Everything in the world is just temporary but the love of God for His people is forever, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula reminded the faithful.
Advincula made the reminder in his homily during the Ash Wednesday Mass in Manila. Ash Wednesday marks the start of the Lenten season for Catholics.
“While in this world nothing lasts forever, only one thing is forever, the love of God,” said Advincula.
“The ashes we stain on our heads are shaped as crosses in order to remind us of the love of God,” he added.
The prelate said that “all things in the created world are like dust, changing and passing.”
“We receive ashes to be reminded of our creature-hood. We are creatures, we are not the creator. God created us out of dust. We are limited, vulnerable and mortal,” he said.
“The wealth we own can increase and decrease. The power we hold can be gained and be lost. Our bodies age and weaken overtime. We can be wounded and hurt. Our feelings come and go, here on earth no triumph lasts forever, but also, no trial lasts forever,” he added.
Advincula called on the faithful to choose God rather than “worldly attachments.”
“How foolish of us to cling to transitional temporalities of this world. The things of this world are good but they are like ash and dust. The more we grasp them, the more they slip off our hold,” he said.
“This season is a blessed time for us to turn away from hypocrisy and worldly attachments and go home into the warm embrace of our loving God,”he added.
The prelate also reminded the faithful that God is always there even during the difficult times.
“Often when we encounter trials in life we fall into depression and despair. But today, God is mercifully encouraging us, the little that we are is utterly precious to God. We are created out of love, we are created for love,” he said.
Meanwhile, Advicula urged the faithful to observe the Lenten season with a sincere heart.
“Let the ashes on our head remind us to pray with sincerity of heart, fast in genuine solidarity with the ones who are suffering, and give alms out of hearts that are truly contrite and compassionate,” he said.