Lent: To be Centered on the Grace of the Salvation

(An excerpt of the Homily of the Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D. during Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at San Pedro Cathedral Parish, San Pedro Street, Davao City)

Today is Ash Wednesday, Miyerkules sa Badlis, the beginning of this sacred, holy season of Lent, of Kuwaresma. Lent as you know has a preparatory character. It is not an end to itself. Busa if you go through Lent and then dili ka ma connect sa next stage way ayo na. Mura kag nipalit og ticket sa basketball, sa concert, unya dili ka moadto, nipalit kag raffle ticket unya wala nimo gihulog, dili ka makadaog.

Lent is preparatory to prepare to pag enter, what is that, so that one more time this year we can, like the Gospel, with inner hearts, way labot sa external, but with spirits, with kalag we can prepare to see one more time the grace of the Cross, Good Friday, how loved we are. How merciful God is, and that mercy and love is translated into victory, dili lang kaluoy naa siya, namatay sa Krus para kanato but ayaw kalimot madaugon kaayo na human sa Biyernes Santo modaog kita sa iyang Ressurection. Maong balik kita, Lent is to prepare ourselves towards that next stage nga mao ang Easter Season. Lenten Season, Easter Season, sumpay kana sila, kung ibulag nimo kana sayang kaayo, weak, lapsaw ang pagsaulog.

Now what is also the thinking of the Church? Since the beginning of the Church, balik-balik, ang problema dili ang Ginoo, constant ang Ginoo, dili siya mausab, ang problema: kita. So kada tuig, ang Lent would tell us, ningsimang ka, adjust, adjust your journey, adjust your batasan, adjust your life, so that maconnect napud ikaw sa the love and mercy of the Lord. Kon atong balihon para maworthy ta, nagpakamatay Siya, nag-antos Siya, nag-offer sa new life unya ang atong nawong wala dira na alkanse ta, pagdistribute og bilyones pesos wala ta dira, bilyon ka grasya wala ta dira kay lain tag gitan-aw. So, balik ta, Lent is preparing one more time to be centered on the grace of salvation in Jesus.