Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle places ashes on the head of a woman during the Ash Wednesday Mass at the Manila archdiocese chapel in Intramuros, Manila, March 1, 2017. ROY LAGARDE

MANILA — Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle put ashes on the foreheads of faithful Wednesday to usher in the Lenten season.

In his homily, he said Lent is the time when Catholics should look into themselves and repent of their sins.

Changing the self, he said, is how one can “be the change”.

“Maybe our most important contribution to the country and the world today is conversion,” Tagle said.

And a key aspect to this transformation is that it does not focus oneself but “on God, through His Word, and on others”.

“When there is little change in the society, we should look inside us,” he said.

The cardinal also cited a line from the song “Let There Be Peace on Earth” that is often sung in churches in explaining his point.

“We often sing ‘Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me.’ For as long as we don’t turn the heart towards God, neighbor, justice, truth, caring, peace, nothing will change,” Tagle said.

“I hope these 40 days of Lent we intensify our prayers as well as in reading and listening to God’s word,” he added.

Aside from getting on track spiritually, Cardinal Tagle said that Lent is also a time of good works and charity.

He urged the faithful to take part of the Manila archdiocese’s “Fast2Feed” program, which aims to feed hungry children not just in Manila but also from other provinces. CBCPNews

LOOK: Catholics mark start of Lent on Ash Wednesday

Posted: March 1, 2017

With the whole Christendom Filipino Catholics enter the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday, a day devoted to fasting and abstinence. This penitential period is traditionally viewed as a time of personal spiritual reflection. Thousands of faithful across the country attend Masses and receive ashes on their foreheads made from fronds used at last year’s Palm Sunday. The season of Lent is a time for almsgiving, prayer and fasting.