Ash Wednesday
Processional Hymn - 482 - Cross of Jesus
Come, O God, renew your people,
We who long to see your face.
Strengthen hearts that have grown feeble;
Fill our lives with truth and grace.
Only you can win our freedom;
Only you can bring us peace.
Only in the cross of Jesus
Will the captives find release.
Deep within create a new heart;
Melt away the winter chill.
Help us now to make a new start,
Help us now to know your will.
Washed in waters of forgiveness,
Cleansed in water of new birth,
Lead us to the cross of Jesus,
Bringing life to all the earth.
In the darkness that surrounds us
We have lost you from our sight.
Even though your love has found us,
We embrace the powers of night.
Scatter now our deepest darkness.
Guide our hearts into the light.
Join us to the cross of Jesus,
Help us set our living right.
Call us forth to walk in justice.
Rescue us from sin and grave.
Through the power of your Spirit,
Breathe in us the breath that saves.
Strengthen us in our communion,
One in Word and cup and bread.
Here within the cross of Jesus,
All who hunger will be fed.
1st Reading –
Joel 2:12-18
Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.
Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind him a blessing,
Offerings and libations
for the LORD, your God.
Blow the trumpet in Zion!
proclaim a fast,
call an assembly;
Gather the people,
notify the congregation;
Assemble the elders,
gather the children
and the infants at the breast;
Let the bridegroom quit his room
and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,
And say, "Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
'Where is their God?'"
Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.
Responsorial Psalm –
Psalm 51
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
2nd Reading –
2 Cor. 5:20-6:2
Brothers and sisters:
We are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Working together, then,
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says:
In an acceptable time I heard you,
and on the day of salvation I helped you.
Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.
Gospel –
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
Prayer for Our Lady of Angels Parish
Heavenly Father, we thank you for gathering us together and calling us to serve as your disciples.
You have charged us through your Son, Jesus, with the great mission of evangelizing and witnessing your love to the world.
Send your Holy Spirit to guide us as we discern your will for the spiritual renewal of our parish.
Give us strength, courage, and clear vision as we use our gifts to serve you.
We entrust our parish family to the care of Mary, our mother, and ask for her intercession and guidance, as we strive to build a parish that loves God, embraces all people, and shares the Gospel joyfully.
Amen.
Hymn for Distribution of Ashes - 469 - Remember You Are Dust
Turn away from sin
and be faithful to the Gospel.
Remember you are dust
and to dust you shall return.
Cantor: Repent, the kingdom is at hand.
All: Repent, the kingdom is at hand.
Cantor: Rend your hearts, not your garments.
Now, the acceptable time.
Now, the acceptable time.
Offertory Hymn -484 - Hosea
Come back to me with all your heart.
Don’t let fear keep us apart.
Trees do bend,
‘though straight and tall;
so must we to others’ call.
Long have I waited for your
coming home to me
and living deeply
our new life.
The wilderness will lead you
to your heart where I will speak.
Integrity and justice,
with tenderness,
you shall know.
Long have I waited for your
coming home to me
and living deeply
our new life.
You shall sleep
secure in peace;
faithfulness will be your joy.
Long have I waited for your
coming home to me
and living deeply
our new life.
Communion Hymn -485 - Turn, Turn to the Living God
Turn, turn to the living God,
the God of healing and comfort,
and with delight, God will turn to you.
With delight, God will turn to you.
For now is the time of fulfillment.
The reign of our God is at hand.
Reform your life,
turn from sin
and believe this glorious news.Come, and return to the Lord.
All you weary,
bring your grieving hearts.
With kindness and mercy
God’s compassion will fill
your hearts with love.Have mercy, O Lord,
on your people.
In your goodness
wipe away our guilt.
Wash us clean, free us,
to become your living song of praise .Come, sing with joy to the Lord.
Listen with an open heart.
Hear God’s voice and follow;
our good Shepherd is guiding the way.
Recessional Hymn - 487 - Again We Keep This Solemn Fast
Again we keep this solemn fast,
A gift of faith from ages past,
This Lent which binds us, lovingly
To faith and hope and charity.
The law and prophets from of old
In figured ways this Lent foretold,
Which Christ, all ages’ Lord and Guide,
In these last days has sanctified.
More sparing, therefore, let us make
The words we speak, the food we take,
Our sleep, our laughter, ev’ry sense;
Learn peace through holy penitence.
Let us avoid each harmful way
That lures the careless mind astray;
By watchful prayer our spirits free
From scheming of the Enemy.
We pray, O blessed Three in One,
Our God while endless ages run,
That this, our Lent of forty days,
May bring us growth and give you praise.