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 26, 2020, Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

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Hunyo 26, 2020. Biyernes sa ika-12 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon San Mateo 8: 1-4

True faith is not entitlement, it is the humility to accept that we are just beggars before the Lord.

Naalala ko pa noong high school ako pag hihingi ako ng extra na baon o pera at masyado akong nagpupumilit sasabihin sa akin ng nanay ko “Aba, kung makahingi ka, parang may ipinatago ka, ah.”

Kung minsan, dahil sa sa tingin natin mabait naman tayo, sumusunod tayo sa utos ng Diyos, entitled na tayo sa mga biyaya na hinihingi at hihingin natin. Dahil mayroon tayong feeling of entitlement, nagagalit tayo at nagtatampo sa Diyos pag hindi natupad ang ating gusto o hinihingi. Wala tayong kabukasan na tanggapin ang sagot na “Hindi” mula sa Diyos.

Ang lagi nating gusto ay “Oo”. Hindi dahil sa malaki ang pagtitiwala natin sa Diyos kaya’t puro “Oo” na lamang ang kanyang sagot, ngunit dahil, tayo ang humihingi, entitled nga tayo. Mabit tayo. Ginagawa natin ang kanyang kalooban. Hindi makaka-hindi ang Diyos sa atin.

Ang taong tunay na nananampalataya, may kabukasan ng loob. Mananalangin ng buong pag-asa at pagtitiwala ngunit hindi nag-dedemand. Umaasa siyiang sasagutin ng Diyos ng “Oo” ang kanyang kahilingan ngunit nakahanda rin naman siyang tumanggap ng “Hindi” o “Hindi pa panahon”. Ganyan ang pusong tunay na nagmamahal sa Diyos. May kababaang-loob na tinatanggap ang kung ano ang nais ng Diyos, hindi igigiit ang kanyang nais.

Magandang tularan ang disposisyon ng Ketongin sa kanyang pag-hiling, “Panginoon, kung ibig po Ninyo….” Kung ibig po Ninyo. Punong puno ng pananampalataya, para bang isang proposal na inilalahad niya sa Panginoon, walang pag-dedemand – hindi niya sinabi “Pagalingin po Ninyo ako”.

Magandang tingnan, papaano ka humihiling sa Diyos. Ikaw ba ay katulad din ng ketongin na nagbubuhat sa iyong pagtitiwala sa Diyos ang iyong paghiling “Panginoon kung ibig mo….” O humihiling ka sa Diyos dahil alam mong karapatdapat kang bigyan? “Pagalingin mo po ako Panginoon…”

Magandang paala-ala yaong sabi sa akin ng nanay ko pag humihingi ako sa kanya ng dagdag na baon noong araw “Aba, kung makahingi ka, parang may pinatago kang pera sa akin, ah” We are just beggars before the Lord and we have to humbly acknowledge and accept that fact. We are not entitled to anything.

It is only through God’s goodness and generosity that we come to receive all the blessings we enjoy. No more no less. Amen.

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