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 28, 2020. Tuesday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time - English

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Hulyo 28, 2020. Martes sa ika17 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 13: 36 43

Ang ating Mabuting Balita sa araw na ito ay siyang paliwanag ng Talinghaga ng Masasamang Damo. Naghasik ang may ari ng mabuting binhi ngunit nuong kinagabihan, tinaniman ng kanyang kaaway ng damo ang bukirin. Kung kaya’t sabay na tumubo ang mga mabuting binhi, at masasamang damo.

Ang mga masasamang damo, sila yaong gumagawa ng masama – sumusunod sa Diyablo. Samantalang ang mabubuting binhi, sila naman ang mga sumusunod sa kalooban ng Diyos. Mabuti at masamang binhi, sabay na tumubo sa bukirin – ang daigdig.

Sa ating pagninilay sa araw na ito, isipin natin na ang bukirin ay hindi ang daigdaig bagkus, ang bukurin ang ay ang ating mga puso. At sa ating mga puso, sabay na tumutubo ang mabuting binhi at ang masamang damo.

Naalala ko ang isang matandang kwento na base sa mga native American Indians. Sabi nila, sa ating puso daw ay may dalawang nakatirang leon – ang unang leon ay ang mabuting leon – masiyahin, mapagbigay, mapagmahal, mapagpatawad at mapang-unawa. Samantalang ang ikalawang leon ay masama – mainggitin, mapaghiganti, madamot, makasarili, palaging galit. At ang dalawang leon ay nagtutunggali, nag-aaway palagi.

Itatanong natin, alin kaya sa dalawang leon ang magtatagumpay? Ang sagot ay depende. Depende sa kung anong leon ang madalas mong pakainin. Kaya’t pag ikaw ay palaging nagagalit, pag ikaw ay laging nag-iisip maghiganti, kapag gusto mong palagi makalamang sa iyong kapwa, pinalalakas mo ang masamang leon. Kung ikaw naman ay palaging masaya, nagbibigay at nagmamahal sa kapwa, umuunawa at nagpapatawad, pinakakain mo ang mabuting leon.

Babalik tayo sa masamang damo at sa mabuting trigo. Kapag madalas mong pakainin ang masamang leon, para mo na ring nilalagyan ng pataba ang lupa kung saan nakatanim ang mga masasamang damo. Dahil dito, susukal ang bukurin ng iyong puso at maaring mamatay ang mabubuting trigo. Kung ang mabuting leon naman ang madalas mong pakanin, nilalagyan mo ng pataba ang mabuting trigo at ito ay lalago at magbubunga.

Ibig sabihin, ang kabuuan ng ating pagkatao, may mabuti at may masama. Hindi tayo puro lamang buti. At ito ay kinakailangan nating tanggapin ng may pagpapakumbaba kung ang nais natin ay magbago at makabahagi ng paghahari ng Diyos.

Upang masimulan ang proseso ng pagbabago, kailangan muna ang AWARENESS. Dapat ay alam natin ang ating mga kahinaan upang napaghahandaan natin ito. Kung madalas tayo ay nagagalit dahil sa ingay, iiwas na tayo sa mga lugar na maingay upang hindi tayo makasakit sa kalooban ng ibang tao. Susunod, kailangan ang ACCEPTANCE. Oo alam mo na ang iyong kahinaan, pero kailangang tanggapin mo rin ito. Huwag nating itanggi. Huwag nating i-deny. Sapagkat walang makakatulong sa atin – kahit ang atin mismong sarili o ang ating kapwa pag palagi nating idene-deny o ayaw tanggapin ang ating mga pagkakamali. At pangatlo, A CTION. Kailangan nating kumilos. Isaayos ang mga baluktot at masusukal na bahagi ng ating buhay at puso.

Maganda na palagi nating nasusuri ang bukirin ng ating mga puso. Hindi ba makapamunga ng mabuti ang trigo sapagkat sinasakal sila ng mga dawag? Kapatid, baka kailangan na nating magbunot ng mga damo at isaayos ang bukid upang ang mabubuting binhing itinanim ng Panginoon ay lumago at makapamunga at nang sa ganoon sa araw ng pagsusulit, mailalahad natin sa Diyos ang ating masaganang ani at sasabihin Niya sa atin, “halika sa aking kamalig at makisalo ka sa aking kaligayahan.” Amen.

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