A Roman Catholic Church leader reminded the faithful of the essence and significance of today’s observance of Ash Wednesday – that God gives life and only God has the power over life.
“As ashes are placed on our foreheads today, we are reminded to keep in mind that only God has power over life. God gives life and only God can take this life away. God is the author of life, and He alone has authority over life.
Thus, no one should act nor play like God,” Balanga (Bataan) Bishop Ruperto C. Santos said.
The 40-day Lenten Season, a time of reflection and repentance, begins today – Ash Wednesday.
“We put ashes in the form of a cross on our foreheads so that we will not forget and always be reminded that we are dust and to dust we shall return. We must always remember we came from God. God created us and to Him we must return.
We owe our life to God and we must strive to make our lives pleasing, worthy and fruitful for Him,” the chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People stressed.
The Church leader encouraged the faithful to live a life that is worthy before God’s eyes. “Life is sacred it comes from God. Let us make our life worthy before God’s eyes. Let us make our life firm against corruption, vices, and immoralities. Let us resolve as we accept ashes on our foreheads to protect, to respect and to preserve life,” Santos said.
The prelate urged the faithful “to turn away from sin and to repent.”
“Even as we sinned or we failed, we can still return to God. Even if we have our shortcomings, we can still recover and be reconciled with God. As ashes can be washed away, God in His mercy will cleanse us from our impurities and will forgive us. There is still hope. God is giving us chance after chance. That is why we are told as ashes are placed on our foreheads to repent and believe in the Gospel,” Santos said.
In all masses across the country, priests in purple vestments – the color of penance – will mark the foreheads of the faithful with a cross from blessed ashes with the reminder: “Thou art dust and unto dust thou shall return” (Genesis 3:19) and to “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). (CHRISTINA I. HERMOSO)