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 08, 2020. Friday of the 4th Week of Easter

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Mayo 8, 2020, Biyernes sa Ika-4 na Linggo ng Muling Pagkabuhay 

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Juan 14: 1-6

Panginoon ituro po ninyo ang daan.  Ayaw po naming maligaw at mawala.

Sinabi sa Kanya ni Tomas, “Panginoon, hindi po namin alam kung saan kayo pupunta, paano naming malalaman ang daan?”

Ang ating Mabuting Balita sa araw na ito ay pamilyar na pamilyar sa atin. Kadalasan, ito ang pagbasa sa misa sa patay o sa paglilibing. Sapagkat ito ay nagpapaalala sa atin ng plano ng Diyos na tayo ay muling makapiling pagkatapos ng ating paglalakbay dito sa daigdig.  Kasali ang bawat isa sa plano ng Diyos, may nakalaang silid para sa bawat isa, hindi tayo kukulangin. 

Sa panahon ng paglaganap ng "fake news" at kasinungalingan sa lahat ng dako, sinasabi ni Hesus sa mabuting balita - "Ako ang daan, ang katotohanan at ang buhay."

Magandang pagnilayan. Ako na  nakarinig ng salita ni Hesus, ako ba ay nagiging instrumento ng katotohanan sa aking kapwa, o kasama rin ako sa paghahatid ng "fake news", chismis at kasinungalingan sa aking kumunidad? Ako ba ay nagiging daan, upang ang aking kapwa ay makasumpong ng buhay na nagmumula sa pakikinig at pagsasabuhay ng Salita ng Diyos na aking ibinabahagi sa kanila? Dinadala ko ba ang aking kapwa sa malalim at personal na pagkilala kay Hesus sa pamamagitan ng aking halimbawa - sa salita at sa gawa?

Maganda ang tanong ni Tomas,na siya rin dapat itinatanong ng bawat Kristiyanong nagtitiwala kay Hesus "...Panginoon, paano namin malalaman ang daan?" Sapagkat sa mga tanong na iyan, may pagpapakumbaba, may pag-ako na hindi natin masusumpungan ang daan tungo sa pangakong kaligtasan sa pamamagitan ng ating sariling kakayahan lamang. Kailangan natin si Hesus, ang siyang daan, katotohan at buhay.  Let Jesus be our guide.  Let us keep our focus on Jesus para hindi tayo mawala.

Si Hesus harinawa ang maging moral at spiritual compass ng ating buhay, ang ating gabay, upang hindi tayo maligaw ng landas patungo sa buhay na kanyang ipinangako - isang buhay na ganap at kasiyasiya at sa huli, sa buhay na walang hanggan kasama ang Ama. Amen.


Photo CTTO

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