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 4. Ang Pabalik-balik kong Pigsa

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Repost (from 2012)

Malamang itatanong mo, ano ba ang kaugnayan ng pigsa sa aking discernment? Bakit naman tayo napunta sa usapang pigsa? O, relax ka lang. Eto ikukuwento ko sa iyo.

Sa nakaraang dalawa o tatlong taon, napansin ko na kapag ako'y aalis at may pupuntahang malayong lugar o kinakailangang mawala sa bahay ng higit sa isang araw, palagi na lang may lumalabas na pigsa sa ilalim o likod ng aking kaliwang tenga. Sari-sari nang paraan at lunas ang aking sinubukan para ito ay tuluyan nang gumaling at huwag nang magpabalikbalik. Sympre ang first recourse ay hilisin (pisakin) para palabasin lahat ng mga nana at mata ng pigsa (yucckkk! haha) pero wala itong epekto. Eto eh nung mag-aatend ako ng kumperensya sa Bangkok. Bumalik pa rin ito kahit talaga namang pihit ako sa sakit habang pinipisil ni utol ang pigsa upang mapalabas ang n*** (alam nyo na haha). Hindi kasi uubra ang bote dito eh, kasi masasaktan ako nang masyado dahil masyadong maliit na yung espasyo sa likod ng tenga ko, hindi kakasya ang bibig ng bote (hehe)

Ang sumunod na hakbang ay ipina-opera ko naman kay Dr. A., (chief ng surgery department ng isang malaking ospital dito sa amin). Minor surgery ito at talagang medyo masakit rin at madugo ang procedure. Eto naman eh nung pumunta ako sa isang "vocation discernment seminar" pero wa epek pa rin. Sumunod, nung ako'y pupunta naman sa Davao, eto na naman si makulit na pigsa at isang buong linggo ko syang tiniis. Pinayuhan naman akong ipa-ultrasound muna ni Dr. B. bago niya i-refer kay Dr. C. Sa katagalan ng proseso ni Dr. B, inabot na rin ng putok ng sarili nya si pigsa dahil nabulbog yata nung in-ultrasound bago pa sumalang sa operasyon sa lamesa ni Dr. C. haha. Pagkatapos, si Dr. D, ayaw operahin si pigsa. Niresetahan lang ako ng katakot-takot at banig-banig na anti-biotics at bactroban oinment. Nangyari naman ito nung ako'y pupunta sa Vigan. Gumaling naman si pigsa, pero bumalik pa rin. Tapos ngayon na ako'y meron na naman pupunthan (paalis ako papuntang Negros sa darating na Martes) eh ayan na naman si makulit na pigsa at umeeksena na naman. haha.

Ano kaya ang mensaheng ipinararating sa akin ng paulit-ulit na pagbalik ng pigsang ito sa aking buhay (sa ilalim ng aking tenga, to be exact)? On the pessimistic side, parang "sign" ito na huwag akong tumuloy sa aking bokasyon at wag iwan ang aking pamilya (mahal na mahal ko sila ih) in addition, ito rin ay indication ng mga trials and hardships that I will face, at dapat i-endure because of the vocation I am intending to pursue (ayan, napa-English na ako ih). Sabi nga sa bible "any one who wishes to become my disciple should carry his cross daily and follow me" Parang metaphor lang ang mga pigsang ito ng mga hardships na kakaharapin ko sa pagpupursigi sa aking bokasyon (in literary terms, pwede rin itong foreshadowing; my vocation journey isn't gonna be easy, not just a walk in the park). Pero sa isang banda, on the brighter and optimistic side, sa kabila ng mga trials at hardships, God continues to assure me that he will be with me in my rough and roller coaster ride-like journey towards priesthood. Sabi ulit sa bible "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but God delivers him from them all" at talaga namang patuloy na pinaparamdam sa akin ng Diyos ang kanyang pagmamahal at paggabay sa akin. Ipapasok ko ulit dito yung paborito kong quote sa bible na talagang nagpapalakas lagi sa akin "Be still and know that I am God". Salamat Lord, sa assurance.

*Pahabol: Ever since pumasok ako sa seminaryo at naging pari na ako ngayon, hindi na ulit bumalik ang pigsa. Praise God! (year 2020 na nasulat ang pahabol na ito)

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