By Fonz Bautista

By Rhianna Ramos

The Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) community opened the season of Lent with the Eucharistic celebration of the Ash Wednesday Mass on February 18, held at the third-floor Formation and Learning Center (FLC).

The Mass was presided over by Fr. Roberto Ma. R. Buenconsejo, SJ, while school chaplain Fr. Noel Y. Bava, SJ, joined him in the celebration.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season — a time when Catholics prepare for the commemoration of the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ through prayer, fasting, and reflection.

In his homily, Fr. Roberto Ma R. Buenconsejo, SJ, reflected on the meaning of Ash Wednesday, explaining that ashes, though often seen as symbols of endings, are made of carbon — the basic element of life.

“The ashes remind us that we are created by God, not self-made, and that we depend on Him for everything,” he said, emphasizing that the celebration calls the community to humility and reflection during the Lenten season.

Furthermore, Fr. Roberto drew from the symbolism of ashes combined with water, explaining that ashes alone cannot cleanse, just as human effort alone is limited

However, when ashes are mixed with water, the mixture becomes a powerful purifier — like how our weaknesses can be transformed into sources of renewal and growth through God.

He also highlighted that the ashes used came from the burned palms of the previous year’s Palm Sunday, illustrating how joy and sacrifice are intertwined in the Christian journey.

He concluded with a message of hope, comparing the ashes to a phoenix rising and reminding the community that Lent is a season of renewal despite human failures.

The classes of 12-Sullivan, 12-Arnaiz, and 12-Gonzalez sponsored the Mass, with the beneficiaries being the Missionaries of Charity Tayuman in Tondo, Manila.