God Turns Hidden Shame into Hope (March 23, 2026)

Welcome to The Daily Catholic Deep Dive, the daily show that connects the dots between the Bible, the Catechism, and the Catholic life.

Ever wonder what the hidden connection is between today's Old and New Testament readings? Or how the central theme of The Bible in a Year aligns with The Catechism in a Year? We even look at how the daily Rosary meditation and the Saint of the Day tie it all together.

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Today’s Sources:

• Daily Bible Reading - March 23, 2026 | USCCB (Reading 1: Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c-62; Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Gospel: John 8:1-11)

• Day 82: The Valley of Achor — The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) (Joshua 5–7, Psalm 125)

• Day 82: Jesus and the Law — The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) (Paragraphs 577–582)

• March 23, 2026 | Catholic Daily Reflections | Formed (with Tim Gray)

• The Great Fast | Day 29 — St. Michael's Abbey

• A Reply to my Profane Christian Critics — The Counsel of Trent

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Daily Catholic Deep Dive. We're here to connect the dots between the Bible, the Catechism, and your daily life. Every day we go over the daily Mass readings, Father Mike Schmitz's Bible in a year and Catechism in a year, plus other popular Catholic podcasts and videos released today we find interesting. If you feel a bit overwhelmed by all the daily Catholic listening, don't worry. We're here to find that one golden thread that ties it all together. Let's dive in. Today is March 23rd, 2026. And uh just to give you a quick look at the menu for today.

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Yeah, so today we're pulling from the Daily Mass Readings, day 82 of both Bible in a year and catechism in a year. Plus, we've got some uh fresh insights from Dr. Tim Gray from the St. Augustine Institute, a reflection from St. Michael's Abbey, and a new video from apologist Trent Horn.

SPEAKER_00 0:45

Right. So a lot of great stuff. And I mean the gold thread tying it all together today is really this idea of the hidden heart, like that terrifying but also um profoundly comforting reality that God just looks right past our actions.

SPEAKER_01 0:59

Yeah, he stares directly into what's hidden. It is a profound theme. Especially, you know, when you look at how today's mass readings actually mirror each other.

SPEAKER_00 1:08

Oh, they totally do.

SPEAKER_01 1:09

Right. So in the Old Testament first reading from Daniel chapter 13, you have Susanna. She's um completely innocent but falsely accused of adultery by these corrupt judges.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

Yeah, it's a completely rigged setup.

SPEAKER_01 1:21

Exactly. But then you flip over to the gospel today from John chapter 8, verses 1 to 11, and we see a woman who actually is guilty.

SPEAKER_00 1:29

Right. She was caught in the very act.

SPEAKER_01 1:31

Yeah. So two women on trial, but completely opposite circumstances. And uh Dr. Tim Gray points out something brilliant here. He says whether it's the innocent saint or the broken sinner, God steps in as the good shepherd for both.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

Oh wow. Yeah. He rescues Susanna from false judgment and the adulterous woman from fatal judgment.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

Which, I mean, that ties directly into what St. Michael's Abbey was exploring regarding Passion Tide. During this season, the church veils its statues, right? So Christ hides himself.

SPEAKER_01 1:59

Yeah, it's a very striking visual tradition.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

Right. But paradoxically, it reminds us that he sees what is hidden in us. It's not just some superficial x-ray vision. It's more like, well, an MRI of the soul.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

I love that analogy. An MRI of the soul.

SPEAKER_00 2:16

Yeah, because he doesn't just see the action. He reads the the underlying motive, right? Like Susanna's pure intentions versus the um the hypocrisy hidden in the Pharisees' hearts.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

And that MRI concept is a perfect way to grasp what Father Mike Schmitz is talking about on day 82 of Catechism in a year. He says Jesus doesn't just toss out the Old Testament rules, he actually has authors' rights.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

Wait, hold on. Authors' rights. How does that actually work in practice?

SPEAKER_01 2:43

Well, think about a master mechanic who designs an engine versus someone who just drives it. The driver only knows the external rules like press the gas.

SPEAKER_00 2:50

Right, turn the wheel.

SPEAKER_01 2:51

Exactly. But the designer knows why it works because Jesus authored the moral law. He's not just enforcing external compliance, he has the authority to rewire the engine itself.

SPEAKER_00 3:01

Okay, I get the rewiring aspect. He shifts the standard to our hidden desires, but um I have to push back a little here.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

Sure, go for it.

SPEAKER_00 3:08

If the whole point of Jesus fulfilling the law is mercy, why is the Old Testament so deeply unmerciful about hidden sins? I'm thinking of day eighty-two of Bible in a year, reading from Joshua chapters five through seven.

SPEAKER_01 3:20

Uh, the story of Achan.

SPEAKER_00 3:22

Right. Achan commits a hidden sin by stealing forbidden plunder. Nobody knows. Yet his private greed causes the entire Israelite community to suffer a devastating military defeat.

SPEAKER_01 3:32

Yeah, it blows up the whole community.

SPEAKER_00 3:34

Exactly. Why does one guy's private mistake cause that?

SPEAKER_01 3:38

Because, well, sin is never strictly private. The Israelites were bound in a covenant. So when HN breaks that bond in secret, he introduces a rot into the foundation of the whole house.

SPEAKER_00 3:49

And he faces severe justice at a place they name the Valley of Acor. Right, the Valley of Trouble.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

Yeah. But that's not the end of the story. Father Mike highlights a stunning promise God makes later. God says he will return to that exact spot and transform the Valley of Acor into a door of hope.

SPEAKER_00 4:05

Wait, really? A door of hope?

SPEAKER_01 4:07

Yeah. His ultimate goal with exposing our hidden sins isn't to shame us, it's to heal the rot so our deepest shame becomes the doorway to our salvation.

SPEAKER_00 4:16

Wow. So exposing the hidden heart not to destroy it, but to redeem it. That completely changes how we should interact with people, which um brings us to Trent Horne's new video.

SPEAKER_01 4:27

Right. His video on how we correct others.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

Yeah, he critiques the trend of online Christians using abusive profanity to correct people. I mean, if God sees our own hidden valleys of Acor and meets us with mercy, we have no right to act like vicious attackers.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

Exactly. We are commanded to be gentle ambassadors. We can't use his truth as a blunt weapon when he used it as a scalpel to heal us.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

So here is a challenge for you today. Think about your own hidden valley of Acor, your secret shame. If you like God's perfect justice and mercy, turn that valley into a door of hope. How much more gently could you treat the visible faults of the people around you?

SPEAKER_01 5:05

Yeah, it is such a beautiful thing to think about.

SPEAKER_00 5:07

That's our deep dive for today. We hope this helped you see the big picture. If you enjoy this content, please remember to subscribe to the show or support our mission through the link in the description. God bless.