Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

Today, the Church celebrates Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, two faithful shepherds who gave themselves courageously for Christ and sealed their witness with martyrdom. Their lives remind us that the greatest spiritual gift is not power, knowledge, eloquence, or even sacrifice itself, but love. St. Paul tells us that we may possess extraordinary gifts, but without love, we are nothing. Love gives meaning to every other gift. Faith without love can become rigid; knowledge without love can become prideful; service without love can become self-seeking. But love is patient, kind, humble, forgiving, and enduring. Love never fails. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges people who were never satisfied with God's messengers. They rejected John because he was too austere and rejected Jesus because He welcomed sinners. Their problem was not the message but their unwillingness to receive it. A heart without love can always find reasons to criticize what God is doing. Saints Cornelius and Cyprian teach us the opposite. They did not merely speak about Christian love; they lived it through courageous leadership, forgiveness, fidelity, and sacrifice. Their spiritual gift was placed at the service of Christ and His people. Today, let us ask ourselves: What spiritual gifts has God given me, and am I using them in love? The greatest achievement of a Christian is not to be admired for what we can do, but to be remembered for how faithfully we loved. May we eagerly seek the gifts that build up the Church, serve others, and bring us closer to Christ. For when everything else passes away, faith, hope, and love remain, and the greatest of these is love.