Don Bosco Philippines South Province

Homily on the Solemn Feast of St. John Bosco; 31 January 2024, DBPH Talamban

Ever since I was a child, I have always been fascinated by big trees. In front of our house in Quezon City where I grew up, there stood across the street a huge and shady Narra tree. Every summer it would bloom with countless tiny yellow flowers – one could smell their sweet scent even from a distance. Towards November it would start to shed off its leaves until the branches were bare and seemingly dead. However by March, new leaves would begin to sprout until it could again would provide a cool shade for us little children who liked to play outdoors in the hot summer vacation.

When I was twelve years old, I entered the seminary in Don Bosco Pampanga and I found other trees looking better, such as the Agujo Tree (we also call it Pine tree) and the Acacia Tree. These two trees have amazed me more than the Narra, because I found the Agujo much taller and the Acacia much wider and shadier as its branches were stretching out longer and farther.

Some years ago, I discovered yet another tree and this one amazed me the most. They say it was the giant of all trees. It is called the Sequoia Tree found in the forests of California, USA. Actually I have not seen any of them yet except in National Geographic Magazine. You know, this tree is so huge and gigantic that people who stand close by under it would look like dwarfs compared to its enormous size. And if it happens to obstruct a road being constructed, workers can cut a tunnel thru the base of its trunk to enable cars to pass through it and the tree would still stand unaffected. To climb to the top of this towering tree would really be like climbing a steep mountain using ropes. The adventure would certainly be a mega-challenge.

Dearly beloved brothers in the priesthood, confreres, Salesian Family members, staff, religious sisters, mission partners, and friends, thank you for being with us today to celebrate the feast of St. John Bosco, father, teacher and friend of the young. Viva Don Bosco!

Don Bosco was born in Italy more than 200 years ago and died on this day Jan 31, 1888. He was 72 years old. For those who do not know yet, the name BOSCO in Italian means woods or forest or a place where various big trees are silently growing like a forest. The Salesian Family spread out all over the world is like BOSCO, a vast forest, with St John Bosco standing out as the largest and tallest tree among all of us. Just like the amazingly tall and towering Sequoia Tree, Don Bosco’s holiness has reached as high as the heavens and his apostolic zeal has extended so far that it has reached millions of youth in as many as 132 countries in this planet. This is precisely the main reason for our gathering this morning… to give thanks to God for the gift of Don Bosco to the Church and to the world.

I myself can testify before you, that Don Bosco has truly made a big difference in my life ever since I studied prep in DB Mandaluyong. I was inspired by SDBs like Fr Panfilo (now a retired bishop), Fr Alton Fernandez, and Fr Rey Ranjo (our brother assistant at that time.) And if I am now serving as a Salesian priest it is all because of him who dedicated his entire life for poor and neglected youth including those in danger or at risk. And I believe he too has influenced you in one way or another. You have your own stories to tell. We are here, therefore. because we want to thank him and honor him for the difference he has made in our lives.

Some years ago, I attended the college graduation in DBTC, and I was impressed by the speech of an alumnus who was invited to be the guest speaker. He was narrating how he had to sweat it out to pass all his subjects in Don Bosco including drafting. And many times, he had to repeat his drawing plates over and over again because his instructor would not accept drawing plates with erasures and ink blots. He is now a successful businessman and a very proud Bosconian like many others. No doubt, Don Bosco made a big difference in his life too.

However, if Don Bosco would be here today and we would have the chance to ask him whether he is happy to see so many Bosconians become successful businessmen and professionals, I guess his answer would be a big no. Don Bosco wants all of us both the educators and the young to aim much higher than success in society. What do you think is much higher than being a successful professional, businessman or businesswoman in the world? It is no other than to be a “HOLY-MAN” or HOLY-WOMAN.” In other words it is to be a saint is the highest dream one can aspire for.

Why should we become saints? It is because God wants us to and it is Don Bosco’s dream for us his children. In his dream at nine, DB did not see wolves changing to become well trained guard dogs. What he saw were wolves & beasts transforming into lambs & sheep, gentle, pure and humble.

Besides Don Bosco himself who is our father did not only become a professional in his own field as a diocesan priest. Above all he became a saint; a great saint who made a great impact in this world esp. among the poor and abandoned youth for which he received an unfading crown and eternal reward in heaven. Don Bosco’s dream, is the dream that makes us dream. Dream of what? The dream to become a saint just like him (Can you please turn to the one beside you and tell him/her “Be a saint.”)

You might think that to be a saint is only for a few. The good news is that holiness is for me and for you, and for all of us gathered here. And what is even more surprising and exciting is this, to be a saint is something you can achieve now, even as a salesian, as a religious, as a student, as a teacher, as a parent or as an employee, or as an ordinary lay person.

You might ask me, what is your proof that it is possible? Look at St. Dominic Savio (only 15 yrs old), Bl. Ceferino Namuncura (only 19), Bl. Laura Vicuna (only 12), Bl. Alberto Marvelli (lay leader, 28 yrs old), Bl. Alessandrina da Costa (ASC, paralyzed, 55 yrs old). How come they became saints and blesseds? It is because their heartbeat was all for Jesus and Mary. They loved Jesus and Mary so much that they were ready and willing to do anything good for the glory of God and for those in need of their help. They loved Jesus and Mary so much they would rather say NO to anything that will offend them.

Allow me to keep your eyes focused on St Dominic Savio. We see him not only serving faithfully at Mass but also stopping a supposedly bloody fight between two big boys ready to smash each other’s head with the rocks they were carrying in their hands. He managed to stop them, reconcile them and make them friends again. We also see him courageously campaigning against pornography. One day, during break time, he saw his companions, having fun in one corner of the playground. Excitedly he approached them to join their fun but was so shocked to see they were looking at bad pictures. So at once he grabbed the porn magazine from them, tore it to small pieces and staring at his friends he told them what their eyes were made for according to God’s wonderful plan.

Dear friends, I challenge you today to strive not only to be safe and strong, happy and healthy every single day of your life. Let us strive above all to be saintly, holy and inspire others to holiness. Would you still remember what Don Bosco said during one Good Night Talk about being holy? I guess I have shared this already with our staff some time ago.

1. It is God’s will that we become saints.
2. It is quite easy to become a saint.
3. A great reward is prepared in heaven for the one who becomes a saint.

If Dominic Savio became a saint and is honoured today as a giant of sanctity, it is because he took seriously these three points emphasized by Don Bosco in that memorable Good Night talk. He saw himself in Don Bosco’s dream, the wolf transforming into sheep.

My dearest brothers and sisters, we honor Don Bosco today for many reasons, not only as the father and teacher of the young, and not only as the founder of the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the Salesian Cooperators, the Association of Mary Help of Christians and the worldwide Salesian family. Above all we honor him today in a very special way because he himself became a saint and a maker of so many other saints. Aside from the nine canonized saints we already have more than 160 blesseds,, venerable and servants of God are being processed for canonization. And we, who are gathered here can gratefully take pride in the fact that we belong to a family of saints, …and holiness runs in our blood.

This year 2024-25 we SDBs are glad to let you know that we are celebrating the 200th anniversary of Don Bosco’s dream when he was nine years old. We believe we can still dream dreams despite our age, and therefore our dream to become saints can be the best gift we can ever offer to him on his feast day.

I hope and pray that as we partake of this Eucharist, all of us, whatever our status and affiliations might be, may truly grow in holiness each day, and one day reach the highest heavens, much higher than what the Sequoia Trees have already reached for hundreds of years. Remember this: Don Bosco’s dream was not only to see wolves transform to lambs and sheep but above all to see a “BOSCO” growing with countless towering saints.

Disclaimer: This section of the website is a personal creative writing of the author and does not necessarily reflect the official views, opinion, or policies of the Salesians of Don Bosco – Philippines South Province. For concerns on the content, style, and grammar of this piece, please contact us.