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: June 20, 2020 Friday, Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Cycle A) - Filipino

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Hunyo 19, 2020, Biyernes. Dakilang Kapistahan ng Kamahal-mahalang Puso ni Hesus

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 11: 25-30

Ang Puso ni Hesus ang pinakadakilang tanda ng awa ng Diyos.

Ngayon ay araw ng pagdiriwang sa dakilang pag-ibig ng Diyos.   Sapagkat sa pamamagitan ng kanyang puso, ng kanyang pag-ibig, ipinahayag ng Diyos ang kanyang naisin na makipag-ugnayan sa atin.  

God reaches out to us.  He wants to reveal himself to us in a more personal way and enter into greater intimacy and friendship with us. 

Dahil sa pag-ibig  kaya Niya tayo nilikha at dahil din sa pag-ibig kaya Niya ipinadala ang Kanyang Bugtong na Anak, ang pinakadakilang tanda ng Kanyang pag-ibig, upang makasama natin at makipamuhay sa atin, upang tayo’y turuan at pagalingin, at mag-alay ng buhay para sa atin.  Ganyan kalaki ang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa atin.  Laging nakahandang magbigay at magsakripisyo.

At ang pag-ibig na unang ipinaranas sa atin, una nating tinanggap mula sa Ama, ay siyang inaasahang ipadarama din natin at ibibigay sa ating kapwa kahit tayo ay masaktan, kahit tayo ay mahirapan.  Sapagkat ang tunay na pag-ibig ay laging nakahandang magsakripisyo.   Wala ang Diyos sa taong ayaw o hindi handang masaktan ang magmahal pagkat ang kaganapan ng DIyos ay nasa Kanyang pagiging mapagmahal – ang Diyos ay pag-ibig. 

Nangungusap ang Diyos at napapakinggan natin sa pamamagitan ng ating puso.  Sa pamamagitan ng ating puso, nadarama natin ang pagtawag ng ating kapwa, ang pangangailangan nila. Ang kanilang pagsigaw upang sila ay ating kalingain at tulungan - na sila'y ating ibigin. 

Tunay ngang ang ating puso ay tanda na tayo ay para sa langit, na tayo ay nilikha para sa Diyos.  Pag-aari Niya tayo.  

Sa  Mabuting Balita, si Hesus ay nagaanyaya sa lahat ng mga napapagal at nabibigatan sa kanilang mga pasanin sapagkat sa kanya ay makakasumpong sila ng kapahingahan.   Kapatid, kung ikaw ay kasalukuyang dumaranas ng pagsubok o nabibigatan sa iyong mga dinadala, sana’y marinig mo ang paanyaya ni Hesus na lumapit sa kanyang puso na nag-uumapaw sa pag-ibig at awa para sa lahat.   Nakahanda si Hesus na tulungan ka kung patutuluyin mo lang siya sa iyong puso.  Hayaan mo si Hesus na yakapin ka. Makilakbay kasama ka.  Mahalin ka.

Kakayanin mo ang lahat sapagkat “maginhawang dalhin ang pamatok ni Hesus at magaan ang pasaning ibibigay NIya sa iyo.”  Pinagkakatiwalaan ka ni Hesus.  Hindi ka Niya bibigyan ng pagsubok na higit sa iyong kakayahan.  Magtiwala ka rin sa iyong sarili sapagkat pinagkatiwalaan ka Niya.  Kakakayanin mo. 

Inialay ni Hesus ang buhay Niya para sa iyo, ano pa ang hindi Niya kayang ibigay?   Ngayon ay Dakilang Kapistahan ng Mahal na Puso ni Hesus – dakilang araw ng tagumpay ng pag-ibig ng Diyos.  Amen.


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