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 Reflection: June 7, 2020. Tuesday. Closing of the Extra-Ordinary Pilgrimage Season - National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage

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Hulyo 7, 2020. Martes. Pagtatapos ng Taunang Pagbista sa Dambana ng Mahal na Ina ng Kapayapaan at Mabuting Paglalakbay – Birhen ng Antipolo

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Lukas 1: 39-45


Ngayong araw na ito ay pormal na nating sinasaraduhan at tinatapos ang ekstra-ordinaryong pilgrimage season sa Dambana ng Mahal na Birhen ng Antipolo. Extra-ordinaryo ito sapagkat hindi tayo pisikal na nakatungo ngayon dito sa kanyang dambana upang mag-alay ng pananalangin at pasasalamat sa Ina ng Diyos.  Ngayon, wala pan kayo dito physically, kaisa naman namin kayo sa ating pagdiriwang ng Banal na Eukaristiya sa pamamagitan ng teknolohiya ng internet.  Kasama at kaisa namin kayo sa pamamagitan ng inyong virtual presence. 

Ngunit ito ay isang bagay na hindi natin dapat ikalungkot. Bagkus, dapat tayo ay matuwa. Sapagkat di man tayo nakatungo ngayon sa Mahal na Birhen ng Antipolo, siya naman ang personal na pumunta at tumuloy sa ating mga tahanan upang tayo ay bisitahin, kamustahin at bigyan ng pag-asa. 

Sa Mabuting Balita, napuspos ng kagalakan si Elisabet nang siya ay dalawin ng Mahal na Birhen at ultimo ang batang nasa kanyang sinapupunan ay naggagalaw sa tuwa dahil sa mabuting balita ng pagbisita ng ina ng Diyos. Harinawa, ang karanasan ng extra-ordinaryong pilgrimage na ito, ay pumuspos din sa atin ng kagalakan sa pagdalaw ni Maria sa ating mga tahanan dala ang pag-asa at kapayapaang nagmumula sa kanyang Anak.

Marahil tayo ngayon ay nakakaranas ng pagkabagabag.  Marami tayong iniisip.  Maraming problema at suliraning kailangang bigyan solusyon dala ng dinaranas nating pandemya.  Si Maria, para bang sinasabihan  tayong pumayapa, manalig at magtiwala.  Tulad ng isang ina na nakikipagdiwang sa ating mga tagumpay, inaalagaan tayo sa panahon ng ating pagkakasakit, inaalo tayo sa panahon ng ating kalungkutan - nariyan ang Mahal na Ina - ninanais tayong balutin sa kanyang tunay na makainang kalinga at pagmamahal.  

Tunay na ang paglapit natin kay Maria ay paglapit natin kay Hesus na kanyang Anak. Parati niya tayong sinasabihan – “Gawin ninyo ang ano mang sabihin Niya..” Tunay na walang nagmahal sa Anak na hindi nagmahal sa ina sa pagkat ang buhay nila ay tunay na magkadugtong – buhay na inilaan sa pagtupad sa kalooban ng Diyos.

Mga kapatid, bigyang pag-asa nawa tayo at kalakasan ng Mahal na Birhen, na gumagabay sa atin dito sa paglalakbay natin sa daigdig na ito. Patuloy nawa niya tayong alalayan tungo sa kaganapan ng buhay na masusumpungan lamang sa kanyang Anak na si Hesus at sa pagsunod sa kalooban ng Ama.

Dati, nagtutungo tayo dito sa dambana ng Mahal na Ina ng Kapayapaan at Mabuting Paglalakbay upang mahawakan ang kanyang mapaghimalang imahe at ilahad ang mga kahilingan ng ating puso. Ngayong araw na ito, siya ang pumupunta sa atin, hinihipo tayo upang tayo ay pagalingin, patatagin at pagpalain. Tunay na hindi tayo pababayaan ng ating Ina na patutuloy na namamagitan at nananalangin para sa aitn sa kanyang Anak na si Hesus. Amen.

Photo: CTTO

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