Pip: Wisdom, vigilance, the parable of the ten virgins — canicecnjoku is not easing anyone into the liturgical season gently.

Mara: Both homilies this week come from the same Sunday readings — the thirty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A — and they work through the same territory: what it means to seek wisdom, and what it costs to wait unprepared.

Pip: Let’s start with that question of wisdom and vigilance.

Mara: The central claim across both homilies is that wisdom and preparedness are not separate virtues — they are the same posture, applied to the same problem: how do you wait for something you cannot schedule?

Pip: And the first reading from Wisdom sets the frame immediately. The English homily quotes it directly: “wisdom is found by only those who look for her.” Wisdom is personified as a woman, and the search is active, patient, and non-negotiable.

Mara: The consequence the homily draws from that is stark. Without wisdom, the text says, “our spirituality remains shallow and unbalanced; our religious life would be mere fanaticism.” Wisdom is not a bonus feature of faith — it is the structural load-bearing element.

Pip: Which makes the second reading’s pivot to grief and the Parousia feel less like a detour and more like the same argument in a different register.

Mara: Exactly. Paul tells the Thessalonians not to grieve the dead as people without hope — and the homily quotes him directly: “Do not grieve about them like other people who have no hope. God will bring them with him.” The upshot is that the wise response to loss is not despair but reorientation toward readiness.

Pip: There is a moment in the homily where someone jokes that a broken promise is “like that of Jesus’ Parousia” — and rather than flinching, the text absorbs it. The delay is real. The cynicism is understandable. And the answer is still: only the wise wait.

Mara: That tension carries straight into the parable of the ten virgins in the Gospel, which both the English and Spanish homilies treat as the week’s sharpest illustration. Five virgins prepared, five did not. The Spanish homily names the dividing line plainly — it is “la misma delgada línea que separa la sabiduría y la necedad, el cielo y el infierno.”

Pip: The same thin line. The Spanish homily covers the same ground with the same readings, offering the reflection to a different community — same urgency, different tongue.

Mara: And both versions close on the same image: the soul thirsting for God “like a dry, weary land without water.” Preparation is not anxious stockpiling — it is sustained longing.

Pip: The delay, then, is not a problem to solve. It is the condition under which readiness is built.

Mara: What stays with me is that both homilies treat waiting as active work — not passive endurance, but a posture that requires wisdom to sustain.

Pip: The thin line between wisdom and foolishness, heaven and hell — same Sunday next year, that image will still be doing its work.

Buscan y Esperan al Señor Sabiamente

Lecturas: 1ra: Sb 6, 12-16; Sal: 62, 2-8; 2da: 1 Tes 1, 13-18; Ev: Mt 25, 1-13

Esta breve reflexión fue escrita por el Padre Canice Chukwuemeka Njoku, C.S.Sp., DMin., un sacerdote católico y miembro de la Congregación del Espíritu Santo (Espirítanos), Circunscripción de Puerto Rico y República Dominicana. Es director del Santuario del Espíritu Santo, Dorado. El padre Canice es miembro de la Academia de Homilética (The Academy of Homiletics). Para más detalles y comentarios, se puede contactarlo al: canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com.

Encuentra otros libros en: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/904854

(Donar @ATH Móvil: Canice Njoku – 7873146309)

(https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8452-8392)

Hoy, el trigésimo segundo domingo del tiempo ordinario, año A, la Iglesia nos alienta a buscar al Señor y siempre estar dispuesto a acogerlo. Dios mismo es Sabiduría. El que lo encuentre y lo reciba, tendrá la plenitud de la vida en Cristo Jesús. Por lo tanto, debemos pedirle a Dios que nos conceda parte de su sabiduría para saber lo que hacer en todo momento.

Disponible Ahora al:

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1179509

En la primera lectura, se nos recuerda que “la sabiduría es encontrada por sólo aquellos que la buscan”. Aquí, la sabiduría es personificada como mujer. Por lo tanto, sólo se necesita un “hombre sabio” para salir en busca de ella. El hombre sabio hace esto con paciencia y esperanza, y así, nunca se rinde hasta que ha encontrado la sabiduría. Con sabiduría, somos mejores cristianos y más equipados para enfrentar los desafíos de esta vida.

Por desgracia, descuidamos el hecho de que Dios nos concedió sabiduría para saber cómo buscar y adorarle. Sin sabiduría, nuestra espiritualidad sigue siendo superficial y desequilibrada. Sin sabiduría, nuestra vida religiosa sería mero fanatismo. Sin sabiduría, somos perdedores en todos los aspectos de la vida. Con sabiduría, buscamos, encontramos y adoramos a Dios que es sabiduría. Encontrar la sabiduría es encontrar a Dios.

En la segunda lectura, Pablo alienta a los Tesalonicenses, así como a nosotros, a no molestarse o afligirse demasiado por a los que han muerto antes de la segunda venida de Cristo. Es decir, antes de la parusía. “No te preocupes por ellos como otras personas que no tienen esperanza. “Dios los traerá con El”.

Esto se basa en la esperanza que tenemos en la resurrección de los muertos. Así que, en lugar de preocuparse tanto por ellos, lo más sensato es preocuparse por nosotros mismos. Lo que debería molestarnos debería ser cuán preparados somos para recibir al Señor. Es importante notar que no hay tiempo especificado para la segunda venida de Cristo. Pablo sólo nos dice que: “lo veremos cuando aparezca en el cielo.” Esto significa que debemos estar preparados en todo momento.

Una vez, escuché a alguien decir a otro: “Espero que tu promesa no sea como la de la parusía de Jesús”. Se rieron sobre ello. Esto es porque, para ellos, la promesa de Cristo está ahora vacía. Han esperado demasiado tiempo. Cristo también ha retrasado demasiado tiempo. Así que, ya no hay necesidad de confiar en El. Sin embargo, sólo los sabios, esperan pacientemente. Ya sea que estemos vivos o muertos, la promesa de Cristo se cumplirá. ¡seguro que vendrá!

En el Evangelio de este domingo, Jesús usó la parábola de las diez vírgenes para enseñarnos cómo debemos estar preparados y alertas para la parusía. Cinco de las vírgenes que esperaban el tren nupcial eran prudentes, mientras que cinco eran tontos. Lo que separa estas dos categorías de vírgenes es la misma delgada línea que separa la sabiduría y la necedad, el cielo y el infierno, o el bien y el mal.

Es el deber del siervo esperar pacientemente a que su amo regrese. Por lo tanto, el momento de la espera no debe ser un momento cansado para nosotros. Más bien, debe ser un momento de gracia para estar bien preparado. No debemos ser víctimas de la undécima hora.

¿Por qué las otras vírgenes no eran caritativas? La respuesta es simple. Eso habría sido lo más estúpido en ese momento. Esto es porque, a la mitad de la fiesta, todo el aceite terminará y todos estarán en tinieblas. En segundo lugar, no hay excusa para que las vírgenes tontas no tengan suficiente aceite en sus lámparas porque tuvieron tiempo de prepararse.

¡Jesús está en camino! Su “demora” no debe ser una excusa para que no estemos listos. Más bien, debería ser una oportunidad para estar preparado y esperar por El. Por lo tanto, nuestra canción cada momento y tiempo debe ser: “Mi alma está sedienta de ti, oh Señor, Dios mío. “¡Mi cuerpo pino para usted como una tierra cansada seco sin agua!”

¡La paz sea con ustedes!

¡Maranatha!

Seek, And Wait Wisely For The Lord

Readings: Readings: 1st: Wis 6, 12-16; Ps 62, 2-8; 2nd: 1 Thes 1, 13-18; Gos: Mt 25, 1-13

This brief reflection was written by Fr. Njoku Canice Chukwuemeka, C.S.Sp., DMin, a Catholic Priest and a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), Circumscription of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. He is Director of Santuario del Espiritu Santo, Dorado Fr. Canice is a member of the Academy of Homiletics. For more details and comments, contact him at: canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com.

Find other books @: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/893122

(Donate @ATH Mobil: Canice Njoku-7873146309)

(https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8452-8392)

Today, the thirty-second Sunday of ordinary time, year A, the church encourages us to seek the Lord and always be ready to welcome him. God Himself is Wisdom. He who finds and receives Him will have the fullness of life in Christ Jesus. Therefore, we must ask God to grant us a share in His wisdom to know what to always do.

Available now on

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1179451

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094YSGTZF

Today’s first reading reminds us that “wisdom is found by only those who look for her.” Here, Wisdom is personified as a woman. Hence, only a “wise person” searches for her. The wise person does this with patience and hope and never gives up until he/she finds wisdom. With Wisdom, we are better Christians and more equipped to face life’s challenges.

Unfortunately, we neglect the fact that God granted us wisdom to know how to seek and worship Him. Without wisdom, our spirituality remains shallow and unbalanced; our religious life would be mere fanaticism. Without wisdom, we are losers in every aspect of life. With wisdom, we seek, find, and worship God, who Himself is Wisdom. To find Wisdom is to find God.

In today’s second reading, Paul encourages us not to bother or grieve too much about those who have died before the second coming of Christ. That is, before the Parousia. “Do not grieve about them like other people who have no hope. God will bring them with him.”

This advice is based on our hope in the resurrection of the dead. So, the wise thing to do is to worry about us instead of worrying so much about them. How prepared we are to receive the Lord should bother us. It is important to note that there is no specified time for the second coming of Christ. Paul only tells us: “We shall see him when he appears in the sky.” This means we are to be always prepared.

Once, I heard someone say to another, “I hope your promise will not be like that of Jesus’ Parousia?” They laughed over it. The reason is that for them, Christ’s promise is now empty. They have waited too long. Christ has also delayed too long. So, there is no need to trust him anymore. However, only the wise wait patiently. Whether we are dead or alive, Christ’s promise will be fulfilled. He will surely come!

In the gospel of this Sunday, Jesus used the parable of the ten virgins to teach us how we must be prepared and vigilant for the Parousia. Five virgins waiting for the bridal train were wise, while five were foolish. What separates these two categories of waitpersons is the same thin line that separates wisdom and foolishness, heaven, and hell, or good and evil.

The servant must wait patiently for his master to return. Therefore, waiting should not be a weary moment for us. Instead, it should be a moment of grace to be well-prepared. So, we must not become victims of the eleventh hour.

Why were the other virgins not charitable? The answer is simple. That would have been the most stupid thing to do at that moment. This is because, halfway into the party, all the oil will finish, and everyone will be in darkness. Second, there is no excuse for the foolish virgins not to have sufficient oil in their lamps because they had the time to prepare.

Jesus is on the way! His “delay” should not be an excuse for us not to be ready. Instead, it should be an opportunity to be prepared and wait for him. So, our song every moment and time must be: “For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord, my God. My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water!”

Peace be with you all!

Maranatha!

Pip: The unsung heroes of history never gave a TED talk, never trended, and yet — according to Psalm 19 — their voice goes out into all the earth. Convenient timing for a feast day.

Mara: That’s exactly where canicecnjoku takes us this week. The posts center on All Saints — who the saints really are, what made them, and what their example asks of the rest of us still in the fight.

Pip: Let’s start with the homilies themselves.

Mara: The central question both posts put on the table is this: who actually qualifies as a saint? Not just the canonized, officially-named ones — but the vast, anonymous crowd that no institution has ever catalogued.

Pip: And the anchor for that question comes from Psalm 19, quoted right at the opening of the English homily: “They have no speech; they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

Mara: So the upshot is that silence is not absence. These are people whose witness traveled without a platform. The feast exists precisely to name what no registry could.

Pip: Which lands harder when you set it against the claim the homily directly refutes — that only a fixed number, one hundred and forty-four thousand, get through the door.

Mara: The first reading from Revelation answers that directly. The homily describes the crowd as so great that no one could count — individuals of all nations, races, peoples, and languages. The kingdom is not a waiting list with a cutoff.

Pip: That’s a meaningful distinction. Exclusivity is the doctrine being pushed back against here, and the scriptural counter is sheer, uncountable multitude.

Mara: The second reading, from First John, carries the argument forward. John writes: “Brothers, now we are the children of God, but it has not been manifested what we shall look like at the end.” The saints are already there; we are still becoming.

Pip: And the Beatitudes close the loop. The English homily lists the credential plainly — poor in spirit, merciful, pure in heart, persecuted — and notes that every saint falls into one or more of those categories. Not all of them, necessarily. One or more.

Mara: The Spanish homily, “honrando todos los santos,” frames the same arc with a phrase that becomes the title: they came, they saw, they struggled, and they conquered. It’s almost athletic — a race run by ordinary mortals.

Pip: Which is the pastoral point both versions are driving toward. The homily speaks directly to the person who feels invisible — working hard, unrecognized, convinced they don’t count.

Mara: And the answer given is not “try harder.” It’s that God already knows you are there. The homily puts it plainly: “You count, you mean a lot to him, and you are on His payment list.”

Pip: The same grace that carried the saints is described as still available. The finish line hasn’t moved; the race is still open.

Mara: Both homilies close with the same invocation — All Saints, pray for us — which pulls the triumphant church and the militant church into the same conversation across the boundary between them.

Pip: The living asking the already-arrived for company on the road. That’s the whole feast, really, in one line.

—

Mara: What stays with me is the image of an uncountable crowd — every nation, every language — as the actual shape of holiness.

Pip: Ordinary people, no podium, voice traveling anyway. Next time we’ll see what else is moving through this site.

Peace be with you!

Maranatha!

Ellos Vinieron, Vieron, Lucharon y Vencieron

Lectura: 1^ra: Ap. 7:2-4. 9-14; Sal 23; 2^da:1 Jn 3:1-3; Ev: Mt 5:1-12

Esta breve reflexión fue escrita por el Padre Canice Chukwuemeka Njoku, C.S.Sp., DMin., un sacerdote católico y miembro de la Congregación del Espíritu Santo (Espirítanos), Circunscripción de Puerto Rico y República Dominicana. Es director del Santuario del Espíritu Santo, Dorado. El padre Canice es miembro de la Academia de Homilética (The Academy of Homiletics). Para más detalles y comentarios, se puede contactarlo al: canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com.

Encuentra otros libros en: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/904854

(Donar @ATH Móvil: Canice Njoku – 7873146309)

(https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8452-8392)

“No tienen ningún discurso, no utilizan palabras; nadie escucha de ellos. Sin embargo, su voz sale en toda la tierra, sus palabras hasta los confines del mundo. En el cielo, Dios ha lanzado una tienda para el sol.” (Sal 19, 4-5).

Hoy, la Iglesia nos da la oportunidad de celebrar a nuestros héroes desconocidos. La fiesta de todos los Santos es una celebración en reconocimiento a los esfuerzos realizados por muchos “fieles” no oficialmente canonizados o beatificados por la iglesia.

Disponible Ahora al:

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1179509

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094YTH1YX?

Contrariamente a la creencia de una secta cristiana conocida, que: “Sólo ciento cuarenta y cuatro mil personas se salvarán o entran en el Reino de Dios”, nuestra primera lectura de hoy, nos da la esperanza que hay suficientes habitaciones en el Reino de Dios para todo aquel que triunfa. Por lo tanto, todos los Santos se refiere a: “La multitud tan grande que nadie podía contar. Eran individuos de todas las naciones y razas, de todos los pueblos y lenguas.”

Esta lectura muestra dos cosas importantes. La primera es que aparte de los Santos canonizados oficialmente, hay muchos más que han vivido una vida heroica y virtuosa. Son desconocidos por los hombres, pero Dios el creador y padre reconoce su esfuerzo y lucha. Son: “Los que han lavado sus vestiduras en la sangre del cordero,” En segundo lugar, también se muestra que el amor de Dios es para todas las naciones.

Por lo tanto, hoy la segunda lectura nos recuerda, cuánto nos ama Dios. Todos los Santos (parte de la iglesia triunfante), ahora disfrutan de la plenitud de este amor. Nosotros (“La Iglesia militante”), que todavía vive, también disfrutamos el amor de Dios. Es este mismo amor que nos sostiene en nuestro camino diario de viaje. Sin embargo, “ahora somos hijos de Dios, pero no se ha manifestado cómo seremos al fin”. Por supuesto, seremos glorificados también como los Santos que celebramos hoy y compartiremos la plenitud del amor de Dios.

El Evangelio de hoy nos da una perfecta credencial de todos los Santos que honramos hoy. Son los verdaderos dichosos. Cada uno de ellos cae en una o más de estas categorías. Eran pobres de espíritu, sufrieron y lloraron por la salvación de los demás. Tenían hambre y sed de justicia y de verdad. En el proceso fueron muy perseguidos y magullados. A pesar de todo esto, eran puros en su corazón, misericordiosos con todos y trabajaron por la paz.

Mientras que esto coincide con el perfil y la recompensa actual de todos los Santos, también nos dejan con una gran esperanza. Todos los Santos eran seres humanos mortales como cada uno de nosotros. Ellos vinieron, vieron, lucharon y conquistaron. La misma gracia que les ayudó está disponible para nosotros hoy. La buena noticia es que, si soportamos, también nosotros disfrutaremos la misma recompensa.

Las lecciones de la celebración de hoy son grandes. Muchas veces he oído a algunas personas decir cosas como: “Mira, he estado trabajando y haciendo mi mejor esfuerzo, sin embargo, nadie me reconoce. Nadie sabe que existo aquí. Nadie se preocupa por mis esfuerzos. No cuentes ni digas nada a nadie.”

Si realmente entendemos quien es Dios, no pensáramos ni habláramos de esta manera. La verdad es que, los seres humanos no pueden apreciar sus esfuerzos y valor, pero Dios lo aprecia. Esto es porque, Él sabe que estás ahí. Eres importante y significas mucho para. Él te ama, y está esperando pacientemente tu superas este mundo para compartir la plenitud de su amor. Así que, como todos los Santos, estás entre la clase de personas que el Señor está buscando. Por eso, Oremos: ¡Todos los Santos, rueguen por nosotros!

¡La paz sea con ustedes!

¡Maranatha!

They Came, They Struggled, and They Conquered

Readings: 1^st: Rev 7, 2-4. 9-14; Ps: 23; 2^nd: 1 Jn 3, 1-3; Gos: Mt 5, 1-12

This brief reflection was written by Fr. Njoku Canice Chukwuemeka, C.S.Sp., DMin, a Catholic Priest and a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), Circumscription of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. He is Director of Santuario del Espiritu Santo, Dorado Fr. Canice is a member of the Academy of Homiletics. For more details and comments, contact him at: canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com.

Find other books @: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/893122

(Donate @ATH Mobil: Canice Njoku-7873146309)

(https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8452-8392)

“They have no speech; they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens, God has pitched a tent for the sun. (Ps. 19, 4-5)”.

Today, the church gives us the opportunity to celebrate our unsung heroes. The Feast of All Saints is a celebration in recognition of the efforts made by many “Faithful” who are not officially canonized or beatified by the church.

Available now on

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1179451

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094YSGTZF

Contrary to the belief of one known Christian sect, that: “Only one hundred and forty-four thousand people will be saved or enter God’s kingdom,” our first reading today gives us hope that there are enough rooms in God’s kingdom for anyone that triumphs. So, All Saints refers to: “The crowd so great that no one could count. They were individuals of all nations and races, of all peoples and languages.”

This reading portrays two essential things. The first is that apart from the officially canonized saints, many more have lived heroic and virtuous lives. They are unsung by men, but God, the Creator, and Father recognize their efforts and struggle. They are: “Those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb,” and now, sing: “Victory, salvation, honor, and glory belong to our God because he is Love!” Second, it also shows that God’s love is for all nations.

Hence, today’s second reading reminds us of how much God loves us. All Saints (the triumphant church) now enjoy the fullness of this love. We (“the militant church”), who are still living also, enjoy God’s love. It is this same love that sustains us in our journey daily journey. However, when we triumph like them, we shall become transformed and share in the fullness of this love.  Hence, John tells us: “Brothers, now we are the children of God, but it has not been manifested what we shall look like at the end.” We shall look like the glorified Christ and the saints. We shall share in the fullness of God’s love.

Today, our gospel gives us a perfect credential of all the Saints that we honor today. They are the real Blessed and Happy. Each one of them falls into one or more of these categories.  They were poor in spirit. They suffered and wept for the salvation of others. They hungered and thirsted for justices and the truth. In the process, they were greatly persecuted and bruised. Despite all these, they were pure in their hearts, merciful to all, and worked for peace.

While this matches the profile and the present reward of All Saints, it also leaves us with great hope and promise. All saints were mortal human beings like each one of us. They came, saw, struggled, and they conquered. The same grace that helped them is still available for us today. The good news is that we shall also enjoy this exact profile and reward if we run and endure the way they did.

The lessons from today’s celebration are great. Many times, I have heard some people say things like: “Look, I have been working and doing my best, yet no one recognizes me. Nobody knows that I exist here. No one cares about my efforts. I do not count or mean anything to anybody” If we understand who God is, we will not think or speak this way.

The truth is that human beings may not appreciate your efforts and worth, but God does. This is because he knows that you are there. You count, you mean a lot to him, and you are on His “payment list.” He loves you and is praying and waiting patiently for you to overcome this world to share in the fullness of his love. So, like All Saints, you are among the class of people that the Lord is searching for. All Saints, Pray for us!

Peace be with you!

Maranatha!

Pip: Love your neighbor as yourself — simple enough, unless you’ve met your neighbors.

Mara: This episode covers Fr. Canice Njoku’s homily reflections on the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, exploring what the readings say about love’s two dimensions: the vertical, toward God, and the horizontal, toward the people right in front of us. Let’s start with that territory.

Mara: The central question this Sunday is deceptively simple: what is the greatest commandment? Jesus answers it, but the answer turns out to have two axes — and the harder one might surprise you.

Pip: The homily sets up the vertical dimension first, then pivots to the one we tend to skip. Here’s the line that does the real work: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your soul.” But the reflection is quick to note that loving God with body and soul requires, quote, “a lot of sacrifice and humility.”

Mara: And the upshot is that the vertical dimension is the prerequisite — you can’t shortcut to the horizontal without it. But the homily argues the reverse is also true: you can’t claim the vertical while ignoring the horizontal.

Pip: Which is where the first reading earns its place. Through Moses, God warns against oppressing the stranger, the widow, the orphan. The logic is direct — injustice against the vulnerable is incompatible with love of God. The weak and defenseless aren’t a footnote; they’re the test case.

Mara: The second reading reinforces this from a different angle. Paul writes to the Thessalonians about their conversion from paganism, framing their acceptance of the gospel as itself an act of love — a response to being loved first. The homily reads that as encouragement to endure in love until the Lord’s return.

Pip: So by the time the gospel lands, the framework is already built. And then comes the line that closes the loop — Saint Augustine’s: “Love and do whatever you will. Whether you hold your peace, through love, hold your peace; whether you cry out, through love cry out; whether you correct, through love correct.”

Mara: What Augustine is getting at, and what the homily draws out, is that love isn’t one action — it’s the root condition. Everything else grows from it, or it doesn’t count.

Pip: The Spanish-language reflection covers the same ground for a different community, same readings, same two-axis framework — love as vertical and horizontal, caridad starting at home.

Mara: And both versions land on the same closing line from the psalm: “I love you, Lord, my strength.” The communal proclamation as the answer to the commandment.

Pip: Two dimensions, one commandment — and the horizontal is the one we keep underestimating.

Mara: Next time, more from the ordinary time readings. The season is long for a reason.

Love: The Vertical and Horizontal Dimensions

Readings: 1^st: Ex 22, 20-26; Ps 17; 2^nd: 1Thes 1, 5-10; Gos: Mt 22, 34-40

This brief reflection was written by Fr. Njoku Canice Chukwuemeka, C.S.Sp., DMin, a Catholic Priest and a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), Circumscription of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. He is Director of Santuario del Espiritu Santo, Dorado Fr. Canice is a member of the Academy of Homiletics. For more details and comments, contact him at: canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com.

Find other books @: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/893122

(Donate @ATH Mobil: Canice Njoku-7873146309)

(https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8452-8392)

Today is the thirtieth Sunday of ordinary time. Today, the church reminds us of the most important theological virtue, love. Most especially, Jesus gives us the two dimensions of love. The vertical love of God and the horizontal love of neighbor. When these are perfectly lived, a Christian can conveniently say, I have lived well.

Available now on

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1179451

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094YSGTZF

In the first reading of today, through Moses, God warns us: “You must not oppress the stranger or molest him…not be harsh with the widow or with orphans.” Of course, God reminds us that such acts would attract his wrath upon the oppressor. Therefore, the lesson here is that we must treat others justly and with love. God hates oppression and injustice, especially against the weak, the poor, and the defenseless.

In the second reading, Paul reminds the Thessalonians community of their former status as pagans and how they were liberated through the power of the good news. Their liberation was a sign of God’s love for them. Their acceptance of the good news was equally a sign of their love for God. Thus, Paul praised their effort and encouraged them to endure in love until the coming of the Lord.

In today’s gospel, the Pharisees posed Christ another “difficult” question: “Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?” As usual, this was in order to test him. A close look at Jesus’ response today reveals that Jesus presents us with the vertical dimension of love: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your soul….” It is important to note that to love God with one’s body and soul requires a lot of sacrifice and humility. To love God is an essential prerequisite for being like him.

The second dimension of love is horizontal: “You must love your neighbor as yourself?” This is more difficult than the first. This is because we neglect and take it for granted. This is by thinking that we can love God alone without loving our neighbors.

Hence, Christ reminds us that: “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1Jn 4, 20). So, the best way of expressing our love for God is through our neighbors. We must affect others positively in order to love God well.

Therefore, in talking about love, the charity must begin at home, with your neighbor, your friends, and those around you. Saint Augustine admonishes us; “Love and do whatever you will. Whether you hold your peace, through love, hold your peace; whether you cry out, through love cry out; whether you correct, through love correct; whether you spare, through love you must spare. Let the root of love be within. Of this root can nothing spring but what is good.” This is right because it is through our neighbors that we worship and love God. When we find God, we find our peace and love.

Finally, those who choose to live in peace must help their neighbors to live in peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well too. The value of one’s life is measured by the lives it touched positively. So, with the psalmist, let us proclaim: “I love you, Lord, my strength.”

Peace be with you all!

Maranatha!

Amor: Las dimensiones Verticales y Horizontales

Lecturas: 1^ra: Ex 22:20-26; Ps 17; 2^nd: 1Thes 1:5-10; Ev: Mt 22:34-40

Esta breve reflexión fue escrita por el Padre Canice Chukwuemeka Njoku, C.S.Sp., DMin., un sacerdote católico y miembro de la Congregación del Espíritu Santo (Espirítanos), Circunscripción de Puerto Rico y República Dominicana. Es director del Santuario del Espíritu Santo, Dorado. El padre Canice es miembro de la Academia de Homilética (The Academy of Homiletics). Para más detalles y comentarios, se puede contactarlo al: canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com.

Encuentra otros libros en: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/904854

(Donar @ATH Móvil: Canice Njoku – 7873146309)

(https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8452-8392)

Hoy, el trigésimo Domingo del tiempo ordinario la Iglesia nos recuerda la virtud teológica más importante, el amor. De una manera muy especial, Jesús nos da las dos dimensiones del amor. El vertical (el amor de Dios), y el horizontal (el amor al prójimo). Cuando estos son perfectamente vividos, un cristiano puede decir convenientemente, he vivido bien.

Disponible Ahora al:

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1179509

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094YTH1YX?

En la primera lectura de hoy, a través de Moisés, Dios nos advierte: “No deben oprimir al extranjero ni molestarlo. No sean duro con la viuda o con los huérfanos”. Por supuesto, Dios nos recuerda que tales actos atraerían su ira sobre el opresor. Por lo tanto, la lección aquí es que debemos tratar a los demás justamente y con amor. Dios odia la opresión y la injusticia especialmente, contra los débiles, los pobres y los indefensos.

En la segunda lectura, Pablo recuerda a la comunidad de Tesalonicenses su estatus anterior como paganos, y cómo fueron librados a través del poder de la buena nueva. Su liberación era una señal y expresión del amor de Dios por ellos. Su aceptación de la buena noticia era igualmente una señal de su amor por Dios. Así que, Pablo alabó su esfuerzo y los animó a perseverar en ese amor hasta la venida del Señor.

En el Evangelio de hoy, los fariseos le pusieron a Cristo otra pregunta difícil: “Maestro, ¿cuál es el mayor mandamiento de la ley?” Como de costumbre, esto fue para probarlo. Una mirada cercana a la respuesta de Jesús hoy revela que Jesús nos presenta, primero la dimensión vertical del amor: “Amarás al Señor tu Dios con toda tu alma”. Es importante notar que amar a Dios con el cuerpo y el alma requiere mucho sacrificio y humildad. Amar a Dios es el prerrequisito más importante de ser como él.

La segunda dimensión del amor es el horizontal: “¿Debes amar a tu prójimo como a ti mismo?” Esto es más difícil que el primero. Esto es porque, lo descuidamos o lo damos por sentado. Esto es, al pensar que podemos amar a Dios solo, sin amar a nuestro prójimo.

Por lo tanto, Cristo nos recuerda que: “Si alguien dice,” ama a Dios “, y odia a su hermano, es un mentiroso. Esto es porque, “el que no ama a su hermano, a quien ha visto, no puede amar a Dios a quien no ha visto” (1Jn 4:20). Por lo tanto, la mejor manera de expresar nuestro amor por Dios es a través de nuestros prójimos. Debemos afectar positivamente a los demás para amarle a Dios bien. Esto es absolutamente cierto, porque es a través de nuestros prójimos que podemos “adorar” y amar a Dios.

Por lo tanto, al hablar de amor, la caridad debe comenzar en casa, con tu prójimo, con tus amigos y con los que te rodean. San Agustín nos dice: “Ame, y haz lo que desees. Si usted mantiene su paz, mantenga su paz en el amor; Si claman, claman en amor; Si usted corrige, corrige en amor. Deje que amor tenga su raíz dentro de su corazón. De esta raíz puede nada surgir, sino lo que es bueno” y agradable a Dios nuestro Padre celestial.

Por último, aquellos que deciden vivir en paz deben ayudar a sus vecinos a vivir en paz. Aquellos que eligen vivir bien, deben ayudar a otros a vivir bien también. El valor de la vida de uno se mide por las vidas que uno toca positivamente. Así que, con el salmista, proclamemos: “Te amo Señor, mi fuerza”.

¡La paz sea con ustedes!

¡Maranatha!

Pip: A centennial is a rare thing — a hundred years of the Church asking the same question, and somehow the answer keeps needing to be said out loud.

Mara: That’s the territory canicecnjoku is working in this week — World Mission Sunday, its history, its urgency, and what the readings say about why the mission never really stops. Let’s start with the homilies themselves.

Pip: The centennial of World Mission Sunday lands on the twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time this year, and the homily frames it as more than an anniversary — it’s a live question about who carries the gospel forward and how.

Mara: The anchor here is Paul’s chain of questions from Romans, and the homily quotes them directly: “How can they believe if they have not heard the message? How can they hear if the message is not proclaimed? How can the message be proclaimed if the messengers are not sent out? How wonderful are the feet of the preachers of the good news!”

Pip: That sequence matters because it makes mission structural, not optional. The gospel doesn’t travel on its own — it requires people who are sent, and people who pray for those who are sent.

Mara: The homily draws that prayer thread through the second reading. Paul and his companions prayed for the church at Thessalonica because, as the text puts it, they knew only God could sustain their work. St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus appears here too — she never went on foreign mission, yet became patron saint of missionaries through the fervor of her prayer alone.

Pip: Which is the homily’s quiet argument: solidarity with the mission doesn’t require a passport.

Mara: The gospel reading — the Pharisees trying to discredit Christ — gets read as a missionary reality check. Obstacles come in every shape: doubt, persecution, loneliness, calumny. The homily’s counsel is that a missionary “must be as wise as a serpent and as gentle as a dove.”

Pip: And the whole thing closes on Pope Leo XVI’s centennial message, which the homily quotes directly: “Let us all commit to contributing to the great mission of evangelization — which is always a work of love.”

Mara: The Spanish-language homily, the Vigésimo Noveno Domingo piece, covers the same ground for a different congregation — same readings, same Pauline chain, same Thérèse, same papal call. The frame is identical: mission is urgent because there are still people who have not heard, and the response is faith, prayer, and solidarity.

Pip: One message, two languages — which is itself a small act of mission.

Mara: The joy of it, the homily says, doesn’t come from what a missionary receives, but from how many lives are touched and how much love can be communicated through the gospel.

Pip: That’s the stakes — not institutional maintenance, but love as the engine of the whole enterprise.

Mara: A hundredth anniversary that reads less like a commemoration and more like a renewed commission.

Pip: Same question Paul asked, still waiting on the same answer — who goes, and who holds them up while they do.