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 devotion to him has developed amo
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Episode 16. Sino'ng may Sabi na Wala si Kristo?

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Miyerkules Santo na ngayon at halos nasa kalagitnaan na tayo ng mga Mahal na Araw.  At masasabi ko, iba talaga ngayon ang ginaganap nating paggunita sa Semana Santa.  Ibang iba sa ating nakasanayan at nakaugalian.  Kakaiba ito sapagkat hindi ito 'yung usual, hindi ito yung normal.
Marahil kung walang community quarantine lalo na ang lock down, busing-busy ka na sa pagbibisita Iglesia ngayon, kapatid. Pero sabi nga dun sa  video na prinoduce ng Diocese of Kalookan na "Sinong May Sabing Walang Semana Santa?" Tuloy na tuloy pa rin ito sabihin man natin na abnormal ang sitwasyon ngayon.  Mas damang-dama nga  natin ngayon ang Semana Santa ngayong tayo'y nahihirapan, nagtitis at nagsasakripisyo. Totoong totoo ngayon ang pagsasakripisyo ni Hesus para sa atin.  Ngayon, tunay na alam na natin ang bigat ng Krus na pinasan ni Hesus para sa iyo at para sa akin.  Madali daw ma-appreciate ang pinagdaanan ng isang tao kung tayo mismo ay dadanas nito.  Totoong-too ang bigat ng krus ni Hesus, ang sakit ng kalbaryo.  Totoong totoo din ang bigat ng epekto ng VIRUS.  Pero gaano man ito kabigat, hindi nito mapapantayan ang bigat ng sakripisyo at pagmamahal ni Kristo para sa iyo.  Kapatid, naniniwala ka ba dito?

At totoo rin na hindi "nawala sa lansangan si Kristo" dahil walang mga prusisyon. Nandyan pa rin siya, nag-iba lang ang kanyang anyo.  Naroon siya sa mga taong nagsasakripisyo at naglalaan ng oras para maglingkod sa punto na ilagay rin ang buhay nila sa peligro at alanganin.  Buhay na buhay si Kristo!  Baka ito na nga ang pinakamakahulugang mahal na araw sa buhay mo?  Kasi hindi na sa prusisyon mo namamalas at pinapanood si Kristo, si Kristo ay kasalamuha mo at nakikipag-usap sa iyo, kinakamusta ka, inaalagaan ka, at inaaliw ka.  Naroon siya sa ospital, palengke, lansangan.  Tinitiyak ang kaligtasan mo ngayong mga panahon na natatakot ka at pinanghihinaan ng loob dahil sa krisis na ito.  At oo, marahil, isa ka ring "Kristo" sa kapwa mo na na-afford mo ring tulungan sa kabila ng sarili mong kakulangan at kasalatan at sa mga taong mahal mo at umaasa sa iyo.

Dalhin nawa tayo ng krisis na ito sa mas mataas at malalim na antas ng pagkilala sa Diyos sa ating kapwa.   Huwag nating hanapin si Kristo, si Kristo'y nasa puso ng bawat isa sa atin at doon nananahan.

Kaya kapatid, wag tayong manlumo at malugmok sa ating mga takot at agam-agam.  May pangako ng pag-asa ang pagpasok natin, ngayong taong ito sa mga mahal na araw.  Bagama't nagpakasakit, nagpakahirap at namatay si Hesus, may pangako rin naman ng muling pagkabuhay.  

Napagtagumpayan ni Hesus ang kamatayan at siya ay muing mabububay.  Sama-sama nating yayakapin ang mga mahal na araw na ito, lalo na ang pinakamabigat at mahirap na Biyernes Santo sapagkat sa pagyakap dito, sama-sama tayong babangon sa muling pagkabuhay na mas matatag.  Mas malakas.  Sapagkat hindi tayo pinabayaan ng Diyos.  Sinamahan tayo ng Diyos.

Sino'ng may sabi na wala si Kristo?


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