On Covenant and Commitment

From "In the Spirit of Transparency"
January 29, 1999

Some members have asked, why is Bukas-Loob Sa Diyos (BLD) is a covenant community? What is the difference between commitment and covenant in our community?

BLD is a covenant community because we commit ourselves to living a relationship of obedient faith, hope and love with God as individuals, families and as a communion of families. The manner in which we live this relationship with God is expressed through our 5-point community commitment and our 8-point community covenant.

Our community commitment and covenant do not supersede our baptismal covenant nor our obligations as Roman Catholics under church law. Rather, they help deepen our communion with the Church by enfleshing our baptismal covenant and obligations with specific pledges on how we will live our Catholic faith. As God is faithful to His covenant with us, we too are called to faithfulness in living our commitment and covenant with Him.

One year from their LSS, members who decide undertake the community’s Christian Discipleship Formation Program pledge themselves to the community commitment. Members who subscribe to the community commitment are called committed disciples. They are assigned to serve in a regular ministry or apostolate. During this time, committed disciples are also introduced to the community’s mission work. Those who complete the month committed discipleship phase and who decide to accept the Lord’s call for them to become covenant disciples of Christ pledge themselves to the community covenant.

Covenant discipleship is the last phase of the community’s formation program. Covenant disciples continue to receive formation, but receive more specialized instruction depending on their gifts. They actively serve in the community’s work of evangelization, pastoral care, formation, community-building and mission.

Committed and covenant discipleship are neither ranks, titles or aspirations. There are no ranks or titles in community, only functions. Everyone in community- whether regular, committed or covenant members- are equal, accepted and cherished. There is no aspiration in community but Christ our Lord. If there is a fundamental difference between the community commitment and covenant, it is this: in BLD, they signify in what deep waters we have to put out our nets into in obedience to the Lord’s call for us to become “fishers of men”.

“After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Luke 5:4