Joffe Almoro
Dear Brothers and Sisters of the BCBP,
The Significance of 40
In the Old Testament, God’s Chosen People spent 40 years wandering in the desert before reaching the Promised Land.
While this period represented a period of sacrifice, God, showed his love and care for them as we recall his many miracles of bringing forth water in the desert to quench their thirst, the appearance of Manna, “Bread from Heaven” to sustain them with food.
God sent Jonah to Niniveh to warn them that their city will be destroyed in 40 days if they do not repent from their evil ways. God eventually withheld his punishment after seeing the inhabitants of the city immediately repenting and even fasting with ash and sack cloth.
Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights before he began his public ministry. He was tempted by the devil but in the end Jesus prevailed!
We have just completed the annual observance Lent, recalling Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection, lasting 40 days as well. And today, marks our 40th day of lockdown, or ENHANCED COMMUNITY QUARANTINE (ECQ) amidst the ongoing Covid pandemic, that has plagued the entire world.
Brothers and Sisters, did you know that the word Quarantine, literally speaking, means a period of isolation consisting of 40 days!
And most significantly, today, 40 years ago, the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals was born.
We were supposed to be celebrating in DAVAO, where over 4,600 of us who had registered their our to NAC 40. We had initially postpone this to a later date last Mar. 15 and subsequently cancel, earlier this week.
During these past 40 days, all of us have stayed at home… all our Action Group Meetings, Friday Assemblies and Breakfasts have been discontinued. For sure a lot of us are asking “God why this is happening to us?”
Are we being chastised for the sins of our generation?
After 40 years of the BCBP, have we gotten so used to our AGM’s, Assemblies, and Breakfasts, that these have become routine and no longer exciting?
But all is not lost, for during these trying times, we have seen the emergence of new modes of reaching out and engaging our brothers and sisters in community.
On-line breakfasts via social media platforms via Zoom and Skype as well as virtual assemblies and team meetings have partially quenched our thirst for community.
Likewise we have seen an overflowing expression of care for our brothers and sisters adversely affected by the lockdowns as well as those material support and assistance for our front liners in the battle against the pandemic.
Today, 40 days into the “Quarantine”, I believe the Lord is allowing us to “fast” and to “abstain” from physical presence in our communities… so that when this is all over, and we all get to go out of our homes again, we will see our BCBP community in a much different light.
We will participate in all our BCBP activities: Action Groups Meetings, our Breakfast fellowships and Assemblies, with renewed passion and deep fervor.
Like those who have experienced the healing power of Jesus, it will be impossible to keep all of us from proclaiming the Risen Lord, the Good News of His Salvation and God’s perfect and compassionate love for everyone.
Happy 40th Anniversary BCBP!
Joffe Almoro
President
