A SIGNIFICANT threat faced by the world today is not just hostility waged by hatred, but a growing numbness towards suffering among educated and privileged communities, a prelate said.
Cubao Bishop Emeritus Honesto Ongtioco lamented that indifference has quietly replaced outrage in the face of injustices, pointing out how people began to normalize inequality in the modern world.
He clarified that his remark does not condemn intelligence, but is meant to warn the faithful against “false foundations” brought by the comfort of titles, achievements, publications, technology and security.
“This is the great danger of our time, especially for educated and privileged communities. It’s not hatred, but numbness. We live in a world where we scroll past suffering,” the former bishop said in his homily for the second day of the UST retreat on Thursday, March 5.
Ongtioco linked the dangers of indifference to the story of Lazarus, a beggar covered with sores who lay at the gate of a wealthy man and whose pleas for help were ignored. He said the story is an example of how suffering can remain visible yet overlooked.
He explained that the Gospel is unsettling because while the rich man was not portrayed as cruel, he was indifferent to the needs of the poor.
“The rich man’s sin was not wealth. It was a closed heart,” he said.
Turning to religious teachers, professors and catechists in the University, Ongtioco said their efforts in their work are not different from the sacrifices made by the Thomasian martyrs, who offered their lives and stood by their faith.
The former bishop added that God speaks to educators through the Scriptures, the Eucharist and the risen Christ, but it is up to them to listen with an attentive heart and relay His ideals to their respective communities.
“Values are negotiable. Your task is not merely to teach subjects, but to form persons, their minds and hearts. Students may forget formulas and theories, but they will remember whether you listen, whether you were fair, whether your faith was real, whether your compassion was credible,” he said.
The prelate reminded them that their role is not to become “transmitters” but “keepers” of knowledge that are passed on to the next generation.
He emphasized that faith, hope and love are not mere ideas or decorations but are obligations that must be consistently fulfilled by humanity.
“Faith is not just correct doctrine. It is trust that shapes decisions. Hope is not optimism. It is courage to act, even when change is slow. Love is not sentiment. It is a concrete responsibility,” he said, as he called on the faithful to turn their care for others, especially those who suffer, into tangible actions.
Ongtioco reminded Thomasians that the University has endured for over four centuries not because of its buildings, but because of hearts committed to mold students into the values of faith, hope and love.
“In a world where truth is treated as relative and faith is seen as private, you are called to keep the flame alive and pass it on,” he added.
The renewal of commitment by the University’s religious educators was also held during the mass, which was held at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. F
