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 20, 2020, Saturday, Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Cycle A) - Filipino

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Hunyo 20, 2020, Sabado, Pag-alaala sa Kalinis-linisang Puso ni Maria

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Lukas 2: 41-51

Ngayong araw na ito, ipinagdiriwang natin ang pag-aala-ala sa Kalinis-linisang Puso ni Maria. Sa pag-alaala sa kanyang kalinis-linisang puso , ating tinitingnan ang interior life ng Mahal na Birhen – ang kanyang mga katuwaan at hapis, ang kanyang kababaang loob at mabubuting katangian, ang kalinisan ng kanyang puso na laging handang sundin ang kalooban ng Ama, ang pagmamahal niya sa kanyang Anak at ang kanyang maka-inang pagkalinga sa lahat ng tao.

Sa Mabuting Balita, ipinakita ang pagsunod ni Hesus hindi lamang sa Kanyang Amang nasa langit, bagkus sa kanyang ama at ina rin na sina Jose at Maria na siyang itinalaga ng Panginoon upang mag-alaga at magpalaki sa Kanya. Ipinakita rin ng banal na mag-anak na sina Hesus, Maria at Jose ang kahalagahan ng pagtitiwala na hindi pinababayaan ng Diyos ang mga sumusunod sa Kanyang kalooban. Naunawaan nila na kailangan nilang parating pagnilayan at bigyang halaga ang mabubuting bagay na ginawa at gagawin pa ng Diyos sa kanila dahil sa pagsunod nila sa Kanyang kalooban.

Ang lahat ng pangyayari sa kanilang buhay mag-anak, iningatan lahat ni Maria sa kanyang puso at ito ang nagbigay sa kanya ng lakas ng loob na gawin ang kanyang papel sa planong pagliligtas ng Diyos. Sa mga pagbasa sa araw na ito, para bang sinasabi ng Panginoon “Magtiwala kayo sa Akin. Damahin ninyo at pagnilayan ang aking pagkilos sa kasaysayan ng inyong mga buhay.

Mahalaga ang pagninilay sapagkat natututo nating balikan at tingnan ang mga pangyayari sa ating buhay at kung paano ang bawat isa ay bumubuo o nagbibigay linaw sa mas malaking plano ng Diyos para sa atin.

Naalala ko nung bago pa lamang akong seminarista, palaging sinasabi ng aking Spiritual Director na iba ang pagkukuwento sa pagninilay. Ang pagkukuwento ay pagsasabi lamang ng kung ano ang mga naganap sa buhay mo halimbawa sa isang araw, ngunit kapag nagsimula ka nang balikan at masusing tingnan ang mga pangyayaring ito na sa una'y wari hindi mag-kakaugnay at pawang mga ramdom na kaganapan lamang at itanong mo sa iyong sarili, “Ano ang sinasabi sa akin ng Diyos sa mga pangyayaring ito?” Nagsisimula ka nang magnilay.

Kung minsan dahil sa dami ng ating kaabalahan at iniisip, hindi na tayo nakapagninilay. Nawawalan na tayo ng pagkakaton na tingnan ang isang karanasan o pangyayari sa ating buhay bilang pakikipagtagpo sa Diyos, kung paano Siya kumikilos sa ating buhay.

Kapag tayo ay nagninilay, nailalagay natin ang Diyos sa bawat karanasan natin. Mula sa isang simple at ordinaryong pangyayari, ito ay nagiging mas makahulugan sapagkat ito ay hindi na lamang pangyayari bagkus isang pagkilos ng Diyos sa ating buhay - Pinapaalalahanan ako sa aking pagmamalabis, tinutulungan ako sa aking mga problema, nakikipagdiwang sa aking tagumpay, sinasamahan ako sa aking pagiisa. Buhay na buhay ang Diyos sa aking buhay! Kailangan ko lang sumunod.

Natututo tayong tingnan ang mga pangyayari sa buhay natin sa konteksto ng mas malaking plano ng Diyos at maiayon ang mga kagustuhan sa kung ano ang kalooban ng Diyos para sa atin. Harinawa, matularan natin si Maria na iningatan ang bawat pangyayari sa buhay nilang mag-anak sa kanyang puso. Amen.


Photo: CCTO

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