Introduction: The following are different comments on homilies / Scripture reflections in a book, titled ‘Every Week God Speaks We Respond’, Cycle A, Cycle B, and Cycle C, intended to be published in English by Reverend John T B Trong. Whatever volume is ready first is to be published first. They were published in Vietnamese in the US in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively and re-published in Viet Nam in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively.

FROM PARISHIONERS AND READERS

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Verbal comments in English on homilies in English after Sunday and Feast Day Masses:

Inspiring messages each week. – A comment after mass by Michael Cantrell, St Bernadette Church, Springfield, Virginia, USA.

A phenomenal homily. – A comment after mass by a parishioner of Saint Bernadette Church, Springfield, Virginia, USA.

An awesome homily. – A comment after mass by a parishioner of Saint Bernadette Church, Springfield, Virginia, USA.

There are many good points to consider in the homilies. A comment after mass by a parishioner of St Michael Church, Annandale, Virginia, USA.

Like to listen to your wonderful homilies on Sundays. Would like to read them again if you plan to have them published. A comment after Sunday mass by a parishioner of St Michael Church, Annandale,. Virginia, USA.

Written comments in English on homilies in English of Sundays and Feast Days:

Prayerful and insightful homilies each Sunday. - Sally Allman, St Bernadette Church, Springfield, Virginia, USA.

Homily was well prepared, proposing application of theological and spiritual notions to everyday life, helping mind and heart open to the action of the Holy Spirit. - Brian P. Brodfuehrer, St Bernadette Church, Springfield, Virginia, USA.

The audience can assume that the homilist’s study and consideration have been put in each sentence. His level of understanding in interpretation of the Gospel and care about the congregation are appreciated. - Blogger Pater Familias, St Michael Church, Annandale, Virginia, USA

Written comments in Vietnamese on Sunday and Feast Day reflections in Vietnamese translated in English:

Scripture reflections are brief, easy to understand and remember. Hope they will be welcome by readers. - Most Reverend Peter Trần Đình Tứ, Bishop of Phú Cường, Committee Chairman on Divine worship, Vietnamese Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Contents of the book are compendious, distinct, and intelligible, close to life situations. It surely brings about spiritual benefit to readers. – Most Reverend Paul Bùi Văn Đọc, Bishop of Mỹ Tho, Committee Chairman on Catechism and Doctrine, Vietnamese Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Sunday scripture readings are interpreted clearly with concrete applications for everyday life situation. Hope the author would continue to write so as to help readers: priests, religious men and women and the laity understand more about the living word and love God and the Church more. – Most Reverend Peter Nguyễn Văn Tốt, Apostolic Nuncio to Costa Rica.

Reading each reflection in: ‘Every week God Speaks  ... We respond’ shows the contents compendious. Ideas are expressed intelligibly, not affected. God’s words are presented through everyday life experience, easy to penetrate in people’s heart, not questionable or doubtful in mind. With real and natural stories, readers would find it easy to pray as talking to God. Recommending to those who want to enrich spiritual life. - Reverend Vũ Minh Thái, PhD., Ohio, USA, former president of Đà Lạt University.

With his zeal for the spread of application of the word of God and his studies and degree in social psychology, the author writes in accordance with the grasp of most of his readers and brings them to a high level of contemplation. – Rev Trần Văn Kiệm, Georgia, USA.

His scripture reflections should help readers in the pilgrimage of faith and practice of it. – Msgr Đinh Đức Đạo, Rome, Italy.

Hope ‘Every week God Speaks – We Respond’ is welcome by many readers and bears fruit for them. – Rev Bùi Thượng Lưu, Stuttgart, Germany. Editor of Dan Chua Magazine in Europe.

The book’s title itself  ‘Every week God Speaks – We Respond’ could express a heart-to-heart relationship between two friends, not such and such reasoning. Indeed, according to the author, a homilist needs to let the word of God brood on his life the whole week, that is, to evangelize him first. Thus, this book is the result of a faith experience of the living word and a desire to share. Hope readers can tune to that heart rhythm. – Rev Trần Cao Tường, Louisiana, USA., Director of Website Dung-Lac.

The author’s scripture reflections with new theological development sent via e-mail to Viet Nam are welcome and accepted joyfully by priests. – Rev Nguyễn Văn Hưởng, Brisbane, Australia.

Feeling a sense of relief when reading ‘Every Week God Speaks .. We Respond’ as the word of God echoes in mind and heart. – Sister Nguyễn Tố Nga, California, USA.

In ‘Every week God Speaks .. We Respond’, at times the author mentions this priest says or writes this, that priest thinks or questions that. So whether this priest or that priest is the author himself? If not, why in the reflection of the Passion Sunday, Cycle B, the author describes and analyzes the way St Peter struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear in such details. To comment on the servant’s ear being cut off, the author writes 31 lines long. – Nguyễn Viết Sử, New York, USA.

A valuable publication helps readers reflect the words of God and put them into practice in life. – Rev. Phạm Quốc Sử, Maryland, USA.

The author’s Scripture reflections are spiritual nourishment for my life in America, which I have not received for the last few months due to my e-mail address changed. Enclosed is my new e-mail address in hope to receive the reflections again. – Vũ Văn Phúc, USA.

Reflections are profound and close to everyday life situation touching human life as if there are inter-communication and shared feelings between the author and readers. – Đinh Thu Hà, catechist, Saigon, Vietnam.

Thoughts are profound and presentation is easy to understand, yet can be assimilated by people of different levels of education. – Nguyễn Long Thao, High school class mate, Vietcatholic News; author of Sơ Thảo Tính Danh Học Việt Nam, California, USA.

Reflections are concise and compendious urging application in life.- Trần Vinh, High school class mate, Vietcatholic News, Texas, USA.

Ideas are expressed coherently and thought patterns logical. – Phạm Châu Bình, Louisiana, USA.

Polished is writing style and compact thought expression. It seems that the author tends to play on words; at times uses words and expressions that sound new. – Nguyễn Thị Lan, Đồng Nai, Việt Nam.

A good understanding about the meaning of the scripture readings and profound reflection with practical application and prayer over the scriptures reflected. Readers can find it easy to understand God’s words, pray and apply to life situations. – Rev Ngô Kim Trạng, Virginia, USA.

Reflections help enrich spiritual life of readers. Author’s knowledge compasses many areas with new writing styles, strange to a Vietnamese ear. - Nguyễn Văn Long, Maryland, USA.

Wide and profound reflections help bring about inspiring experience of the living word. -  Cao Thiên Đài Trang, R.I.P., Maryland, USA.

Reading the author’s weekly reflections gives joy and hope to one’s life even though one has to face difficulties and struggles, lest one falls in a blasé and hopeless frame of mind. – Têrêsa Thu Hà, Saigon, Vietnam.

Reflections are profound and meaningful. – Sr Nguyễn Thị Thanh, Saigon, Vietnam.

Reading carefully one finds reflections profound and meaningful: simple and yet erudite. – Rev. Chu Quang Minh, S.J., Ph. D, Founder of Family Marriage Enrichment Program; Author of a series of book on marriage life. California, USA.

The author’s profound reflections are seasonings to helping readers enjoy spiritual nourishment: the Word of God. – Rev Hoàng Ngọc Dũng, Washington D.C., USA.

Reflections on Sunday readings are interpreted skillfully, appropriate to the present and modern life. Wishing the reflections bring readers to a suitable life of faith, happiness and peace. - Trần Ngọc Khoái, High School Class mate, California, USA.

Reading repeatedly the author’s contemplating reflections on the word of God penetrates one’s heart. – Lê Thu Hằng, Virginia, USA.

Concise yet profound reflections give rise to spiritual experience: everlasting and lenient love of God for the unworthiness of a human being. They touch the reader’s heart, bringing about thought and concrete application to the inner life. – Sr Anne Theresa Võ Thị Lan, Cần Thơ, Việt Nam.

Concise and profound yet understandable are reflections with verified references from theology and scripture. – Rev Tran Xuan Lam, Toronto, Canada.

Thoughts on loneliness and aloneness in ‘Seeking to find God in the solitude of soul’ of the fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A, are profound. Perhaps the author had personal experience of the theme. – Rev Tran Van Kiem, Georgia, USA.

Wishing to continue to receiving reflections in ‘God Speaks  ... We Respond’, with valuable references from Scripture in order to contemplate and keep them for precious treasures on the journey of faith. - Trần Việt Tân, Publisher/Editor of Weekly Đời Nay, Virginia, USA.