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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Homilies and Reflections: May 07, 2020. Thursday of the 4th Week of Easter

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Mayo 07, 2020 Huwebes sa ika-4 na Lingo ng Muling Pagkabuhay

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Juan 13: 16-20


Kapag tayo ay nakatatanggap ng magandang balita, tayong lahat ay natutuwa. May galak na nagmumula sa ating mga puso na parang di natin kayang sarilinin, bagkos, nais nating ibahagi o ikuwento sa iba.  Naalala ko nasabi minsan ng isang Obispo sa kanyang homilya, "Ang taong nakatanggap ng mabuting balita, nangangati ang dila."  May katotohanan nga ang sinabi ng obispo.  

Ang bawat pagbabasa o pakikinig natin sa Salita ng Diyos ay palaging nagdadala ng magandang balita sa atin – na tayo ay may Diyos na nagmamahal at kumakalinga sa atin. Kasali tayo sa kanyang plano – ang makapiling tayong lahat sa buhay na walang hanggan.

Ang ating mabuting balita sa araw na ito ay nagpapaalala sa atin na tayo ay kabilang sa planong pagliligtas ng Diyos. At si Hesus, ang kanyang bugtong na Anak, ay Kanyang ipinadala upang isagawa at bigyang katuparan ang Kaloobang ito ng Diyos. Kung kaya’t kailangan nating maniwala at manampalataya kay Hesus (Hebreong Yeshua - “Ang Diyos ay nagliligtas”) na kanyang ipinadala upang isakatuparan ang planong ito.

Ang pagtitiwala kay Hesus ay naipapahayag sa ating masinsing pagsunod sa kanyang mga utos, pakikinig sa kanyang salita - mga paraan upang tayo ay umunlad sa pananampalataya.  Kung ano ang ginawa ni Hesus, siyang lakas loob at buong kasigasigang susundin - "walang alipin ang mas nakahihigit sa kanyang panginoon..."  Kung si Hesus ay nagbata ng Hirap, kakayanin din natin.  Kung si Hesus ay pinagtaksilan ng kanyang alagad, maari din tayong pagtaksilan ng pinagkakatiwalaan natin.  Wala tayong dapat kapitan kung hindi si Hesus at ang pangako niya. Wala nang iba.

At kagaya ni Pablo sa unang pagbasa, tayo ay pinahahayo at sinusugo rin upang ipahayag ang mabuting balita na ating tinaggap nang may tunay na kagalakan. 

Paano ipapayahag ang mabuting balita? – patawarin mo ang nagkasala sa iyo, magmahal ka ng walang hinihintay na kapalit, tulungan mo ang walang-wala, gumawa ng mabuti sa kapwa.

Ikaw kapatid, may natanggap  ka bang Mabuting Balita? Sana ito’y iyong ibahagi. Amen.


Photo: CTTO

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