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 4, 2020. Saturday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time

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Hulyo 4, 2020. Sabado. Ika-13 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 9: 14-17

Kapag marahil, may nagpakita sa atin ng isang baso na may lamang tubig, na kalahating puno at tinanong tayo kung ano ang masasabi natin sa tubig, marahil ang una nating masasabi ay ang baso ay “kalahating puno ng tubig”. Yan marahil ang una nating maiisip.

Pero, nakahanda ba tayo na may ibang tao na magsasabi na ang baso ay “kalahating kulang ng tubig?” o di kaya, madumi ang lamang tubig ng baso? O kaya naman ay “nakatatanggal ng uhaw ang tubig?” Tatanggapin kaya natin? Maari ba nating sabihin na tama ang lahat ng kanilang naging pagtingin sa tubig?

Tunay na pwedeng isang bagay lang ang ating tinitingnan pero iba-iba ang ating pagtingin o interpretasyon sa magkaparehong bagay. Sa ating pagtingin maaring tama tayo o mali ang iba, o tama ang iba o mali tayo, o tama tayo at tama rin ang iba. Pero ito ba ay usapin ng pagiging tama o pagiging bukas na tanggapin ang pagtingin ng iba?

Mga kapatid, iyan ang paaanyaya sa atin ng ating Mabuting Balita sa araw na ito. That we have the openness of heart to accept the new way of life that Jesus is proposing to us.

Ipinapakita ni Hesus ang tensyon na umiiral sa pagitan ng luma at bago. At sa pamamagitan lamang ng kabukasan ng ating puso una, tunay nating mapapakinggan ang sinasabi ni Hesus sa atin, at pangalawa, matatanggap at maisasabuhay ito. Sapagkat kung tayo ay sarado, unang una, hinding hindi tayo makikinig at pangalawa, hinding hindi rin tayo magbabago.

Mananatili tayo sa luma nating buhay. Kasi sarili lang natin ang ating pinakikinggan o nasanay na tayo sa kung ano ang kumportable at madali. Ayaw nating magbago.

Si Hesus, may bagong turo na nais ipakilala sa mga taong gustong sumunod sa Kanya ngunit sarado ang kanilang mga isip. Ayaw nilang pakinggan si Hesus kahit nakikita na nila ang mga tanda at senyales na si Hesus ang ipinadala ng Ama upang tubusin at bigyang laya ang bayang Israel. Hindi nila ito matanggap kahit nakikita nila na gumagaling ang mga may sakit, nakakakita ang mga bulag, nakakalakad ang mga lumpo at naipapahayag ang mabuting balita sa lahat ng dako. Sapagkat iba ang inaasahan nilang Mesiyas. Ayaw nilang baguhin ang makitid nilang pagtingin.

Iyan ang nais ipakahulugan ni Hesus sa talinghaga na walang nagtatagpi ng bagong kayo sa isang lumang kasuutan at wala ring nagsisilid ng bagong alak sa lumang sisidlang-balat.

Kabukasan ang susi upang matutunan nating tanggapin ang mga nais ipagawa at baguhin sa atin ni Hesus. Baguhin natin ang ating mga lumang pamamaraan at pagtingin at iayon ito sa kung paano tumungin si Hesus. Amen.

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