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. July 15, 2020. Wednesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

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Hulyo 15, 2020. Miyerkules sa Ika-15 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon / Paggunita kay San Buenaventura, Obispo at Pantas ng Simbahan

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 11: 25 - 27


Simple lamang ang mensahe ng ating mga pagbasa, ngunit bagama’t simple, marami sa atin ang tinatamaan – Wag daw tayong mayabang. Wag tayong palalo.

Sapagkat ang Diyos, hindi nalulugod sa mga mayayabang bagkus, ang kinalulugdan Niya ay yaong maliliit, mga walang inaasahan.

Sabi sa unang pagbasa, hindi maaring ang palakol gaano man dami ng kahoy ang kanyang nasisibak, ang lagari gaano man siya katalas at ang baston ay mas makapangyari pa sa taong may ari o hawak nito. Ibig sabihin, ang lahat ng mayroon tayo – ang ating mga talento, galing, kayamanan, kakayahan at kaalaman hindi atin. Instrumento lamang tayo ng Panginoon nang sa gayon, tayo ay makapaglingkod sa ating kapwa at mabigyan ng lalong kaluwalhatian ang DIyos dahil sa Kanyang mga ipinagkatiwala sa atin.

Sino nga ba ang mga itinuturing na maliit ng ating Panginoong Hesus? Kasama diyan ang Kanyang mga alagad, mga pastol, mangingisda, mga makasalana, mga walang sinasabi at kapangyarihan sa lipunan. Dahil sa kanilang kasalatan at kapayakan, wala silang inaasahan kung hindi ang Diyos.

Mayroon silang kabukasan na tanggapin at isabuhay ang Salita ng Diyos sapagkat ito lamang ang kanilang pwedeng panghawakan. Ang mga marurunong at maraming alam, sila ang mga Pariseo, Sadduceo at mga Eskriba, mga dalubhasa ang batas. Dahil sila ang maraming alam, sila ang may kapangyarihan. Naididikta nila kung paano ba ilalapat ang batas sa lahat ng antas ng pamumuhay ng mga Hudyo.

Kadalasan, kapag marami tayong alam, napakarami nating mga “dapat” – dapat ganito, dapat ganyan. At nais nating kontrolin ang lahat, ang ating sarili kasama na rin ang ating kapwa. Kinakailangang tayo ang masasusunod, dahil marami tayong alam, napagdaanan na natin ang lahat. Kaya humahantong tayo sa pagiging palalo. Napupunta palagi sa ating sarili ang credit. Ako gumawa niyan, ako ang may sabi niyan. Lalong mahirap kung tayo ay nagigi nang self-righteous. Tayo ang tama, mali silang lahat, kasi marami tayong alam.

Samantalang ang isang bata, kung saan inihalintulad ni Hesus ang mga kinalulugdan ng DIyos na may mabababang kalooban, simple, walang masyadong komplikasyon, nagtitiwala ng walang pag-iimbot, may kabukasang tanggapin ang mga tulong na ibinibigay ng iba. May sense of awe and wonder! Samantalang ang taong maraming alam. Hindi na nasosorpresa sa maliliit na bagay, kasi alam na nya. Naranasan na niya. Ang makakasurpresa lamang sa kanya ay yaong mga bagay na lampas sa kanyang expectations, lampas sa kanyang karanasan at kaalaman. Mahirap siyang iplease dahil mahirap siyang mag-appreciate.

Sinabi ni San Buenaventura na siyang ating ginugunita ngayon: Ang palalong Demonyo ay tumitiklop sa taong may pagpapakumbaba. Pagpapakumbaba pala ang ating sandata laban sa panunukso ng Diablo. Kapatid, baka kailangang mas gawin nating simple ang pananampalataya – a faith that believes without reservation or question. A faith that recognizes that special bond we have with God – He our father and we, His children. Let us not add complications to our already complicated life. Let us humble ourselves and let go of all our controls and approach our Father as His children with much humility and reverence and trust. Amen.

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