. The first element we encounter in the framework of the Easter events is the empty tomb. In itself, it is not a direct proof of resurrection. The absence of Christ's body from the tomb could be explained otherwise. Nonetheless, the empty tomb was still an essential sign for all. Its discovery by the disciples was the first step toward recognizing the very fact of the resurrection. This was the case first with the holy women and then with Peter. The disciple whom Jesus loved affirmed that when he entered the empty tomb and discovered the linen cloths lying there, he saw and believed. This suggests that he realized from the empty tomb's condition that the absence of Jesus's body could not have been of human doing,

and that Jesus had not simply returned to earthly life as had been the case with Lazarus. The Appearances of the Risen One Mary Magdalene and the holy women who came to finish anointing the body of Jesus, which had been buried in haste because the Sabbath began on the evening of Good Friday, were the first to encounter the risen one. Thus, the women were the first messengers of Christ's resurrection for the apostles themselves. They were the next to whom Jesus appears, 1 Peter, then the twelve. Peter had been called to strengthen the faith of his brothers and so seized the risen one

before them. It is on the basis of his testimony that the community exclaims, The Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon. Everything that happened during those paschal days involves each of the apostles and Peter in particular in the building of the new era begun on Easter morning. As witnesses of the risen one, they remain the foundation stones of his church. The faith of the first community of believers is based on the witness of concrete men known to the Christians and for the most part still living among them.

Peter and the twelve are the primary witnesses to his resurrection. But they are not the only ones. Paul speaks clearly of more than 500 persons to whom Jesus appeared on a single occasion and also of James and of all the apostles. Given all these testimonies, Christ's resurrection cannot be interpreted as something outside the physical order, and it is impossible not to acknowledge it as an historical fact. It is clear from the facts that the disciples' faith was drastically put to the test by their Master's passion and death on the cross, which he had foretold. The shock provoked by the passion was so great that at least some of the disciples did not

at once believe in the news of the resurrection. Far from showing us a community seized by a mystical exaltation, the Gospels present us with disciples demoralized, looking sad, and frightened. For they had not believed the holy women returning from the tomb, and had regarded their words as an idle tale. When Jesus reveals himself to the eleven on Easter evening, he abraded them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. Even when faced with the reality of the risen Jesus, the disciples are still doubtful. So impossible did the thing seem. They thought they were seeing a ghost. Luke recounts, In their joy they were still disbelieving and still wondering. Thomas will also experience the test of doubt, and St.

Matthew relates that during the risen Lord's last appearance in Galilee, some doubted. Therefore, the hypothesis that the resurrection was produced by the Apostles' faith or credulity will not hold up. On the contrary, their faith in the resurrection was born under the action of divine grace from their direct experience of the reality of the risen Jesus Okay, so there we are paragraphs 638 to 644 this man just emphasizing the reality the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus This is so so important for us again Let's go back to what st. Paul had written if Christ is not raised from the dead our faith is in vain

There are some Christians even some Christians who will say that not again as I said at the beginning of this he rose in their hearts He rose in in they basically And they said, you know the message of Jesus really isn't dead and so he really is alive in us. No, no, no Yes, we know the message of Christ is not dead. Yes, Christ is alive in us. No, no, no, no. Yes, we know the message of Christ is not dead. Yes, Christ is alive in us, but he actually also rose from the dead bodily and this is absolutely essential. I love the fact that the church here is making it absolutely clear that this is an historical fact. The empty tomb isn't definitive proof, but the empty tomb points to this reality and even the fact that here is the disciple whom Jesus loved, it's in paragraph 640, you know, John,

that he entered the tomb and he discovered the linen cloths lying there, he saw and believed. And I love this, it says, this suggests that he realized from the empty tomb's condition, with the cloths there, that the absence of Jesus' body could not have been a human doing and that Jesus had not simply Returned to earthly life as had been the case with Lazarus member Lazarus when he was risen from the dead by Jesus by the power Of God in Jesus Christ that he was still bound hand and foot

All right, he had the linen cloths wrapped around the barrow cloths wrapped around him But here's John who looks into the tomb and he sees the linen cloths lying there in such a way They must have been in such a way that he recognized that no Jesus truly had risen from the dead not like Lazarus but in this unique and unprecedented way is remarkable and then of course Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene and the other holy women and And this is the beginning they become the Apostles to the Apostles, right? They become the first ones to bring the message of resurrection the core of of this, you know Christian new Christian faith To the Apostles themselves and it's remarkable then of course Peter is next adds his witness to their

Testimony and it's remarkable everything that happened paragraph42, everything that happened during those paschal days involves each of the Apostles, and Peter in particular, in the building of the new era begun on Easter morning. And this is, they all become witnesses to his resurrection. Even more than that, it says this, that Paul speaks clearly of more than 500 persons to whom Jesus appeared on a single occasion Now, you know when Paul says that he also says this is in first Corinthians when Paul notes that he also says many of whom Are alive although some have fallen asleep that most of those 500 people They're still alive. Now. Why would he say that? Here's my theory

My theory is that Paul makes a point of saying many of whom are alive because he's declaring the true resurrection of Jesus Christ to the Corinthians. Basically saying if you really want to talk to those people who had seen the risen Christ, they are still alive. They're still around. Over 500 of them. Some of them have died, but many of them are still alive. This is an historical reality, an historical fact in paragraphs 643 and 644 make it very very clear given all these testimonies Christ's resurrection this is paragraph 643 Christ's resurrection cannot be interpreted as something outside the physical order and it is impossible not to acknowledge it as an historical fact

and this is so completely true they not only not only did they see this and they gave witness to this But they were transformed they went from being people demoralized discouraged frightened To people who transformed people Emboldened people courageous. It wasn't their faith that did this. It was the fact that they saw the resurrection It wasn't their credulity like in the sense that they would just believe whatever someone told them It was the fact that they saw the resurrection. It wasn't their credulity, like in the sense that they would just believe whatever someone told them. It was the fact that they actually had truly encountered the risen Jesus.

At the same time, this is remarkable, 644, the last paragraph we have for today. Even when faced with the reality of the risen Jesus, the disciples are still doubtful. So impossible did the things seem. They thought they were seeing a ghost. I love that. It's a quote from Luke chapter 24 where it says, In their joy they were still disbelieving and still wondering.

You know, we have doubting Thomas, of course, even though all of his friends, these people he knows very well, have said, we saw Jesus, he was alive. He says, no, unless I put my fingers in the nail marks and my hand in his side, I will not believe. Even during Christ's last appearance in Galilee, it says, some doubted, in John chapter 20 and Matthew chapter 28. Some doubted. Therefore, the Church maintains, the hypothesis that the resurrection was produced by the Apostles' faith, they just wanted this to happen, orulity They'd believe anything will not hold up on the contrary their faith and the resurrection was born under the action of divine grace From their direct experience of the reality of the risen Jesus the reality of the risen Jesus, which is remarkable

Absolutely incredible. I'm so grateful so grateful You know one last note about the resurrection and about the Apostles' fidelity, the Apostles' faithfulness. It is one thing to tell a lie to get ahead, right? It's one thing to tell a lie to get what you want or to avoid pain. But to bear witness to the resurrection was not a lie. It was not a lie to get power, it was not a lie to avoid pain, because why? Because in their bearing witness to the resurrection,

they could have all gone home, every one of them was free to go, every one of them was free to go. They could all just go back to their jobs, they could all go back to their former lives, they could have just lived out their lives in peace, they could have lived out their lives in tranquility, they could have just lived out their lives in peace, they could have lived out their lives in tranquility, they could have just lived out their lives however they wanted. Because they encountered the risen, the living, the

true historical fact of Jesus Christ risen from the dead, what did it bring them? Fame? No. Infamy. Did it bring them power? Absolutely not. Did it bring them a long life? honors health wealth none of those things in Fact it brought them all to an early death except for John but even John he lived a life of pain and of suffering of Painful love and of suffering love but of pain and suffering, of painful love and of suffering love, but of pain and suffering

nonetheless. No one would give their lives for a lie. These men and these women bore witness to the reality, the truth that they saw Christ risen from the dead, and it cost them everything. It cost them their entire lives. Not one of them, even though all of them were tortured, not one of them ever said, I made the whole thing up. Because why? Because they didn't make the whole thing up. Because they actually encountered Jesus risen from the dead.

My brothers and sisters, the resurrection is an historical fact. It is true. It happened Jesus Christ is Lord of the living and of the dead He has conquered death and he now lives for the glory of the father and he lives intercede for you and he lives intercede For me and so let's do that. Let's join in his intercession as we pray for each other I am praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.