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: May 4, 2020. Monday of the 4th Week of Easter

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Mayo 04, 2020, Lunes sa Ika-4 na Linggo sa Panahon ng Muling Pagkabuhay

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Juan 10: 11 - 18

Napakasarap sa pakiramdam kapag alam mo na mayroong isang nagmamahal at nagmamalasakit sa iyo.  Yung tipong ipinapakita sa iyo na ikaw ay mahalaga sa kanya at inaasikaso ka sa iyong mga pangangailangan. Hinahanap ka at nag-aalala kapag gabi na halimbawa at ikaw ay wala pa.  Ganyan ang ating mga ina.  Mapagmahal, maalaga at nagsasakripisyo para sa atin.   Ganyan din Hesus, ang mabuting pastol.  Tinitingnan niya at minamahal ang bawat tupa ng  pantay-pantay at walang itinatangi. The love of the Good Shepherd is particular and specific to each and every sheep.  Hindi siya panglahatan kung magmahal na parang sasabihin niya na "Mahal ko kayong lahat", bagkos sasabihin niya, isa-isa sa mga tupa, "Mahal kita, mahalaga ka sa akin."  Personalized ang pag-ibig ni Hesus para sa bawat isa.  
  
Ngunit ang mabuting pastol, hindi lamang nagmamalasakit sa mga tupang nasa kanyang piling. Hinahanap pa rin niya at minamahal ang iba pang mga tupa na nawawala o naliligaw.  “Mayroon akong ibang tupa na wala sa kulungang ito. Kinakailangang sila’y alagaan ko rin; pakikinggan nila ang aking tinig. Sa gayo’y magiging isa ang kawan at isa ang pastol.”

Magandang itanong: “Nakikita ba ang ating pagiging isang kawan o isang Simbahan sa ating mga mga ginagawa o sinasabi o tayo ay nagkakanya-kanya at nagkakahati-hati?” May tunay ba tayong pagmamalasakit at pagmamahal sa kapwa natin tupa? Ipinadarama ba natin sa kanila ang pagmamahal at pagmamalasakit ng mabuting pastol? Ngayon na tayo ay dumaranas ng krisis dala ng pandemya, kitang kita ang ating pagiging iisa sa pamamagitan ng ating pagdadamayan at pagkakapatiran at patuloy na pananalangin para sa isa’t isa at sa buong daigdig.

Ngunit sinabi rin ng Panginoon na mayroon siyang iba pang tupa na wala sa kulungan. Sila – ang mga taong malayo sa Simbahan, mga taong naliligaw ng landas, mga taong walang kumakalinga at nakalimutan na ng lipunan – kabahagi rin sila ng kawan. Hinahamon tayo ng Mabuting Balita na tularan ang Mabuting Pastol, na iiwan ang 99 na tupa upang hanapin ang nawawalang isa. Hanapin natin sila at hikayating bumalik sa kawan ng Panginoon.

Sa ganitong paraan, tunay na masasabi natin na tayo ay Isang Simbahan. Isang Sambayanan. Isang Kawan sa ilalim ng iisang Mabuting Pastol, si Kristo Hesus. Amen.

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