Today we celebrate something quiet but immense. Final Vows are not loud. They are not dramatic. They do not appear on the news or trend on social media. And yet, for us who gather in this small chapel, what we are witnessing today is one of the most beautiful and mysterious acts of freedom: a man freely handing his entire life back to God.
Mary’s Offering — A Mirror of Today
Our readings are for the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Tradition tells us that Mary, while still very young, was presented in the Temple—given completely to God, even before she fully understood how God would shape her life. Final Vows have that same quiet depth. They are not primarily about what we accomplish, but about what we offer. Not about what we have done, but what we let God do in us. And today, Fr Bong stands here in that same spirit.
“Bong, You Are My Beloved Son”
During your retreat, you heard these words deep in prayer: “Bong, you are my beloved Son.” And you felt profound joy because you knew—you knew—that God was pleased with you. And this has given you immense joy, echoing the joy we heard in the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Zechariah. It is a joy that has remained with you all throughout your life as it has never been withdrawn by God out of His graciousness. Bong, that is the foundation of your vocation. Not duty. Not achievement. But belovedness. It was God’s love, you said, that brought you to religious life; and it is the same love that has kept you here.
“Whoever Does the Will of My Father…”
In the Gospel, Jesus says: “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Mt 12:50). In other words, belonging to Jesus is not based on bloodline, but on relationship—on companionship, on shared mission. During your retreat, you prayed about the Passion and said to Our Lord: “I want to be one with You.” You saw yourself as a companion of Jesus, just as Ignatius heard the invitation of Our Lord Jesus carrying the Cross in a vision at La Storta: “We want you to serve us”. For you, companionship with Jesus is not mere theory. It is the deepest truth of your vocation.
Finding the Poor — And Becoming Friend
If there is one thread running consistently through your life, it is this: Wherever you are assigned, you find the poor. Or perhaps more truthfully: Wherever you go, the poor find you! Because you do not simply minister to them; you form friendships with them. This is something you learned early in life—through your parents, who taught you simplicity and detachment from material things. Your vows today affirm how you have been living your life: with a heart captured by Jesus—“puso ko’y binihag mo”—and therefore captured also by those whom Jesus loves.
The Magnificat — A Song For Your Life
The Responsorial Psalm today is Mary’s Magnificat, the song of someone who knows that everything in her life—strength, mission, fruitfulness—comes from God. That is also your life, Bong. Bukidnon Mission District. San Jose Seminary. Ateneo High School Campus Ministry. Ateneo de Iloilo. Across all these assignments, you have carried one consistent attitude: humility, patience, creative fidelity in mission. These are the quiet virtues that build the Kingdom. These are the virtues that make a Jesuit not just effective, but holy.
Your Three Simple Desires
You once said: You wish only three things as a Jesuit priest—that you remain humble, holy, and happy. And honestly, that is the entire Gospel. Not perfection. Not brilliance. Just a humble heart, a holy life, and a happiness rooted in God. And if I may add—today, all of us gathered here can testify: You already live these three.
Final Vows — A Grace for All of Us
Bong, thank you for allowing us to witness this moment. For your family, this is the culmination of a long journey of God’s love active in your life. For your Jesuit brothers, it is a reminder of our own vows, our own first love. For your colleagues and friends, it is a sign that yes—people can still give their entire lives to something beyond themselves. And for the poor—whom you love so naturally—your Final Vows are a promise that you will continue to be a brother, a friend, and a faithful companion to them.
Conclusion
As Mary offered her life in the Temple, as Jesus offered Himself on the cross and in the Eucharist, today you offer your life completely to God—and God receives it with joy. And so, Bong, as you make your Final Vows, hear once again the voice that spoke to you in prayer: “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.” May you remain humble, holy, happy—and always, always a companion of Jesus, for that has been your wish and daily prayer since you responded to God’s call 26 years ago. “Place me with thee, place me with your son”—a prayer you made also to the Blessed Mother like Ignatius, a prayer made mil veces, a thousand times.
Between then and now, there have been many years of learning, and of growing, of understanding better yourself and your vocation. Years perhaps of uncertainties, of weaknesses experienced and humbly accepted; times of failure and stumbling; hours maybe of doubting and grayness and discouragement; moments of weariness and “di ko na kaya,” of loneliness and even many tears. Of course, there have been times too of joy and confirmation, when one was sure it was God who truly chose you for this life, this life one often finds hard to understand; this life for which He gives us courage to hold on and peace to go forward still.
Yes, there are times when one knows the incredible wonderment of His mercy, and one’s head bends in disbelief that suddenly in the silence one can be gathered so strongly in His arms and pressed so tenderly to His heart. Moments too even in darkness, hoping beyond hope, as St Paul says. “I trust in Him whom I have believed.” Moments when one can utter in awe with the beloved disciple, “It is the Lord!”
Bong, we are with you; you can count on our support and friendship. We pray that the Lord who has given you the desire to follow Him also bestow on you abundant grace to fulfill it—to live your life as a priest of God, a companion of Jesus, with joy, love and fidelity.
Homily preached on 21 Nov 2025, from the Mass of the Final Vows of Fr Braulio M Dahunan SJ
At the Oratory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ateneo de Iloilo-Sta Maria Catholic School, Iloilo City