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: January 26, 2020. 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A) - Filipino

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Enero 26, 2020, Ikatlong Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 4: 12-23

Sa ating mabuting balita sa araw na ito, pumili si Hesus ng apat na mangingisda upang maging Kanyang mga alagad.

Naalala ko yung mga commercials sa TV noong bata pa ako.  Yun bang mga wais na mga misis.  Ang wais na ina, pinipili ang pinakamabuti, pinakamahusay para sa kanyang pamilya.  Talagang kikilatisin ang mga items na pinamimili kung kalidad at masarap at masustansya kung pagkain, at matibay at maganda kung gamit naman.  Yan daw ang pagiging wais.  Pero sa ating mabuting balita ngayon, tila hindi yata naging wais si Hesus sa pagpili sa unang apat niyang mga alagad?  Pumili siya ng apat na mangingisda upang maging kanyang mga tagasunod.

Pero kung titingnan, maraming mga katangian ang mga mangingisda upang sila ay maging mabuting alagad. Mahaba ang kanilang pasensya sa pagkukumpuni at sa pagsasaayos ng lambat, marunong silang maghintay - kahit matagal. Matiyaga rin sila at malakas ang kanilang loob makipagsapalaran sa karagatan.  Pero kung sa kaalaman at husay sa pangangaral at sa kredibilidad sa pagsasalita, baka bumagsak ang mga unang apat na pinili sa criteria.

Sa isang banda, mas magandang isipin na pinili sila ni Hesus hindi dahil sa mga katangiang mayroon sila kung hindi dahil sa sila ang nagustuhan Niyang piliin, wala nang iba pang dahilan. At sila naman ay nakahandang tumugon agad kung kayat karakaraka nilang iniwan ang pangingisda at sumunod nuon din kay Hesus.  Tinatawag ni Hesus ang gusto Niyang tawagin,  Tanging iyon lamang ang criteria. 

Magandang pagnilayan: Ang ating Panginoon, pag tumingin, palaging may kasamang pag-ibig, walang panghuhusga. Hindi niya tinitingnan ang iyong nakaraan gaano man kaganda o kasalimuot ito.  Alam niya at nakikilala niya ang bawat isa.  Tumitingin siya hindi sa kakulangan at kahinaan ng isang tao, bagkus ang kanyang tanging nakikita ay ang buti ng tao. Tumatagos sa puso at kaloob- looban ang pagtingin ni Hesus, nababanaag Niya ang laman ng ating puso at duon din siya kaibuturang iyon nangungusap, ibinibigay ang kanyang paanyaya.

Pangalawa, Si Hesus ang pumili. Hindi kailangang lumapit at magprisinta ng Kanyang mga tinatawagan upang Kanyang maging mga alagad. Bagkus, Siya ang lumalapit at ibinibigay ang kanyang imbitasyon "Halika, sumunod ka sa akin." At dahil si Hesus ang tumawag, Siya rin ang tatapos ng pinasimulan Niya at sisiguro na magagampanan ng Kanyang mga tinawag ang misyon ng pagiging alagad, sa awa at biyaya ng Diyos.

Idalangin natin sa Diyos na tayo ay maging sensitibo sa araw-araw Niyang pagtawag at paanyaya sa atin na maging alagad - maglingkod at magmahal sa kapwa at umunlad sa pananampalataya. Sa criteria ng Diyos, lahat ay pasado.  Lahat ay pwede.  Ang kailangan lamang niya ay ang kabukasan ng iyong puso at ang iyong sagot na "oo".

Palagi nawa tayong lumapit kay Kristo Hesus tungo sa katapatan sa ating buhay-alagad na kalugod-lugod sa Ama. Amen.

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