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 27, 2020. Monday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time - Filipino

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Hulyo 27, 2020. Lunes sa ika-17 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 13: 31-35

Habang binabasa ko ang Mabuting Balita kagabi, pumasok agad sa isip ko ang tag line ng isang energy drink – “Great things start from small beginnings.” At iyan ang mensahe ng Mabuting Balita. Walang malaking bagay na hindi nagsimula sa maliit, sa wala.

Halimbawa ang malalaking building, hindi sila sumulpot na matatayog na mga istruktura kaagad-agad, bagkos, ito ay nabuo sa pamamagitan ng pagsasama-sama ng maliliit na bahagi; magmula sa mga maliliit na bato, semento, bakal at marami pang iba upang maitayo ang mataas na gusali.

Sa araw na ito, muling gumamit ang Panginoong Hesus ng talinghaga upang ipaunawa kung paano nagagaganap ang paghahari ng Diyos. At ikinumpara nya ito sa maliit na butil ng mustasa at sa lebadura na inihahalo sa harina. Ang butil ng mustasa, pinakamaliit sa lahat ng mga buto, ngunit pag tumubo, magiging pinakamalaki sa lahat ng mga gulay. Samantalang ang kaunting lebadura na inihalo sa masa, magpapa-alsa dito upang maging tinapay.

Our Gospel today speaks of the transformative power of the Kingdom of God. It can make something good and great come out from the least and most unexpected. Jesus for instance began His ministry by calling a small band of followers who were ordinary people like fishermen and even public sinners and it has so spread and grown to become the Catholic Church. And like the small mustard seed that has transformed to become the biggest of all the shrubs, it reaches out and welcomes everyone to rest and gather strength in its branches.

Sa ating buhay Kristiyano, ganoon din. Ang Diyos, may itinanim na maliit na butil ng mustasa ng kabutihan sa ating mga puso. And that is our dignity as humans. We are intrinsically good because we were created in the image and likeness of God. At nasa sa atin na kung paano ang munting butil ay lalago bilang isang mayabong na puno.

Magagawa natin ito sa pamamagitan ng maliliit nating gawang mabuti sa ating kapwa. Naalala ko noon si Cardinal Rosales kapag binabanggit niya ang Pondo ng Pinoy wika niya “ang bagay na maliit, basta malimit, patungong langit.” Ganyan ang paghahari ng Diyos, nagsisimula sa maliit. May mga damit kang hindi na ginagamit, ibahagi mo sa nangangailangan. Sabi nga ng isang santo, kapag ang damit mo ay hindi mo nagagalaw sa iyong cabinet sa loob ng anim na buwan, hindi na iyon sa iyo, pag-aari na iyon ng mahihirap. May niluto kang meryenda, bahagihan mo ang kapit-bahay mo. Turuan mo sa assignment nya ang kapatid mo. Maraming maliliit na bagay, pero gagawin mong malimit hanggang makasanayan mo na ang paggawa ng mabuti.

Sabi rin ng guro ko dati “Practice makes permanent.” Pagnasanay ka nang gumawa ng maliliit na bagay sa ikabubuti ng iyong kapwa, palagi mo na itong gagawin. Magandang practice din ang pagkagising natin sa umaga, ialay natin sa Diyos ang lahat ng ating mga iniisip at lahat ng gagawin sa araw na iyon upang ito ay Kanyang papabanalin. Ang mga gawang mabuti natin sa ating kapwa, iyon din ang maliliit na butil ng mustasa na itatanim natin sa mga puso nila. Nang sa gayon, patuloy na lumaganap ang paghahari ng Diyos. Hindi natin alam kung saan makakarating ang maliit na kabutihang ginawa na natin sa ating kapwa.

Let Jesus continue to change us and to renew us that we may transform the world and become effective witnesses to the coming of His Father’s kingdom here on earth. Amen.

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