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 25, 2020. Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time (Filipino)

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Hunyo 25, 2020. Huwebes sa ika-12 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon. Ika-37 Taon ng Pagkatatag ng Diyosesis ng Antipolo 

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Mateo 7: 21 - 29

Sinasabi sa atin ng Mabuting Balita sa araw na ito na hindi sapat na kilalanin ang Diyos, maging kabilang at aktibo sa simbahan, at maglaan ng oras sa pananalangin. Kinakailangan ang pagkakaroon ng mas malalim na ugnayan sa Diyos at sa Banal na Espiritu, na siyang pinagmumulan ng inspirasyon tungo sa mas radikal na pagsasabuhay ng pananampalatayang ating ipininahahayag.

Pinaaalalahan tayo ni Hesus na kinakailangang ang kaalaman natin sa Diyos at sa simbahan ay hindi manatiling kaalaman lamang. Kailangan nitong dumaloy mula sa ating isip, patungo sa ating puso na siyang magpapakilos sa ating mga kamay. At kapag dumadaloy sa ganyang direksyon ang kaalaman tungkol sa Diyos, natutupad natin at naisasabuhay ang kanyang kalooban. Tunay na ang pananampalatayang walang gawa ay patay, wika nga ni Santiago. Buhay ang ating pananampalataya kapag tinutupad natin ang kalooban ng Diyos.

Sa panahon ngayon na maraming mga naglalaban-laban na boses ang ating pinakikinggan, kaninong boses tayo mananangan at magtitiwala? Hindi ba kay Hesus na nagsasalita nang may kapangyarihan – dinadala tayo sa kaganapan ng buhay. 

Napakaganda ng mga salita ni San Francisco ng Asis: “Preach only when necessary.” Ang ating buhay Kristiyano mismo, ang ating kilos at gawa ang magpapatutoo na si Hesus nga ang naghahari sa ating buhay. Gawa higit sa salita. 

Ngayon na nakakaranas tayo ng matinding pagsubok, maraming tao ang nahihirapan, marami ang nagugutom at nawalan ng hanap buhay. Ngayon higit kaylan man natin maipapakita ang radikal na pagsasabuhay ng ebanghelyo. Sabi nga ni Sta. Teresa ng Calcutta: “If you cannot feed a hundred, just feed one.” 

At harinawa, pag dumating ang oras na tayo ay haharap at magsusulit sa Diyos, huwag nawa Niya tayo itatwa bagkus sasabihin Niya, “Halika, mabuti at matapat kong alagad, makibahagi ka sa aking kasiyahan.“ Amen.

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