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 16, 2020. Thursday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

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Hulyo 16, 2020. Huwebes sa ika-15 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon. Paggunita sa Mahal na Birhen ng Monte Carmelo

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Mateo 11: 28 - 30

Sa araw na ito, iniimbitahan tayo ng Mabuting Balita na suriin ang mga bagay na nagpapabigat sa atin. Mga bagay na pasanpasan natin sa ating mga balikat na nagdudulot ng pagkapagal sa atin.

Magandang tingnan, ang lahat ng ito ba ay talagang dapat natin pasanin o marami sa mga ito ay pawang mga kalabisan? Ano ang aking ibig sabihin. Ayon sa mga eksperto, “Majority of the burdens and afflictions we have are self-inflicted.” Ibig sabihin, karamihan sa nagpapapabigat ng ating kalooban, tayo rin ang may kagagawan. Hallimbawa ay ang ating mga galit at tampo. Mayroon kang pinalalaking mga bunga ng mangga sa iyong may bakuran. Bumili ka ng alamang para duon ito isawsaw.

Pagdating mo sa bahay, napitas na ng kapit-bahay ang mangga. Kung kaya’t galit na galit ka sa kanya. Tumataas ang presyon mo kapag nakikita mo sya. Tama na. Kalimutan mo na iyon. Mas mahalaga ang ugnayan kaysa alamang at sa mangga. Pwede pang bumili ng alamang ulit, pero ang kapit-bahay, di ka makakabili. Magpatawad ka na.

Pangalawa, worthless ang karamihan sa ating mga anxieties. Madalas, nag-aalala tayo para sa kinabukasan sapagkat hindi natin alam kung anong mangyayari. Lalu na ngayon at may krisis. Pero bakit mo nga ba pangangambahan ang isang bagay na hindi pa nangyayari? Kung ang mga krisis bigla-bigla kung dumating, ang biyaya ay ganuon din. Dahil hindi nga natin piho kung ano ang naroroon sa hinaharap, sa halip na harapin natin ito ng may takot, harapin natin ito ng may pag-asa at pagtitiwala.

Tingnan ninyo, sa aking mga nasabi, hindi nabago ang sitwasyon. Wala na talaga ang mangga at ang kinabukasan eh hindi pa rin natin tiyak, pero may nabago – ang ating disposisyon.

Mga kapatid, tayo ay patuloy na inaanyayahan ni Hesus na lumapit sa Kanya sapagkat magaan ang Kanyang pamatok. Ano ba ang pamatok na dala ni Hesus? Iyan ang pamatok ng pag-ibig. Hindi ba’t kapag tayo ay umiibig, ang ano mang bagay na mahirap, para bang nagiging madali, ang ating mga takot, naglalaho. Ang mga magulang na handang magsakripisyo para sa ikabubuti ng kanilang mga anak at pamilya, handang gawin lahat – dahil sa pag-ibig. Love is the burden that is easy to bear. Sapagkat ano mang mahirap na lalangkapan mo ng pag-ibig, gagaan. Magkakaroon ka ng kaginhawaan.

Maganda ang sinabi ni Hesus, tularan ninyo ako sapagkat ako ay maamo at mababa ang loob. Iyan ang mga katangian na dapat natin taglayin ngayong mga panahon ng krisis. Kababaan ng loob. We can never be in total control of our lives. We need God. At ang lahat ng mga pinagdadaanan natin sa ngayon, itong krisis na ito, may kasunod na pagbangon. May kasunod na biyaya at tagumpay.

Ngayong ating ginugunita ang Mahal na Birhen ng Monte Carmelo, paalalahanan nawa tayo ng pagdiriwang na ito na mayroon tayong ina na palaging gumagabay at tumutulong sa atin. May isang ina na palaging nananalangin at namamagitan sa atin sa kanyang Anak.

Kaya’t kapatid, kung ikaw ay nabibigatan, bumaling ka kay Hesus na sa iyo ay nag-aanyaya: “Halikayo kayong mga napapagal at nabibigatan, at bibigyan Ko kayo ng kapahingahan…” Amen.

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