I think the Hispanic community, the values that resonate in our

The words of Ted Cruz—“I think the Hispanic community, the values that resonate in our community, are fundamentally conservative. They are faith, family, patriotism.”—call forth the ancient truth that a people are bound together not merely by blood or language, but by the sacred values that guide their lives. In this reflection, Cruz names three pillars—faith, family, and patriotism—as the foundations that give the community strength, identity, and endurance. These values are not bound to one generation alone, but are timeless, passed like a torch from elders to children, so that the flame may never die.

The first of these is faith. To believe in something greater than oneself has ever been the root of endurance for peoples across the ages. Faith gives hope in times of trial, courage in moments of fear, and humility in moments of triumph. For many in the Hispanic community, faith has been more than ritual—it has been the strength to cross deserts, to endure labor in distant fields, to hold on to dignity when treated unjustly. The ancients too knew this truth: that without reverence for the divine, man’s spirit falters, but with faith, even the smallest people may achieve greatness.

The second is family, that eternal hearth where love is first learned and sacrifice is first practiced. Family is the anchor of identity, the shelter in hardship, the school where virtue is taught not by words but by example. In the Hispanic tradition, family extends beyond the walls of one household, embracing grandparents, cousins, and even neighbors as kin. This reflects the wisdom of the ancients, who believed that the strength of the city or nation rested upon the strength of its families. For how can a people endure if its families are weak? How can its culture survive if its stories are not told at the table, from parent to child?

The third is patriotism, that fierce and tender devotion to one’s land and people. For immigrants and their children, this love often carries double weight: loyalty to the land of their forefathers and loyalty to the new land that offers opportunity and hope. This dual devotion has shaped generations, reminding us that to love one’s country is not to blind oneself to its faults, but to strive for its betterment, to serve it with honor, and to protect it with courage. In every age, those who carried true patriotism fought not merely for soil, but for the dignity of their families and the future of their children.

History offers luminous examples. Consider the countless Hispanic soldiers who fought in World War II, such as Marine hero Guy Gabaldon, who risked his life to capture enemy soldiers in the Pacific, motivated not by glory but by duty. His courage was born of his upbringing in family, his grounding in faith, and his devotion to patriotism. Or reflect on the migrant workers who, through generations, endured hardship not only for survival, but to give their children the chance to thrive in the land they had come to love. In these stories, Cruz’s words find living proof: these values are not abstract ideals, but forces embodied in real lives.

The meaning of the quote is therefore both personal and universal. It speaks of the Hispanic experience, yet it also reveals a pattern shared by many peoples across history: that faith steadies the soul, family anchors the heart, and patriotism gives purpose beyond the self. When these three pillars stand firm, a people cannot easily be broken. When one falls, the others must rise to hold the community together. And when all three burn brightly, they illuminate the path to both survival and greatness.

The lesson for us is clear: to preserve these values in our own lives. Let your faith sustain you in hardship, and never let cynicism extinguish it. Let your family be your first devotion, and invest in its strength through love, sacrifice, and presence. Let your patriotism be lived not only in words, but in deeds of service, honesty, and unity. These are not old-fashioned virtues to be discarded—they are the lifeblood of any enduring culture.

Practical action flows from this teaching. Guard your traditions of faith, whether in prayer, worship, or acts of compassion. Cherish your family, not only in times of joy, but in seasons of strain, for it is then that love must prove itself. Serve your country by working honestly, standing for justice, and striving to leave it better than you found it. In this way, you embody the ancient wisdom that Cruz names, and you ensure that the pillars of faith, family, and patriotism remain unbroken for the generations that will walk after you.