Bukas-Loob sa Diyos (BLD), A Love Story

“The best people in Davao that I know are Masons,” was Berting’s answer when asked to renounce Masonry before his baptism of The Holy Spirit in the Life in The Spirit Seminar (LSS). He finally agreed when assured by our under-shepherd that we will prayerfully leave this concern to God’s holy will.

Well into our three-year walk into discipleship, patterned after the 3-year public life of Jesus, Berting asked BLD’s Head Servant Sonny Delos Reyes if it were possible to bring BLD to Davao for his fellow Masons, and how to go about it.

Our ME, LSS, FE, YE groups and other Davao-based friends earnestly prayed for this.

It was necessary to have three couple disciples to start a district then. BLD Manila leaders also felt the need, and it was a concession to allow disciples Berting and me, Alice Bobadilla (Solo parent), and Romy Tan (single) to start in Davao.

BLD letter to Archbishop Mabutas to start a community formally given, the first prayer meeting was in our residence at Belisario “gilids.” It was led by our BLD Manila ME (Marriage Encounter) shepherd Ida Tionko, with Margie Domingo and some other friends in attendance. Our home served as venue for the first teachings and the kids’ Mark 10 meetings, and dorm for Manila elders.

Active sharers in FE (Family Encounter) and LSS, our plan was to stay in Manila, and have Davao-based Mike and Pat Manalaysay look after Davao. God had other plans. Since Mike and Pat needed to complete teachings, Manila elders decided we go home to head Davao.

Fast forward. It was a July 29, 2019 night of remembering, reconnecting, renewing for the 25-year-old Bukas-Loob sa Diyos Catholic Charismatic Community. Spiritually rich with ME, FE, SPE, YE graduates, BLD has grown in ways only God can make possible and sustain.

Always God first, the anniversary event started with a Holy Mass by its Spiritual Director Monsignor Paul Cuison with six other priests. Monsignor Cuison congratulated BLD, and encouraged and challenged them to seek more souls for God through its various ministries.

BLD’s present leaders had the look of expectant faith and quiet confidence, that in God’s perfect time, more God-surprises will come. And a BLD Center is not far off!

Flashback. Our whole family (22nd Degree, Eastern Star, Demolays, Job’s daughter), and other Masons in BLD did formally renounce masonry and pledged to be faithful to the Catholic faith with Archbishop Mabutas. Archbishop Mabutas told his personal friend Margie Domingo that BLD started the first folder of Davao Masons who renounced. Our brother Masons avoided us like a plague.

Berting said he joined the ME for love of me, and was inspired to bring BLD to Davao for love of his fellow Masons.

When I required our young children to kneel in praying the rosary, Berting defended them by saying that the prayer is not in the Bible. Weak with cancer, I implored him not to kneel anymore. Still, he knelt with much difficulty. He said “I refused God my strength, I will not now refuse Him my weakness.”

Ultimately, the heart of this gambler/imbiber/sinner, by God’s grace, blossomed into love of God, offering Him his last ounce of shame and pain, his all.

GOD never fails.

ALL LOVE AND GLORY TO GOD ALONE!

(Bella A. Sarenas)