Father Mike Schmitz hosts day 45 of the Bible in a Year podcast, reading from Exodus 29, Leviticus 21, and Psalm 119:121-176. He uses the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition and follows The Great Adventure Bible timeline system from Ascension Press, which organizes Scripture reading over 365 days.

The episode focuses intensively on the priesthood, covering both the detailed ordination rituals in Exodus and the holiness requirements in Leviticus. Father Mike emphasizes the connection between ancient Israelite priesthood and modern Catholic priesthood, asking listeners to pray for priests' holiness and effectiveness.

The readings detail specific sacrificial requirements, physical and moral qualifications for priests, and conclude with Psalm 119's themes of loving God's law while acknowledging human waywardness. Father Mike draws personal application about the need for God's mercy and pursuit of those who have gone astray.

The Sacred Ordination Process and Daily Offerings

The ordination requires precise offerings: "Take one young bull and two rams without blemish, and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil" made from fine wheat flour.

The ritual involves blood application to specific body parts: "put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tips of the right ears of his sons, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet."

Daily altar offerings must be perpetual: "Two lambs a year old day by day continually. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening."

God promises His presence through proper worship: "There I will meet with the sons of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar."

Holiness Requirements and Priestly Restrictions

Priests face strict marriage requirements: "They shall not marry a harlot, or a woman who has been defiled. Neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband, for the priest is holy to his God."

Physical blemishes disqualify priests from altar service: "No one who has a blemish shall draw near. A man blind or lame, or one who has had a mutilated face or a limb too long" cannot offer the bread of God.

The high priest has additional restrictions: "shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, nor tear his clothes, he shall not go in to any dead body, nor defile himself even for his father."

The priesthood creates perpetual obligations: "It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual debt from the sons of Israel, for it is the priest's portion."

Modern Application and Prayer for Priests

Father Mike connects ancient and modern priesthood: "not only are the new covenant priests called to belong to the Lord and called to lead the people in worship, to be those intercessors" but "they're called to be holy."

He acknowledges priestly failures while calling for prayer: "We know of the big ones, we know of the big failings and big massive sins and heinous actions of many priests, but also just the small ways that every Christian fails."

Personal confession of need: "I know my brokenness and I know how much I stand in need of God's mercy every day" - Father Mike

The psalm's conclusion offers hope: "I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek your servant" - acknowledging that God actively pursues those who wander.