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: June 18, 2020. Thursday on the 11th Week in Ordinary Time (Filipino)

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Hunyo 18, 2020, Huwebes sa ika-11 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 6: 7-15

Sa panahong ito ng ECQ, GCG, MGCG labis na napakahalaga ng connectivity. Dahil hindi tayo makalabas masyado, dinadaan natin ang pakikipag-ugnay sa iba sa pamamagitan ng iba't ibang social media platforms basta maayos ang ating internet connectivity. Mahalaga ang connectivity kasi ito ang nag-lilink sa atin sa mga taong mahal natin o mahalaga sa atin, sa ngayon kahit virtual lang.  

Sa buhay Kristiyano, mahalaga rin ang connectivity. We need to be constantly connected and communicating with the Lord through our prayer life.

Sa ating Mabuting Balita, itinuturo ni Hesus ang tamang disposisyon sa pananalangin – Ang pagtawag at pagkilala sa Diyos bilang Ama natin. Napakaganda ng panalangin na si Hesus mismo ang nagturo. Sapagkat ito ay nakaugat sa malalim na pagkakakilala at ugnayan sa pagitan ni Hesus at ng Kanyang Ama. At ito rin ang nais niya para sa atin, na tayo ay tumawag din ng Ama sa Diyos at maging mga anak Niya, 

Iisang pamilya tayo. Kung kaya’t sa pagdadasal ng Ama namin ang ginagamit natin ay "namin", "amin" at "kami". Hindi "akin", "ako" at "ko". Walang pagtukoy sa pansarili lamang, bagkus, panglahat. Ito ay isang panalangin ng isang kumunidad na pinagbuklod buklod ng pagiging mga anak ng Diyos Ama.
Ipinapakilala ni Hesus sa atin ang Ama, upang kagaya niya, ay magkaroon din tayo ng malalim na ugnayan sa Kanya na nakakaalam ng lahat nating pangangailangan bago pa man natin sabihin ang mga ito sa Kanya. 

Hindi base sa dami ng salita wika ng ating Panginoong Hesus bagkus sa lalim at tibay ng relasyon masusukat ang tunay at tamang pagdarasal.  Kapag alam mo na iyong Ama ang iyong nilalapitan, nagkakaroon ka ng ganoong lakas ng loob at pagtitiwala na talagang diringgin ang iyong panalangin at hindi ka pababayaan. Ganyan ang paglapit sa Ama, simple lamang, hindi kalingan ng maraming salita, hindi kailangan ng maraming paliwanag. Sapagkat puso ang nangugusap.

Bagama’t mukhang malayo ang Diyos sa atin dahil Siya ay nasa langit a tayo nama’y nasa lupa, nananatili pa rin siyang malapit, sapagkat siya ay nasa ating puso bilang Ama natin. At dahil Ama natin Siya, alam niya ang makabubuti at makasasama sa atin. 

Kaya ang hamon sa atin ay palaging hanapin ang kalooban ng Diyos at siyang hangaring mangyari sa ating mga buhay. May mga sarili man tayong gusto, kinakailangang isuko natin ito sa kung ano man ang gusto at kalooban ng Ama para sa atin. At pag iyan ay ating nagawa, tunay na tayo ay magiging maligaya at uunlad tayo sa ating buhay pananampalataya at ating matatamo ang pangakong kaharian ng langit ng Ama. Amen.

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