Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan urged Filipino Catholics to embrace a vision of salvation rooted in inclusion, warning against attitudes of entitlement and exclusion that run counter to the Gospel.
During his Sunday homily, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines compared the question posed to Jesus — “Is it true that only a few will be saved?” — to the familiar party game “Trip to Jerusalem.”
“In that game, the secret to winning is to get ahead, push others, and shove your way to a seat,” Cardinal David said. “You think only of sitting first, eliminating the others, until you’re left alone to win the prize. Survival of the fittest, so to speak. It is not human principle but animal instinct.”
He explained that this mentality of competition and exclusion directly contradicts the Gospel message, emphasizing that God’s plan is not about reducing or eliminating people but about expanding His chosen people and opening salvation to all.
The prelate reminded the faithful that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were called not for themselves but to be a blessing to the nations. “They were blessed so that through them God’s blessing might reach the whole world,” he said.
Recalling the theme of the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines, he stressed that “we are not yet Christians if the salvation we desire is only for ourselves.”
The Kalookan prelate echoed Pope Francis’ call for a missionary and synodal Church. He said the true purpose of Jesus’ trip to Jerusalem “was to be lifted up so that all peoples of the world may be drawn to him.”
“This journey was not for personal gain, not for the salvation of a few. It was not a trip of racing, pushing, or shoving, but a journey of bringing good news, of finding more people to seat at the banquet of God’s kingdom,” he added.
Concluding his homily, Cardinal David suggested reimagining the children’s game by rewarding those who yield their seats to the weak, envisioning a setting where chairs multiply rather than diminish until all can share in God’s banquet.
He linked this vision to the Gospel promise in Matthew 19:28, where the renewal of all things is marked by Christ enthroned and his followers sharing in the fullness of God’s kingdom.
