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 Reflections: July 26, 2020. 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A) - Filipino

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Hulyo 26, 2020. Ika-17 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon 

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 13: 44-52 

Sa ating buhay, marami tayong mga pangarap. Marami tayong mga gustong marating para sa ating sarili at para sa ating mga mahal sa buhay. Upang marating ito, tayo ay nagsusumikap. Nagpapakapagod tayo. Gagawin natin ang lahat para maabot lamang ito. Halimbawa, gusto nating mapromote sa trabaho, magsisikap tayo upang maabot ang ninanais nating pwesto. Kung tayo naman ay estudyante, mag-aaral tayo ng mabuti. Kung may gusto tayong bilhin, pag-iipunan natin ito. At kung makamit na natin ang ating minimithi, may kakaibang saya o ligaya tayong nararanasan. 

Ang ating mga pagbasa sa araw na ito, tungkol sa mga kayamanan at regalo. Sa unang pagbasa, si Haring Solomon ay tinanong ng Diyos kung ano ang nais niyang hilingin bilang bagong hari ng Israel at hiniling niya na magkaroon siya ng karungan at siya'y kinalugdan ng Diyos at pinagkaloob sa kanya ito at kasunod sa pagtatamo ng karunungan – ay ang pagtatamo rin ng kayamanan, pagpapalawak ng kaharian, pagkagapi ng kanyang mga kaaway, at ang matagal niyang paghahari sa bayang Israel. 

Ang salmo naman ay naaayon sa mga biyayang naghihintay sa taong nagtataglay ng karunungan upang alamin, sundin at mahalin ang mga kautusan ng Diyos. Kailangang piliin ang kalooban ng Diyos bagama’t kung minsan, mahirap o lampas ito sa ating pang-unawa. 

Sa Mabuting Balita, nagbigay si Hesus ng dalawang talinghaga upang ipaliwanag ang pagsapit ng paghahari ng Diyos. And each of the parables tells of the sacrifice and the cost involved in becoming part of God’s reign. It entail wisdom and costly decisions which means giving up what is valuable for us in exchange of a greater good – that of being part of God’s plan and reign.  Mayroong dapat iwanan, mayroong dapat kalimutan.  Mayroong dapat talikdan.  

Ang pagpapasakop sa paghahari ng Diyos ay parehong demanding at rewarding. At upang tunay na maging kabilang dito, kailangan ang karunungan upang i-discern at piliin kung ano ba ang tunay na mahalaga na siyang magpapalaya sa atin sa mga huwad na yaman. 

Sapagkat kung ano ang mahalaga sa atin, ibibigay natin ang lahat ng ating kalakasan at kakayanan upang masumpungan at makamit ito. Kaya’t magandang itanong sa ating sarili, sa ngayon, ano ba ang itinuturing kong mahala o “kayamanan” sa aking buhay? Sapagkat kung nasaan ang ating kayamanan, naroon din ang ating puso. Harinawa masumpungan natin ang ating tunay na yaman sa pagsunod sa kalooban ng Diyos at hindi sa panandaliang seguridad na ibinibigay ng yaman ng mundong ito.  Matuklasan nawa natin ang ating tanging kayamanan – si Hesus.  Do not be afraid to let go of all that is valuable to us for Jesus.  Because in Jesus, we gain all.  

Sa mga panahon ngayon ng krisis, magandang panghawakan natin ang katotohanan na ang plano ng Diyos para sa atin ay mas higit sa kung ano man ang pinagdaraanan natin sa ngayon. Maganda ang sinasabi ni San Pablo sa ikalawang pagbasa. Gaano man daw kabigat ang ating pinagdaraaanan sa ngayon, kaya ng Diyos na gawin itong pabor sa simpleng kadahilanan na minamahal Niya tayo ng lubos. Yan nawa ang magpalakas sa atin. Lalo na at may Diyos na palaging sumasama atin.  

Sa mga talinghaga, ang ating mga tauhan ay nagalak at nagdiwang nang masumpungan ang kanilang yaman.  Maganda ring tingnan, pwede rin nating sabihin na si Hesus ang tinutukoy na mangangalakal na iniwan ang lahat, inalintana ang Kanyang pagka-Diyos upang maging taong katulad natin – upang tayo ay samahan at makilakbay sa atin. 

Tayo ang kayamanan ng Diyos, ang Kanyang mga nilikha at labis ang Kanyang kasiyahan at galak sa pagkatagpo Niya sa atin.   We are God's treasures, always precious in His eyes.  Kaya patuloy nawang pag-alabin at pagyamanin ang ating mga puso ng awa at pag-ibig ng Diyos upang palagi nating hanapin at hangarin ang tunay na kayaman na kay Hesus lamang matatagpuan.   Amen. 


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