Metro Manila, Philippines – Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David said faith, hope, and solidarity are essential as Filipinos confront uncertainty from the Middle East crisis and the resulting economic meltdown.
In an interview on The Newsmaker, David said faith and hope cannot be separated from love, especially in times of suffering.
“In the Christian faith, we cannot even speak of faith and hope without speaking of love… the greatest of them is love,” he said.
The former Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president said it is through self-sacrificing love that people can find meaning amid crises.
“Only love can help us give meaning to our sufferings… love that is self-sacrificing,” he added.
David said the Middle East conflict, coupled with economic strain such as rising fuel and food prices, should push people to unite rather than divide.
“Hindi ito panahon ng pagkakanya-kanya… ito yung panahon na dapat magkabuklod tayo,” he said.
[Translation: This is not a time for division… this is a time when we must come together.]
“Solidarity is really the key to human survival,” he added.
The cardinal also warned that modern warfare risks detachment from human suffering when technology allows conflicts to be waged remotely.
“They don’t even see the terrible… consequences of war… the suffering that is caused on people,” he said, especially with the growing use of artificial intelligence in conflict.
He highlighted the role of the media in bridging that gap by presenting the realities of war closer to the public.
“It is only by being moved by that suffering… that our humanity can be really touched,” David said.
For Filipinos in high-risk areas, he called for spiritual unity and resilience rooted in faith.
“It is important… to be united in spirit… even if we are physically distant,” he said.
As Filipinos observe Holy Week, David called on the public to move beyond suffering and rediscover hope in the promise of renewal.
“We often forget that the real conclusion of the Holy Week is Easter,” he said.
“I wish and pray that our people could be led to a moment of awakening… a resurrection experience,” he added.
