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 5, 2020. 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Hulyo 5, 2020. Ika-14 na Linggo sa Karaniwang PanahonSunday 

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ng Panginoon ayon kay San Mateo 11: 25-30

Sa aking pagninilay sa mga pagbasa sa araw na ito ng ika-14 na Linggo sa Karanwiang panahon, nangibabaw ang dalawang salita. Kababaang-loob at kapahingahan. Sa mga pagbasa, ipinapakita na ang ipinangakong Mesiyas, may kababaang-loob. Taglay ay kapayapaan para sa bayang Israel. 

Sa Mabuting Balita, sinabi ni Hesus na ipinahahayag ng Ama ang Kanyang Sarili sa mga simple at mabababa ang kalooban.. At si Hesus mismo, nagtataglay ng kababaan ng loob..

Sa ating buhay, madalas ay umaasa tayo sa ating sarili. Gustong gusto nating sabihin na “I am a self-made person.” Umunlad ako at nagtagumpay dahil sa sarili kong pagsisikap at pagpupunyagi. Kaya umaasa tayo, kakayanin natin ang lahat ng bagay. Masipag tayo. Madiskarte tayo at marunong sa buhay. I am in control of my life." 

Wala namang masamang magtiwala sa sariling kakayahan. Pero minsan sa ating buhay, tila may mga pangyayaring wala sa ating control. Hindi natin napaghandaan. Hindi natin napagplanuhan. 

Gaya halimbawa ng pandemya ng COVID 19. Walang nakapaghanda para dito. We were all caught unprepared by this pandemic. Sino ang nag-akala noon na mapahihina nito ang ating pagkilos kung di man tuluyang napigilan na ngayon ay umabot na sa halos apat na buwan? Maraming nawalan ng hanap-buhay, nalugi ang kabuhayan, may mga tinamaan ng virus – nagkasakit at nakamatay, marami ang nagutom at nawalay sa kanilang mahal sa buhay. Sa mga ganitong pagsubok, hindi natin kayang panghawakan ang sarili nating galing, ang sarili nating diskarte. Kailangan natin ng tulong ng Diyos. 

Nabibigatan ka ba sa yong dinadala kapatid? Baka mabigat kasi inilalagay mo sa sarili mong mga kamay ang lahat ng iyong mga pasanin. Makinig ka sa paanyaya ni Hesus, itaas mo sa kanya ang iyong mga pasanin. Let go of all your controls and let God. 

Lumapit ka kay Hesus nang may pagpapakumbaba at aminin mo sa kanya “Panginoon, mabigat ang aking dinaraanang pagsubok at pinapasang mga problema sa ngayon pero kakayanin ko dahil alam kong hindi Mo ako pababayaan. Nagtitiwala ako sa iyong awa at pag-ibig para sa akin. Tulungan mo po ako.” 

Lumapit tayo kay Hesus at ang ating mga nagugulumihanang puso ay makasusumpong ng tunay na kapahingahan at kapayapaan sa Kanyang piling. Huwag tayong umasa sa huwad at panandaliang seguridad na ibinibigay ng mundong ito bagkus, manangan tayo sa Diyos. Na pilit tayong pinapayapa at pinagpapahinga sa kabila ng bigat ng ating mga pasanin. Hindi ka pinarurusahan ng Diyos, pinalalakas ka niya!

Tunay na malapit ang Diyos sa mga mabababa ang kalooban at ipinhahayag niya ang kanyang kaluwahaltian at kapangyarihan sa mga ito. Let God be in complete control of our lives. Amen.

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