Cardinal Jose Advincula launched the Jubilee Year in the Manila archdiocese on Monday, urging the faithful not to lose hope despite life’s challenges.
In his homily during Mass at the Manila Cathedral, Advincula emphasized that hope, a gift from God, cannot be taken away and is essential for overcoming hardships.
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“Indeed, there is hope for all of us. We have hope. This hope will not disappear or be stolen because it comes from God,” Advincula said. “It is a gift He has given us so that we do not lose heart in our journey through life.”
The cardinal’s message followed a recent Social Weather Stations survey, which showed that while most Filipinos remain hopeful for the New Year, optimism has declined compared to previous years.
The study found that 90 percent of adult Filipinos are entering 2025 with hope, a decrease from 96 percent in 2023.
This year’s hope rating was the lowest recorded since 2009, while the fear rating rose to 10 percent, up from 3 percent in 2023.
Amid uncertainty and suffering, the Manila archbishop emphasized that “Christ is the face of hope”.
“He will not disappoint us. He will not deceive us. He is not like others who give false hope,” Advincula said.
During the Mass, Advincula focused on three key aspects of hope: encountering hope, nurturing hope, and sharing hope.
The cardinal also stressed the importance of growing hope, comparing it to faith and love, which need nurturing to thrive.
He called on the faithful to share hope with those who are struggling, including the sick, prisoners, the elderly, migrants, the youth, the poor, and victims of injustice.
“We need hope. We need to strengthen one another through the hope that comes from Jesus,” Advincula added.
He also urged the faithful to walk together as a community toward the path of hope in the coming year.
He encouraged the organization of pilgrimages to Jubilee churches, visits to the sick and imprisoned, and a focus on nurturing hope within families, especially among the youth and the elderly.
“Let us make the year 2025 a year of pouring out the grace of hope for all,” he said.
