Manila Archbishop Jose F. Cardinal Advincula called on the faithful to embrace Lent as a time of deep spiritual renewal, urging Catholics to move beyond mere external observances and instead seek a true transformation of the heart.
“For 40 days, we are invited to traverse the desert of Lent in preparation for a meaningful commemoration of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus,” Cardinal Advincula said during his homily at the Manila Cathedral on Ash Wednesday.
The Lenten season, he emphasized, is not just about fasting, prayer, and almsgiving as obligations but to reset one’s spiritual focus. “Lent reboots or reconfigures us to our original, other-oriented, loving settings that can be distorted by our propensity for self-love and self-absorption,” he said.
While many observe Lent through outward practices, the cardinal underscored the importance of internal conversion. Quoting the Book of Joel, he said, “‘Rend your hearts, not your garments.’” He warned against superficial faith, reminding the faithful that Jesus taught, “Perform these righteous deeds not in order for people to see them, but so that the Father, who sees in secret, may reward us in secret.”
“The journey of Lent is more challenging and complex than perfect external compliance,” he said. “It is a journey that the heart should take.”
Acknowledging the difficulty of true transformation, Advincula noted that genuine change often involves struggle and pain. “We put our entire being at risk because there is a possibility of struggle and pain in the process,” he said. “But we also know that when the heart is invested, mere external actions will never be enough. Love always goes beyond — it calls for a lavish outpouring of oneself for the beloved.”
Despite the challenges of conversion, the cardinal assured the faithful that God, in His mercy, is waiting with open arms. “What awaits us in this daunting, high-stakes journey into our hearts? A loving and merciful God,” he said.
Quoting Scripture, he described God as “gracious and merciful, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.” He explained that recognizing one’s failings is not meant to lead to despair but to a deeper appreciation of God’s unwavering love. “Mourning and weeping will follow — not just because we realize our inadequate and meager responses to God’s love, but more so because we recognize that He continues to love us nevertheless and never any less,” he said.
Cardinal Advincula encouraged Catholics to return to God with sincerity, acknowledging the need for healing. “We are accustomed to thinking that having a hardened heart makes us strong,” he said. “But the heart is flesh, not stone. It softens and beats with the flow of love.”
He reminded the faithful that Lent serves as an opportunity for healing. “The therapy or healing process of Lent is working when our hearts begin to beat again for the right relationships,” he said. “Let us allow our hearts to engage with the mystery of the love of the cross of Jesus — the very mark we bear on our foreheads.”
The cardinal urged Catholics to bring others closer to God. “Let us not withhold God from others, especially from those we may deem unworthy of Him,” he said. “Let us introduce and proclaim His love to others.”
He likened this role to that of a bridge between two people in love. “Perhaps God wants to plead with others through us,” he said. “Let us help Him speak so that He may be praised among the people.”
As the faithful received ashes in the sign of the cross on their foreheads, Advincula reminded them of their mortality and dependence on God. “Indeed, we are but dust, and unto dust we shall return,” he said.
“May our hearts realize that we are dust — formed, held, and given life by the Spirit of God,” he continued. “Let us help one another return to Him, who fell to and kissed the dust while carrying the cross of our salvation.”
Ending his homily, the cardinal echoed the call of Scripture: “Now is a very acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.”
