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 23, 2020. Thursday of the 16th Week in ordinary Time - Filipino

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Hulyo 23, 2020. Huwebes sa Ika-16 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 13: 10-17

Kapag may mahalagang bagay na nawawala sa atin, uunahin nating hanapin ito sa mga lugar kung saan malamang natin ito naiwan. Kung relo siguro ito, uunahin natin maghanap sa kuwarto. Pero pag di natin nakita, pati yung mga lugar na hindi natin inaakala na naroroon ang hinahanap natin, pupuntahan na rin natin at kung minsan, doon pa nga natin masusumpungan ang nawawalang bagay.

Sa ating buhay, si Hesus, madalas din natin matagpuan sa mga sitwasyon at pangyayaring hindi natin inaasahan. Kailangan ang kabukasan upang ating masumpungan ang pagpapamalas ni Hesus.

Ang mga talinghaga, ay mga pagkakataon din upang ating makatagpo ang mga katotohanan ukol sa paghahari ng Diyos.

Sa Mabuting Balita, tinatanong si Hesus nang mga alagad kung bakit Siya nangangaral sa pamamagitan ng mga talinghaga.

At maliwanag ang sinasabi ng talinghaga ng manghahasik. Walang problema sa manghahasik o sa mga binhing kanyang inihasik, ang problema ay nasa lupang tumanggap sa mga binhi ng salita ng Diyos. Kailangang mag-ugat sa mga tumanggap o mga nakarinig ang salita upang ito ay lumago at pagkatapos ay mamunga ng masagana. Kailangan ang kahandaan at kabukasan natin na tanggapin ang salita ng Diyos upang mula sa ating isip, ang ating napakinggan ay bababa sa ating puso at pagkatapos ay ating isasabuhay.

Ang mga tagapakinig ni Hesus nakita na nila ang Kanyang mga ginawa. Nagpagaling ng may sakit, nangaral at nagpahayag ng mabuting balita. Ngunit tila hindi nila nakita o narinig ang mga dakilang bagay na ito at hindi pa rin nila nauwaan ang mensahe. Sapagkat ang tunay na pagkakilala kay Hesus ay nagaganap sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya. Naibubukas natin ang ating sarili sa mga katotohan tungkol kay Hesus at sa paghahari ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya.

Maraming dahilan kung bakit tayo nagiging sarado. Kung minsan, we practice selective listening. Pinapakinggan lamang natin ang gusto nating pakinggan. Kapag hindi na pabor sa atin, kapag hindi na ayon sa ating pinaniniwalaan ang ating naririnig, ayaw na natin pakinggan. Kailangan ang pakikinig sapagkat ito ang simula ng pagtuklas at pagunawa sa salita ng Diyos. At bagama’t dalawa ang ating tenga at iisa lamang ang ating bibig, mas gusto pa rin natin ang umimik nang umimik kaysa makinig.

Kung gayon, mahalaga ang marunong tayo ng tunay na pakikinig. Sa pamamagitan ng Active Listening, tunay nating mapakikinggan at mauunawaan ang salita ng Diyos. Upang magawa ito, kailangan muna nating isara ang ating tenga sa ibang bagay upang makapag-focus tayo sa pakikinig ng salita ng Diyos. Mahirap makinig kung marami tayong pinapakinggan. At ang ating napakinggan, titimo sa ating isip, bababa sa ating puso at dadaloy sa ating mga kamay. Sa pamamagitan niyan, tunay ngang nauunawaan natin ang Salita ng Diyos at nasusumpungan ang Kanyang kalooban. Amen.

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