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 4, 2020. Thursday of the 9th Week in Ordinary Time (Filipino)

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Hunyo 4, 2020, Huwebes sa Ika-9 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Markos 12: 28-34

Sa mabuting balita sa araw na ito, sinuma ni Hesus ang mga kautusan sa dalawang pinakamahalaga: "Ibigin mo ang Panginoon mong Diyos nang buong puso, nang buong kaluluwa, nang buong pag-iisip, at nang buong lakas.at Ibigin mo ang iyong kapwa gaya ng iyong sarili."

Dalawa lamang. Ngunit bago ang dalawang ito, may nauna muna siyang sinabi: "Pakinggan mo, Israel!" . Nangangahulugan ng kahalagahan ng pakikinig. Sapagkat tanging sa pakikinig, kung tayo'y magiging handang manahimik at itikom ang ating bibig, lamang natin matututunan kung paano magmahal sa Diyos at sa kapwa.

Madalas, may problema tayo sa pakikinig, una, kung minsan sarili lamang natin ang nais nating pakinggan, ang tanging mahalaga ay ang nararamdaman natin at ang gusto nating sabihin, wala tayong pakialam sa sasabihin at nararamdaman ng iba. Kung minsan naman nagiging mapili tayo sa ating pakikinig. Pinapakinggan lang natin yung gusto nating marinig. Gusto natin ay pinupuri tayo palagi, palaging pabor sa atin ang ating naririnig. Pag hindi na maganda, ayaw na nating pakinggan, kahit ito ay para sa ating sariling kabutihan. Kung minsan naman, tayo ay nagbibingi-bingihan. Ayaw kasi nating mahihirapan. Gusto lamang natin ay yung madali, yung masarap, yung easy going. Ayaw natin na umalis sa ating "comfort zones", ayaw natin mag-reach out sa ibang tao, sa mga bagay na mahirap gawin. Kung minsan naman, nakikinig tayo upang siguruhin na may ibabalik tayong sagot sa ating kausap. 

Magandang tingnan at itanong sa ating sarili, marunong ba tayong makinig? Harinawa, maibukas natin sa Diyos ang mga taynga ng ating puso nang sa ganoon, malaman natin at masunod ang kanyang kalooban at doon makapagsisimula tayong magmahal sa Diyos at sa ating kapwa. Amen.

Marunong ka bang makinig?



photo: ctto

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