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 6, 2020. Monday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time

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Hulyo 6, 2020. Lunes sa ika-14 na Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Mateo 9: 18-26

Napakaganda ng ating mga pagbasa sa ngayon sapagkat ipinapakita ng mga ito ang hindi nagbabagong awa, pag-ibig at pagpapagaling na dulot sa atin ng Diyos.

Sa unang pagbasa, ipinakita ang di nagmamaliw na pagmamahal ng Diyos sa bayang Israel sa pamamagitan ng halimbawa ng isang mapagmahal na asawa na nakahandang patawarin ang kanyang asawang nagtaksil at nagkasala. Sa kabila ng kanyang pagiging hindi tapat at salawahan, kahahabagan pa rin siya at aakuin ng Panginoon bilang Kanya.

Sa Mabuting Balita naman, matutunghayan ang dalawang himala ni Hesus – ang pagbuhay sa anak na babae ng pinuno ng mga Hudyo at ang pagpapagaling sa babaing dinurugo. Magkaiba sila ng paraan ng paglapit kay Hesus. Magkaiba rin sila ng katayuan sa buhay. Ngunit pareho silang pinakinggan ni Hesus. Ang isa’y hayagang humiling kay Hesus, ang isa nama’y hinawakan lamang nang buong pananalig ang laylayan ng damit Niya.

Ano ang mahihinuha natin sa dalawang pagpapamalas ng kadakilaan ng Diyos? Una, mahala ang pananalig upang makakilos sa buhay natin ang Diyos. Maaring may karamdaman tayo, may problema tayo at gusto tayong pagalingin ng Diyos pero ayaw natin lumapit. Bagama’t kayang gawin ng Diyos ang lahat ng bagay, iginagalang pa rin Niya ang ating kalayaan. Ang kalayaang piliin ang landas ng buhay at katotohanan sa piling Niya sa halip na ang buhay ng kasalanan at kasinungalingan na naghahatid sa kamatayan. Ang kalayaang magtiwala at sumampalataya sa Kanya.

Pangalawa, ipinapakita ang walang hanggang awa at pag-ibig ng Diyos para sa ating lahat. Sa kabila ng pagiging makasalanan at paulit-ulit nating paglayo sa Diyos, hindi mababago nito ang katotohanan – mas malaki ang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa mga kasalanang ating nagawa. Mababago at mawawala ang lahat, magugunaw ang mundo ngunit mananatili ang pag-ibig ng Diyos para sa atin.

Harinawa, buong kalayaan natin palaging piliing magtiwala sa awa at pag-big ng Diyos at tulad ng salmista, maawit rin natin ng may buong pananampalataya: ”Pag-ibig ng Diyos ay ganap, sa tanan Siya’y nahahabag.” Amen.

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