Official monthly publication of the Bukas-Loob sa Diyos Covenant Community– San Pablo District
April 2009
I
n preparation for the 2009 Life in the Spirit Seminar
(LSS), the BLD-San Pablo District Healing Ministry
conducted a seminar workshop for covenanted members
of the community who are qualified to serve as shepherds
during the LSS and as future circle shepherds and Ministry
Coordinators. The seminar, entitled “Discovering a Common
Historical Past with Your Lamb”, was held last March 22, 2009 at
the St. Joseph the Worker Parish Multipurpose Hall, San Pedro
Laguna. With participants coming from the North and South
Sectors of the District, the seminar primarily aimed to provide the
attendees a deeper understanding of the dynamics of emotional/
spiritual wounding and sources of such wounding. Although it was
just a half-day seminar, a mini-workshop was conducted to help
participants recognize and understand woundedness in their lambs.
The working team was led by the Couple Coordinator of the
Healing Ministry—Ayo and Lina Catahan. The members of the
Healing Ministry who provided much needed assistance included
Vergel/Judith Eusebio, Ofie Bautista, Ofel/Susan Exconde, Abby
and Tracy Stewart, Dani Feliciano, Rose Eusebio, Rodel/Maripres
Sarinas and Mayette Gapud. The resource persons during the
seminar were the following: Ayo Catahan, Mayette Gapud, Ofel/
Susan Exconde and Rose Eusebio. Vergel Eusebio facilitated the
mini-workshop.
‘TOL, may kwento uli ako sa iyo. Basahin mo. I Love You Because...
Meron kaming 5 taong gulang na pamangking lalaki. I want to share with you my not-so-recent experiences.
Wala siyang ipinag-iba sa ibang katulad niyang bata; For the past two months, I have been going out to Manila
mahilig sa laruan, mahilig mag-laro, paminsan-minsan ay almost every weekend. One of the reasons why I am out is
mahirap pakainin, nag-liligalig, atbp. Subalit kapansin- because I have become very fond of watching musical
pansin kay JC (John Carlo) ang pagkamahiligin niya sa theater plays at Makati. One of them was entitled: I Love
pakikipag-usap sa mga matatanda, kabihasa man niya o You Because, which was produced by Repertory
hindi. Kaya’t malimit ay nagugulat kami sa mga sinasabi Philippines. According to the synopsis of the play, it is "a
niya at sa uri ng kanyang kat’wiran dahil ang mga ito ay modern day musical re-telling of Jane Austen's classic
hindi pambata. Halimbawa, kapag kaunti pa lang ang novel Pride and Prejudice with the genders reversed. I
nakakain niya at hinihimok siyang dagdagan pa, Love You Because is a musical comedy about how Mr. and
magsasalita siya ng, “Ang hirap mo namang kausapin.” Ms. Wrong try to resist falling in love. Together they explore
Nito ngang nakaraan ay nagulat na naman kami sa sinabi the nuances of dating and learning how to love someone,
niya. Isang umaga kasi ay ayaw niyang pumasok sa not in spite of their differences, but because of them."
eskwela na hindi karaniwan. Nang tanungin ng nanay n’ya You may have noticed that I have emphasized a
kung bakit, ang sagot niya ay, “Paulit-ulit lamang naman po phrase in the synopsis. I'll tell you why later... I actually
ang ginagawa namin, nakakasawa na.” Nag-iensayo na enjoyed the play. Made me think of going to theater plays
kasi sila ng mga gagawin sa graduation. (may it be acting... or being part of the band playing an
Oo nga naman, nakakasawa kapag paulit-ulit. Maging instrument... or part of the production staff). Anyway, what's
sa matatanda ay totoo ito. Kadalasan, at kung magagawa the connection with the Holy Week’s Passion, Death and
din lamang, iniiwasan o pinapalitan na lamang kung ano Resurrection?
man ang mga ito at kung hindi naman mapalitan at hindi rin Nothing... No just kidding :D God, in all its infinity, is
maiwasan, karaniwa’y nagiging mekanikal ang pagkilos so way above us. Think, why would he possibly give His
tungkol sa mga ito at lumilipas nang halos hindi Son to be our friend and to die for us? Yeah, we may say:
namamalayan. "We'll he loved us first."
But then again... Why?
SANDALI LANG. Meron ba tayong nakikita dito? Oo I know you are asking that same question now... and
‘tol. Ipagpatuloy mo ang pagbasa. here comes the play that I have watched. Many of us will
Ganito kasi ‘yon. Ewan ko kung pansin mo subalit iba say that in spite of the flaws and wrong-doings we may
ang kalagayan ng tao ngayon kaysa noong panahon ng have done to our loved-ones, they still love us. And some
mga kasaysayan sa Lumang Tipan hinggil sa pagpaparusa think that even if we are sinners, God still loves us. Some
ng Diyos sa kasamaan ng tao. Noon kasi, ang masama o may even think that in spite of our imperfections, God still
maling gawa ng tao ay talagang may malinaw na loves us. Right?
kaparusahang mula sa Diyos. Halimbawa; dahil kumain Maybe... But think again, what if God loves us
ang una nating mga magulang ng bungang ipinagbawal, because we are sinners?
sila ay pinalayas ng Diyos mula sa paraiso (Genesis 3: 23). What if God loves us because we sin?
Dahil naging sukdulan ang pagiging makalaman ng tao What if God loves us because we err?
noong panahon ni Noe, sila ay nilunod ng Diyos sa isang What if God loves us because we are imperfect?
malawakan at matagalang pagbaha (Genesis 7: 23-24). What if God loves us because we are human?
Dahil sa kapalaluang nagbunsod sa pagrereklamo ng mga You don't believe me?
Israelita sa Diyos at kay Moises nang sila ay nasa labas na Find the verse in the Bible "I came here for the
ng Ehipto, nagpadala ang Diyos ng mga makamandag na sick..."
ahas na pumuksa sa napakaraming Israelita (Mga Bilang He didn't go down to Earth to love the perfect. He
21: 5-6). Sa panahon ng Bagong Tipan, ang pagpaparusa didn't die for the righteous. He didn't. The Passion, Death
sa mga nabubuhay dahil sa kasalanan ay isinasaisang tabi. and Resurrection of Christ was made BECAUSE of our
Naparito ang Anak ng Tao hindi upang magparusa kung imperfections... BECAUSE of our sin... He Loved us first
hindi upang manubos (Mateo 20: 28). Kung kaya nga’t ang not in spite of but BECAUSE of...
mga kalamidad na katulad ng pagbaha, pagguho at iba pa And ultimately... Because we are His creatures... His
ay hindi naman talaga maituturing na parusa sapagkat ang sons and daughters.
totoo’y tahasang bunga lamang ito ng mga maling gawa ng And just like the play's director says in his notes:
tao. At maituturing ding ito ang dahilan kung bakit sa wari’y "And that's the entire premise of our show. You meet
namamayagpag ang lahat ng uri ng masasama, na ang someone and you fall in love with him or her simply
mga mapag-imbot halimbawa, mandaraya at because of who he or she is". And I would re-echo it... "And
mangungurakot ang siyang mabilis at patuloy sa pag-unlad that's the entire premise of the passion, death and
samantalang ang mga tapat at mabuti ay hirap na hirap resurrection. God created, met and fell in love with us
simply because of who we are." It is simply because of us
(Continued on page 6...TOL) (Continued on page 6...LOVE)
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of Week#4 (3rd Sunday of Easter) APRIL 26, 2009
those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and [Repentance]
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Theme: God exalts us when we preach repentance for the
glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:10-11) forgiveness of sins.
THEMES AND PROMISES Promise: “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your
sins may be wiped away.” (Acts 3:19)
Week#1 (Palm Sunday) APRIL 05, 2009
[Forbearance/ Endurance] DISTRICT DIRECTIONS FOR APRIL 2009
As we commemorate the Passion, Death and
Theme: God exalts us when we patiently bear our cross
Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us:
daily.
1. Confess and repent for the many times we have
Promise: “The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not denied Jesus and went against God’s will.
disgraced.” (Is 50:7) 2. Empty ourselves of self-righteousness and humbly
go through our own Passion, Death and Resurrection
Week#2 (Easter Sunday) APRIL 12, 2009 with the Lord by obeying His call to be His witnesses.
[Prayer Life] 3. Deepen our prayer lives and bear with one another in
the knowledge that all of us must carry our own
Theme: God exalts us when we overcome our sinful ways crosses daily
by His grace.
LOVE...Continued from page 5
Promise: “…that everyone who believes in him will receive
forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43) being His creation that He loved us. Not in spite of our
imperfections... but because of it and a whole lot more.
Week#3 (2nd Sunday of Easter) APRIL 19, 2009 He loves us as a whole package.
[Faith] Anyway, back to my experiences. You got to love
these plays. It's good and entertaining. And most of them
Theme: God exalts us when we believe & accept the have a lot of good lessons also. You may want to watch
Risen Christ as our Lord and Savior. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, produced
by Atlantis Productions (www.atlantisproductions.com),
Promise: “…believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of which will be shown until April 4 at RCBC Plaza, Makati
God, and that through this belief you may have life in his City. I tell you it is good.
Maybe someday, I'll find my partner somewhere out
TOL...continued from page 5 there... who I can love not in spite of who she is... but
umangat. Kaya’t ang iba’y nagtatanong; “Kailan iiral ang because of who she is... because of her real self.
katarungan ng Diyos? Kailan makikita ang pagpaparusa?”
Paulit-ulit ang kuaresma. Paulit-ulit ang Semana CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES
Santa. Parepareho ang istorya at mensahe taun-taon. APRIL 2009
Nakasawa na? Maari kung malapit lamang ang naaabot
ng ating pang-unawa at pananaw subalit hindi kung 2 April, Thursday, 7:30 pm, Eucharistic Celebration,
magsisikap tayong maaninag ang higit na mahalaga, -- na STCJP. Sponsors: District Leaders Conference
ito ay patotoo ng patuloy na pagmamahal at habag sa atin 4 April, Saturday, 8:00 pm, Eucharistic Celebration, BLD
ng Diyos. Ang isa pang Semana Santang sasapit ay North, Holy Family Parish, Sampaguita Village, San Pedro,
pagkakataon pa upang higit na sinupin natin ang ating Laguna.
buhay espirituwal na siyang iiral pagkatapos na bawiin sa 6-12 April, Monday-Sunday, HOLY WEEK.
atin ang hiram na buhay na ito. ‘Tol, hindi natin alam kung 14 April, Tuesday, DLC Meeting, BLD-SPD North
kailan ‘yun pero huwag nating kalimutan na sa panahong 15 April, Wednesday, DLC Meeting, BLD-SPD South,
iyon ay hihinto ang habag ng Diyos at iiral ng lubos ang Cahbriba Pavillon, Los Baños, College, Laguna.
Kanyang katarungan. 24-26 April, ME Weekend No. 41, BLD-SPD North Sector.
Venue: TBA.
Bumabati po sa inyong lahat ng isang makahulugang
1-3 May, 2009, Marriage Encounter Weekend No. 42,
Linggo ng Pagkabuhay!
TREES, UP Los Baños, College, Laguna. Sponsoring
Class: BLD Cabuyao and Calamba.