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 27, 2020. Saturday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time (Filipino)

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Hunyo 27, 2020. Sabado sa ika-12 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon / Kapistahan ng Mahal na Ina ng Laging Saklolo 

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 8: 5-17

Ipinapakilala si Hesus ng ating Mabuting Balita sa araw na ito bilang tagapagpagaling ng mga may sakit. Pinagagaling niya ang ating mga karamdaman at pinanunumbalik ang ating lakas.

Pinagaling niya ang alipin ng senturyon at ang biyenang babae ni San Pedro. Magandang tingnan ang napakalaking pananampalatayang ipinakita ng senturyon na bagama’t hindi Hudyo at tagasunod ni Kristo, nagtiwala na mapapagaling ni Kristo ang kanyang alipin. Ang kanyang mga salita, na buong pagpapakumbaba at pagtitiwala niyang inusal ay siya rin nating dinarasal bago natin tanggapin ang katawan ni Kristo sa pakikinabang sa Banal na Misa. “Panginoon, hindi ako karapatdapat na magpatuloy sa Iyo, ngunit sa isang salita Mo lamang ay gagaling na ako.”

Hindi kilala ng senturyon ng personal si Hesus. Maaring narinig lamang niya sa mga usap-usapan ng mga tao ang tungkol sa kanya ngunit nakapagpapahayag siya ng ganoong kalalim na pagtitiwala na mapagagaling ni Hesus ang kanyang alipin. Ikaw kapatid na personal na kilala at naranasan si Hesus sa iyong buhay, ikaw pa ba ang hindi lalapit sa Kanya? Ikaw pa ba ang mangingiwing humiling sa awa Niya? 

Gumaling ang alipin dahil sa panalangin ng kanyang panginoon, ang senturyon. Makikita rin natin sa senturyon ang kahalagahan ng pananalangin para sa iba o ang prayer of intercession. Sa pamamagitan ng pananalangin sa bawat isa, hindi na lamang pisikal na ugnayan ang namamagitan sa atin at sa ating kapwa bagkus nagkakaroon din tayo ng ispiritwal na ugnayan. Binubuklod tayo ng ating panalangin bilang isang bayang pinaghaharian ng Diyos. 

Bagama’t ang pananalangin ay isang gawain at relasyong personal sa pagitan ng nanalangin at ng Diyos, hindi kalabisan na ipanalangin din natin ang ating kapwa at humingi rin ng panalangin mula sa kanila. 

Ngayon ay atin ding ipinagdiriwang ang kapistahan ng Mahal na Ina ng Laging Saklolo, ang pangunahing nananalangin para sa atin sa Kanyang anak na si Hesus. Hilingin natin sa Diyos, sa pamamagitan ng Mahal na Ina ng Laging saklolo na pagkalooban tayo ng simpleng pananampalataya na kayang magtiwala at umasa na tayo ay pagagalingin ng Diyos sa ating mga karamdaman – pisikal, emosyonal at ispiritwal. Hilumin nawa tayo at palayain sa sugat ng nakaraan, sa ating mga takot, pangamba at karamdaman. Amen.

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