15/06/2026
Everyone Has a Unique Mission
God created everyone for a purpose. Jesus became incarnate for the purpose of saving us and reconciling us with God. A person will never die unless they have fulfilled their mission. Perhaps you have seen or heard of tragedies where many lost their lives, yet someone survived. The survivor is not yet done with their mission.
God's power is absolute. He can save even in the most impossible situations. He had the power to prevent His Only Begotten Son from being crucified, yet He allowed it, even when Jesus' heart was troubled and filled with anguish.
In our human understanding, we may ask: Why didn't God stop Divine and Rene from drowning? Why doesn't God stop people from being killed in wars, banditry, terrorism, and natural disasters? Pause for a moment. Then ask again: Why didn't God stop people from killing His own Son?
Everyone here has a unique mission. It is not about age; it is about God's will. For instance, Rene had many plans for his family. Yet he suddenly went home to God at the very young age of 18 (19). Though he lived a short life in our eyes, he fulfilled his mission. It has been reported that Ateneo de Davao has offered full scholarships to all his siblings. The school is also renaming its basketball court the Rene Baterbonia Basketball Court. His name has reached both national and international audiences, as his death has ignited calls for accountability, transparency, and safety in sports. He may have died, but he remains alive in the fulfillment of his dreams through his family. He will continue to inspire generations to come, especially as his legacy is immortalized through the RBBC Davao. Remember, many athletes have had similar dreams, but because of injuries or accidents, they were unable to fulfill them even though they are still alive. Rene is no longer with us physically, yet his dreams continue to live on because he fulfilled his earthly mission.
We often say that God's time is the best. But who among us truly knows when that decisive moment will come? Life is not measured by how long we live but by how well we live in fulfilling our mission. Once again, a friend of mine wisely observed that good people often do not live very long because God is protecting them from the contamination of a broken world. Rene and Divine have played their part. Let us keep their memories alive by living each day the values, dreams, and hopes they desired to live themselves.
If one's "time" arrives, not even the best surgeon, professional or biggest quantity of money can stop it. If it's time it's time and the circumstances will align. It's scary but every life is temporal. We are citizens of heaven not earth.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." Jn 12:24
May God grant eternal rest to the souls of Divine Adili and Rene Bobet Baterbonia and comfort their families, friends, loved ones and fans.
ctto.
Welcome home, brother. Rest easy. 🤍🕊️
