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: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) (Cycle A) - Filipino

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Ika 14 ng Hunyo, 2020, Dakilang Kapistahan ng Kabanal-banalang Katawan at Dugo ng Panginoon (Cycle A)

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Juan 6: 51-58

Ngayon ay ipinagdiriwang natin ang Dakilang Kapistahan ng Kabanal-banalang Katawan at Dugo ng Panginoon. At may nangingibabaw sa ating mga pagbasa sa araw na ito ng Linggo - yaon ay ang "Ala-ala" o memory sa wikang Ingles.

Napakahalaga ng alaala o memory sa buhay ng isang tao. Sapagkat nakasalalay sa alaala ng isang tao ang kahihinatnan ng kanyang pakikipag-ugnayan o relationship sa ibang tao. Kapag maganda ang ala-ala natin sa isang tao, mas tumitibay ang ating ugnayan sa kanya, mas lalo tayong napapalapit o mas minamahal natin ang taong iyon. Pero pag ang matingkad na alaala natin sa isang tao ay hindi maganda, iniiwasan natin siya. Nais natin siyang burahin sa ating ala-ala. Kung kaya't napakahirap sa isang pamilyang may magulang o kapatid na nagkakaroon ng Alzheimer's o dimentia. Sapagkat binubura ng mga karamdamang ito ang ala-ala; nalilimutan ang ugnayan; nawawala ang relasyon. Napakabigat sa kalooban.

Sa unang pagbasa, sinabi ni Moises sa mga Israelita ""Alalahanin ninyo kung paano Niya kayo pinatnubayan sa ilang sa loob ng apatnapung taon..."; Huwag ninyong kalilimutan ang Panginoon na nagpalaya sa inyo sa pagkaalipin...."

Sa ikalawang pagbasa naman, ipinapaalala ni San Pablo sa mga taga-Corintho na ang tinapay ng pagpapala at alak ng pagbabasbas na kanilang pinagsasaluhan ay pakikibahagi sa katawan at dugo ni Kristo.

Tunay na napakahalaga ng alaala upang hindi natin makalimutan ang mga dakilang bagay na ginawa sa atin ng Panginoon. Sapagkat sa pamamagitan ng ala-ala, isinasangayon natin ang mga magagandang bagay na naganap noon.

Ang Banal na Misa ay isa ring paraan ng pag-aalaala, ng pagsasangayon - ng pagaalay ng buhay ni Kristo para sa ating lahat. Isinasangayon nito ang pagbibigay ng Katawan at Dugo ni Kristo na ating pinagsasalusaluhan sa tuwing tayo ay makikiisa sa pagdiriwang ng Misa. Sa pagtanggap ng katawan ni Kristo, tayo ay nagiging kaisa Niya, upang tayo ay palakasin at palawigin sa pananampalataya.

Hindi ba't ang Banal na Misa ay tinatawag ding Eukaristiya na nangangahulugan ng "pasasalamat" at may kasabihan, "gratitude is the memory of the heart." Sa ating pagpapasalamat sa Diyos, naalalala natin ang sakripisyo ni Hesus - ang pinakadakilang pagaalay niya ng Kanyang Katawan at Dugo para sa ating kalayaan sa kasalanan at para sa pangako ng buhay na walang hanggan.

Harinawa, tayo ay patuloy na paalalahanan ng Banal na Eukaristiya na tinatanggal ni Hesus ang ating pisikal at ispiritwal na pagkagutom - Siya ang tinapay na mula sa langit, ang tinapay na bumubuhay at nagbibigay buhay.

Napakaganda ng panalangin na tahimik na inuusal ng pari bago siya tumanggap ng Katawan at Dugo ni Kristo sa loob ng pagdiriwang ng Banal na Eukaristiya: "Ipagsanggalang nawa ako ng Katawan at Dugo ni Kristo hanggang sa buhay na walang hanggan." Ito nawa ang maging panalangin ng bawat nananalig na tunay na Katawan at Dugo mismo ni Kristo ang kanilang tinatanggap kapag sila ay tumatanggap ng banal na kumunyon. Amen.

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