Cardinal David urges Filipinos to seek truth, hope through Easter salubong

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David delivered an Easter Sunday homily on April 20, urging Filipinos to actively seek truth and hope using the 'salubong' ritual as a symbol of spiritual awakening.

During his address at the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of the Immaculate Conception in Malabon City, David emphasized that meeting the Risen Lord requires stepping out of hiding and walking into the light, warning against letting darkness such as resentment or bias obscure one's vision.

David highlighted how the salubong tradition represents moving beyond sorrow to embrace Christ's light, noting that grief can veil one’s vision when weighed down by pain.

The cardinal linked this spiritual blindness to contemporary issues, questioning how people recognize genuine leaders amidst propaganda and social media noise, and stressed the importance of guidance for young people to stay grounded in truth and purpose.

David proposed a new Easter greeting, 'Maligayang Pagsalubong,' as a meaningful alternative to traditional greetings, symbolizing the active act of seeking and welcoming Christ's presence.

Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula echoed this sentiment during his own Easter Sunday message, urging Catholics to be a community of solidarity in a rapidly changing world where discerning truth is challenging but possible with patience and courage.

The cardinals concluded by reminding the faithful that the Holy Spirit offers hope and unity in love during Christ's physical absence, marking spiritual renewal.