St. Expeditus: Patron Saint of Speedy Causes

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St. Expeditus:  Patron Saint of Speedy Causes The venerated image of St. Expeditus in  the Lipa Cathedral In the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian in Lipa City is a venerated image of a young Roman Centurion saint named Expeditus. Every month of April, a nine day novena in his honor is held in the cathedral that culminates in the celebration of his feast day on the 19th of the month. Who is this saint whose intercession was also invoked in the Oratio Imperata  to avert a catastrophic eruption of Taal Volcano prepared by the Archdiocese of Lipa when the volcano exhibited extra-ordinary activity early  in January, 2020?  St. Expeditus could have found affinity with the Lipenos since the martyr shares a lot of commonality with St. Sebastian, the city’s patron. St. Expeditus, like St. Sebastian was also a young Roman soldier who converted to Christianity and was also martyred as a consequence, during the period of Diocletian persecution.  Hence, a devo...
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Homilies and Reflections: Enero 29, 2020, Miyerkules sa Ika-3 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

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Enero 29, 2020, Miyerkules sa Ika-3 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon
Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Marcos 4: 1-20

Base sa pamamaraan ng pangangaral ni Hesus, masasabi natin na isa talaga siyang mahusay na guro.  Kung sa ating kapanahunan ngayon, napakahusay niyang gumamit ng visual aids. Gumagamit siya ng mga larawan at imahe sa kanyang pagtuturo upang mas madaling maipaliwanag sa kanyang mga tagapakinig ang mga konsepto na hindi madaling mauunawan kung wala ang nasabing mga larawan - isa na sa mga ito ay ang kaharian o paghahari ng Diyos.  Sa ating pagbasa ngayon, ang ginamit na imahe ay yaong isang magsasaka na naghasik ng mga binhi sa iba't ibang lugar o uri ng lupa na naging sanhi ng pagtubo at paglaki ng ilan at ang hindi pagtubo at paglaki ng ilan.  Tanging ang nahulog sa matabang lupa ang tumubo, lumago at namunga ng masagana. 

Base sa pagkakwento ng ating Panginoong Hesus, may isang tema na nangingibabaw sa ating mabuting balita sa araw na ito: Ang pagbabakasakali. Pag sinabing baka sakali, ibig sabihin umaasa bagama't walang kasiguruhan. "Baka Naman" wika nga.  

Sa mabuting balita, may isang magsasaka na naghasik ng mga binhi na nahulog sa iba't ibang klase ng lupa sa pagbabakasaling tutubo ang mga binhing kanyang inihasik.  

Ang maghahasik ay ang Diyos, ang binhi ay ang Salita Ng Diyos at ang iba't ibang lupa ay ang mga taong nakarinig ng Kanyang Salita. Ang mga binhi na nahulog sa daanan, sa batuhan at sa dawagan ay pawang di nagtagal at di namunga. Samantalang ang binhing nahulog sa matabang lupa,  ay lumago at namunga nang masagana.

Magandang tingnan: ang magsasaka ay tila baga hindi bihasa sa pagtatanim at nagsasayang siya ng binhi sa paghasik sa mga ito sa mga lugar na hindi naman sila tutubo.  Pero ganyan ang Panginoon kung "maghasik", walang sayang at panghihinayang kung para sa mga anak Niya. Walang pinipili, laging nakahandang magbakasali.  Baka makikinig.  Baka maantig.  Palaging nagbabakasali sa atin, "baka naman" kàhit kung minsan, napakatigas ng ating kalooban, sinasarado natin ang ating puso at isip sa Salita ng Diyos. Patuloy  pa ring nagtitiyaga ang ating Panginoon sa kabila ng lahat.

Tumataya sa atin ang Panginoon. Patuloy nya tayong pinupukaw ng kanyang salitang nagbibigay buhay at pag-asa sa pagbabakasakali na pakikinggan natin ito at may kahandaan tayong magsabuhay nito upang tunay na maging mabunga at masagana ang ating buhay Kristiyano.

Kapatid, ikaw, anong uri ng lupa ka?

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