The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

By Ascension

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What's The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) about?

In The Bible in a Year podcast, Fr. Mike Schmitz walks you through the entire Bible in 365 episodes, providing commentary, reflection, and prayer along the way.
Unlike any other Bible podcast, Ascension’s Bible in a Year podcast follows a reading plan inspired by The Great Adventure Bible Timeline, a ground-breaking approach to understanding salvation history developed by renowned Catholic Bible scholar Jeff Cavins. For each period in the timeline, Jeff will join Fr. Mike for a special episode that will help you understand the context of each reading.
With this podcast, you won’t just read the Bible in a year … you’ll finally understand how all the pieces of the Bible fit together to tell an amazing story that continues in your life today!
Listen and…
Read the ENTIRE Bible
Feel more confident about your understanding of Scripture
Experience the transformative power of God’s Word in your daily life
Start seeing the world through the lens of Scripture
Each 20-25 minute episode includes:
Two to three scripture readings
A reflection from Fr. Mike Schmitz
A guided prayer to help you hear God’s voice in his Word
The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

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Day 341: Eternal Weight of ...

12.07.2023

In our reading of Acts 20, Fr. Mike reflects on the healing of Eutychus, Paul's willingness to suffer for the sake of the Gospel, and Paul's tender affection for the people he ministered to. In 2 Corinthians, Fr. Mike also ...

The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) episodes:

12.07.2023 Day 341: Eternal Weight of Glory (2023) In our reading of Acts 20, Fr. Mike reflects on the healing of Eutychus, Paul's willingness to suffer for the sake of the Gospel, and Paul's tender affection for the people he ministered to. In 2 Corinthians, Fr. Mike also ...
12.06.2023 Day 340: The Power of the Holy Spirit (2023) Fr. Mike emphasizes the power of the Holy Spirit exemplified in Paul's interaction with those in Ephesus in Acts 19 and reminds us that God wants to fill each of us with the same Holy Spirit so we can walk ...
12.05.2023 Day 339: Priscilla and Aquila (2023) Fr. Mike reminds us that God uses crooked lines to make a straight story, like Paul’s witness to Priscilla and Aquila as they encounter the person of Christ and become missionaries. Just like Apollos accepted correction, Fr. Mike invites us ...
12.04.2023 Day 338: Death Defeated (2023) As we continue along the path of our forefathers in faith, Fr. Mike reminds us that we live in the same era as the Apostles and have the same Holy Spirit. Just like St. Paul stood out by imitating Jesus ...
12.03.2023 Day 337: The Importance of Love (2023) Fr. Mike unpacks the events in Acts 16, describing Paul’s trust in the Lord as God frees him from prison. He connects St. Paul’s conversation about spiritual gifts to the well-known “love” chapter in 1 Corinthians, explaining how love and ...
12.02.2023 Day 336: The Council at Jerusalem (2023) Fr. Mike walks us through the Church’s first council in Acts 15 and highlights the importance of the Church’s authority in the question of circumcision for Gentile converts. He also draws our attention to Paul’s treatment of God the Father ...
12.01.2023 Day 335: Run the Race (2023) As we continue to follow the missions of Paul and Barnabas, Fr. Mike highlights the fickle nature of humanity and the futility of striving for the praise of men. He also encourages us to remain courageous in the tribulations we ...
11.30.2023 Day 334: The Meaning of Fasting (2023) Fr. Mike highlights the importance of prayer and fasting, instructing us how to fast and empty ourselves to feel our spiritual need for Christ. He also discusses faithfulness in vocations and living out the life God has called you to. ...
11.29.2023 Day 333: Peter Is Rescued from Prison (2023) Today begins with Acts 12 and the miraculous rescue of Peter from prison by an angel. Reflecting on this story, Fr. Mike helps us grapple with the mysterious reality that we are each called to say "Yes" to God’s destination ...
11.28.2023 Day 332: Barnabas and Paul On Mission (2023) Fr. Mike begins by explaining the confusion experienced by the early Christians as they struggled to integrate the Gentiles into the Church. We also hear more about Barnabas, missionary companion of St. Paul, who was named by God as the ...
11.27.2023 Day 331: Peter Preaches to the Gentiles (2023) In today’s reading from Acts, the Holy Spirit guides Peter to initiate ministry to the Gentiles, beginning with the family of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. Upon hearing Peter preach, Cornelius’ entire household receive the Holy Spirit and are baptized. Commenting ...
11.26.2023 Day 330: Saul's Conversion (2023) Fr. Mike breaks down Saul's miraculous conversion, explaining the significance of Jesus sending Ananias to heal Saul, and how it reveals that Jesus works through his Church just as powerfully as he worked through the incarnation. Fr. Mike also reminds ...
11.25.2023 Day 329: The Ethiopian Eunuch (2023) Fr. Mike focuses on the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch and how it demonstrates the importance of having guidance when reading Scripture. Although God's Word is infallible, we can easily misunderstand it without proper interpretation, which is why ...
11.24.2023 Day 328: Stephen Is Martyred (2023) Fr. Mike reflects on Stephen's heroic martyrdom and points out how those around him refused to hear him and hardened their hearts, something we too can do with the Word of God. In the book of Romans, Fr. Mike also ...
11.23.2023 Day 327: Origin of the Diaconate (2023) Fr. Mike draws our attention to the cultural division present in the early Church and the origin of the ordination to the diaconate. He also discusses Paul’s frustration with those who didn’t recognize Jesus as the Christ and offers consolation ...
11.22.2023 Day 326: Life in the Spirit (2023) Fr. Mike discusses the ministry of the apostles and encourages us to allow God to work in our lives in the same way. He also reminds us that through Baptism, we are set free from our fallen human nature and ...
11.21.2023 Day 325: Boldness in Faith (2023) Fr. Mike highlights the boldness of Peter and John in our reading from Acts as they stand before the council of church leaders and defend the name of Jesus. He also addresses Paul’s writings on God’s grace given to us ...
11.20.2023 Day 324: The Name of Jesus (2023) In Acts 3, Peter used God’s gift of healing to allow God to restore a lame man. Fr. Mike reminds us that God gives us gifts so he can be known in the world and all great miracles are attributed ...
11.19.2023 Day 323: Pentecost (2023) Fr. Mike shares the powerful story of the Holy Spirit coming upon the apostles in the upper room. He emphasizes how God calls us to go out into the world with his Spirit and live in community and with devotion ...
11.18.2023 Day 322: The Ascension (2023) Today, we begin the age of the church, transitioning from the Gospel of Luke to the beginning of the book of Acts. Fr. Mike draws our attention to the Ascension of Jesus and encourages us to respond to Christ’s call ...
11.18.2023 Introduction to the Church (with Jeff Cavins) - 2023 Welcome to The Church period! Jeff Cavins joins Fr. Mike to discuss the final time period of the Bible Timeline. They discuss the historical context of the early Church, why Rome and the early martyrs are so significant, and how ...
11.17.2023 Day 321: Jesus' Prayer in the Garden (2023) Fr. Mike highlights how Jesus didn't pray in order get something from God, he prayed in order to be close to God. He also points to Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane as a perfect example of how we ...
11.16.2023 Day 320: Peter's Denial Foretold (2023) As we draw near to the end of the Gospel of Luke, Fr. Mike briefly expands on the story of the poor widow’s offering, emphasizing that the Lord cares more about the size of our hearts than about the size ...
11.15.2023 Day 319: Come, Follow Me (2023) Fr. Mike compares the story of the rich young man to the story of Zacchaeus, highlighting the difference in their willingness to follow Christ with their whole hearts. Looking at the stories of these young men, Fr. Mike invites us ...
11.14.2023 Day 318: The Narrow Gate, the Lost Sheep, and the Prodigal Son (2023) Fr. Mike confronts the hard truth Jesus preaches in today's readings: Many people will ultimately choose hell over heaven. While this can be deeply distressing, Fr. Mike reminds us to focus on Jesus's directive to each one of us: "[You] ...
11.13.2023 Day 317: Persistence in Prayer (2023) Fr. Mike reflects on the goodness and providence of God the Father, emphasizing how Jesus calls us to be shamelessly persistent in prayer. Fr. Mike also explains two difficult passages found in today's readings: what Jesus means when he tells ...
11.12.2023 Day 316: Absolute Surrender (2023) Fr. Mike discusses our call to deny ourselves and take up our cross, specifically focusing on God’s call to renounce all that is ours and trust in him. He also highlights the story of Mary and Martha and encourages us ...
11.11.2023 Day 315: The Virtue of Mercy (2023) In light of a series of miracles in our readings for today, Fr. Mike focuses on our Lord’s compassion and our call to be merciful, as he is. He emphasizes the beauty of God’s mercy and his offering of it ...
11.10.2023 Day 314: My Beloved Son (2023) Fr. Mike elaborates on the significance of the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. He points out that the location of the Jordan River is particularly noteworthy because it's the same river that Joshua crossed over to lead the ...
11.09.2023 Day 313: The Ark of the New Covenant (2023) As we begin reading the Gospel of Luke, Fr. Mike draws our attention to Mary. He clarifies the difference between Zechariah's response and Mary's response to the angel Gabriel, and also explains why Mary is the Ark of the new ...
11.09.2023 Messianic Checkpoint: The Gospel of Luke (with Jeff Cavins) - 2023 Welcome to the last Messianic Checkpoint! Jeff Cavins joins Fr. Mike to introduce the Gospel of Luke and highlight the distinctive aspects of this synoptic Gospel. We learn that the Gospel of Luke uniquely captures the humanity of Jesus, the ...
11.08.2023 Day 312: Conclusion to the Old Testament (2023) Fr. Mike celebrates the accomplishment of reading the entire Old Testament and wraps up the books of 2 Maccabees and Wisdom, talking through the key themes of the Old Testament visible in the conclusions to these books. He also discusses ...
11.07.2023 Day 311: God Fights for You (2023) As we get closer to the end of the Old Testament, Fr. Mike highlights one of the lessons we've seen time and time again—that God continues to fight for each of us, despite the brokenness and messiness of our lives. ...
11.06.2023 Day 310: Rivals for the Heart (2023) Fr. Mike points out how easy it is to take good things and make idols out of them, setting them up as God's rivals for our hearts. We can discover these rivals by noticing the things we prioritize over spending ...
11.05.2023 Day 309: Praying for the Dead (2023) Fr. Mike breaks down the doctrine of purgatory as we read about Judas Maccabeus and his army praying for the dead in 2 Maccabees 12. We learn that purgatory is a process of purification that our hearts need in order ...
11.04.2023 Day 308: Little by Little (2023) Fr. Mike highlights how God fights as a heavenly ally with the people of Israel in 2 Maccabees 11, and encourages us to actively fight alongside God in our daily battles. In our reading of Wisdom, Father points out how ...
11.03.2023 Day 307: Courage in Battle (2023) Today, Fr. Mike discusses the confidence that faith in God can provide as we fight the battles of our lives. He also engages with the riddles found in Wisdom 10 and points out that we can now not only understand ...
11.02.2023 Day 306: Wisdom Is Beautiful (2023) Fr. Mike draws our attention to the descriptions of wisdom found in our readings for today and reflects on the beauty of wisdom’s feminine nature. He also discusses the death of Antiochus Epiphanes and offers two perspectives on reconciling God’s ...
11.01.2023 Day 305: The Defender (2023) As we hear the re-telling of the story of Judas Maccabbeus and his brothers fighting for the honor of the Lord's Temple in 2 Maccabees, Fr. Mike points out how this version gives us an insight into their recognition of ...
10.31.2023 Day 304: Life Beyond Death (2023) Fr. Mike focuses on the powerful theme that connects all of our readings today- the reality of life beyond death. In the story of the martyrdom of the seven brothers in 2 Macabees, we see how the brothers and their ...
10.30.2023 Day 303: Eleazar's Martyrdom (2023) Fr. Mike offers a recap of Eleazar's martyrdom and marvels at Eleazar's courage to avoid both sin, and the temptation to lead others into sin. As we begin reading the book of Wisdom today, we also learn three valuable lessons; ...
10.29.2023 Day 302: The Pursuit of Wisdom (2023) Fr. Mike concludes the book of Sirach today and encourages us to continue the pursuit of wisdom. In our reading of 2 Maccabees, we see again the pillage of the Temple and we are re- introduced to Judas Maccabeus. Lastly, ...
10.28.2023 Day 301: Rising Again (2023) As we begin to wrap up the Old Testament, Fr. Mike reflects on our reading from Sirach and what we have already learned on this journey through the Bible. He emphasizes that Scripture encourages us to rise again from our ...
10.27.2023 Day 300: Conversion of Heart (2023) Fr. Mike provides context to the God-centered perspective of 2 Maccabees and compares it to the more secular perspective provided by 1 Maccabees. He challenges us to reflect on our days with the lens of 2 Maccabees - acknowledging God’s ...
10.26.2023 Day 299: Jeremiah Hides the Ark (2023) Fr. Mike discusses the story of Jeremiah and the Ark of the Covenant, offering insight on where it was hidden and how that affected the people of God. He also looks ahead to the rest of 2 Maccabees and poses ...
10.25.2023 Day 298: The Gift of Life (2023) Fr. Mike gives us context for the beginning of 2 Maccabees and recounts the story of Nehemiah’s discovery of the sacred fire. He also offers a reflection for those struggling with grief and death, which serves as a reminder to ...
10.24.2023 Day 297: Using Good Things for Evil (2023) As we read from Proverbs and Sirach, Fr. Mike points out how everything God has made is good, but we can use those things for evil ends. We also reach the conclusion of 1 Maccabees today. The readings are 1 ...
10.23.2023 Day 296: Know Your Heart (2023) As we begin to wrap up 1 Maccabees, Fr. Mike directs our attention to how 2 Maccabees will tell the same story in a different way. In Sirach, we are encouraged to know our own hearts, so that we can ...
10.22.2023 Day 295: Israel's Expectations (2023) Fr. Mike mirrors the story of 1 Maccabees and Israel’s expectations of continued success onto our own lives, emphasizing that God’s marvelous plan exceeds our expectations and what we think should happen next in our lives. He invites us to ...
10.21.2023 Day 294: Judea Gains Independence (2023) In our reading of 1 Maccabees today, Fr. Mike highlights the the establishment of the new independent sovereign nation of Israel in the land of Judah. We learn how Simon takes command and enforces the law all around the land. ...

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