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 9, 2020. Thursday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time - Filipino

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Hulyo 9, 2020. Huwebes sa ika-14 na Linggo ng Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 10: 7-15

Madalas, pag tayo ay may pupuntahan, halimbawa’y sasama tayo sa isang pilgrimage, napakarami nating dinadala – pagkain, tubig, extra t-shirt, kendi, shades, tuwalya, gamut sa hilo. Kung minsan pag babae pa ang maglalakbay, ang daming dalang bag – may malaki kung saan niya ishu-shoot ang mga bibilhin niya sa kanyang pag-iikot-ikot halimbawa, may pamaypay, payong at may mas maliit pang bag na ang laman naman ay mga abubot – pulbos, make-up, lipstick, at iba pa. Takot na takot tayong mauhaw, magutom, maarawan, mainitan o maging mukhang haggard. Palagi tayong may probisyon sa mga kakailanganin natin. 

Ngayong araw na ito, pinaalalahanan ni Hesus ang mga alagad na sa kanilang pangangaral sa paparating na paghahari ng Diyos, wala dapat sila gaanong dala-dala. Bagkus ang tanging dala nila ay ang kapayapaang hatid ng mabuting balita sa kanilang pagbisita sa mga bahay bahay. 

Sa pagpunta nila sa mga nayon, kapayapaan ng Diyos ang kanilang dadalhin. Ibabahagi nila ang pagdating ng paghahari ng Diyos sa tahanan at sa buhay ng kanilang mga bibisitahin.

Dahil wala silang mga dala-dalang kung ano-ano, wala silang aalalahanin. Wala ang mabigat na bag, ang tubig na pamatid uhaw, ang damit na bihisan. Wala silang ibang aasahan kung hindi ang kagandahang loob ng Diyos na siyang magpupuno sa ano mang kulang, sa ano mang wala. 

Walang masama sa pagkakaroon ng mga probisyon, ng madaming dala-dala. Ngunit wag nawa maging hadlang ang seguridad na ibinibigay ng mga bagay na ito upang matunton at maunawaan natin ang tunay na mas mahalaga – ang pagsunod sa kalooban ng Diyos. Lagi nawa tayong magtiwala sa kagandahang loob ng Diyos at dito laging umasa. Ibibigay niya ang ating kakailanganin sa tama at takdang oras. 

Hopefully, in our following of Jesus, we may learn to focus only on the essentials, on what is most important - and that is our trust that God will provide. Wala tayong dapat ipag-alaala. 

Sa huli, sa ating paglalakbay pabalik sa Diyos, wala tayong dadalhin. Ang dala-dala lamang natin ay ang ating mga kuwento kung papaano tayo naging instrumentio ng pagpapalaganap ng paghahari ng Diyos. 

Kapatid, marami ka bang dala-dala? Baka gusto mong bawasan at ibigay sa iba na mas nangangailangan? Amen.

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