Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula told Catholic faithful on Easter Sunday to resist global indifference and the normalization of genocide amid ongoing world wars. He echoed sentiments from the late Pope Francis about a 'piecemeal Third World War' and Pope Leo XIV's call to end conflicts causing widespread suffering. The message highlights Jesus' resurrection as a source of hope and resistance.
In his Easter message delivered yesterday amid ongoing global wars, Manila's Jose Cardinal Advincula instructed Catholic faithful to counter global indifference and the normalization of genocide.
"This international conflict has brought immense suffering to all of us – from inflation and economic hardship to severe mental and emotional anguish, not to mention the tragic loss of countless lives," Advincula said. He described Jesus' resurrection as an "earth-shaking event" that opens earthly life to eternity, contrasting it with destructive drones and missiles.
Advincula presented the resurrection as Christianity's most subversive message: a triumph of light over darkness and life over death. "The Resurrection of Jesus is the most subversive and revolutionary message of Christianity. It is a call to resistance – to push back against the forces that ruthlessly seek to bury our joy and our future," he stated.
"Easter is a nonviolent battle against hatred and hostility. Easter is a summons to all peoples to reject the ‘globalization of indifference’ and the normalization of genocide," he added. He urged fellow bishops to demand accountability, pursue justice in governance, and provide urgent relief to those in agony.
"Let us not waste the sacrifice and offering of Jesus on the cross. Let us not fail to recognize the liberating presence of the Risen Christ in our midst," Advincula concluded.
