Ash Wednesday
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Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the
season of Lent. When the Church season changes,
so does the music for our mass parts. Our Lenten mass parts will be sung from the Mass of Repentance, written by Nina McKay.
Processional Hymn - 478 - Return to God
Return to God with all your heart, the source of grace and mercy;
Come seek the tender faithfulness of God. (2x)
Now the time of grace has come,
the day of salvation;
Come and learn now
the way of our God.I will take your heart of stone
and place a heart within you,
A heart of compassion and love.
Sign of the Cross
Greeting
Collect
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
Priest or Deacon: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest/Deacon: A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew.
ALL: Glory to you, O Lord (while make a small sign of the Cross on the forehead, lips, and chest).
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."
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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.
v. 1 Rend your hearts, not your garments.
v. 2 Blow the trumpet in Zion.
v. 3 Forgive one another.
v 4. Now, the day of salvation.
v. 5 Seek the God of compassion.
v. 6 Live in kindness and mercy
v. 7 Trust in God and be faithful.
v. 8 Praise the God of salvation.
v. 9 Let us bow down in worship.
Now, the acceptable time.
Now, the acceptable time.
Offertory Hymn -475 - Tree of Life
Tree of Life and awesome mystery,
In your death we are reborn,
Though you die in all of history,
Still you rise with every morn,
Still you rise with every morn.
Seed that dies to rise in glory,
May we see ourselves in you,
If we learn to live your story
We may die to rise anew,
We may die to rise anew.
We remember truth once spoken,
Love passed on through act and word,
Every person lost and broken
Wears the body of our Lord,
Wears the body of our Lord.
Gentle Jesus, mighty Spirit,
Come inflame our hearts anew,
We may all your joy inherit
If we bear the cross with you,
If we bear the cross with you.
Christ, you lead and we shall follow,
Stumbling though our steps may be,
One with you in joy and sorrow,
We the river, you the sea,
We the river, you the sea.
Light of life beyond conceiving,
Mighty Spirit of our Lord;
Give new strength to our believing,
Give us faith to to live your word.
Give us faith to live your word.
From the dawning of creation,
You have loved us as your own;
Stay with us through all temptation,
Make us turn to you alone,
Make us turn to alone.
Sanctus
The Sanctus acclamation is sung to conclude the introduction of the eucharistic prayer.
(all sing)
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Memorial Acclamation
The acclamation follows the priest’s invitation: The Mystery of Faith.
(all sing)
Save us, Savior of the world,
for by your Cross and Resurrection,
you have set us free.
Doxology:
The Eucharistic prayer concludes:
Priest: Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.
All (sung): Amen, amen, amen!
Amen, amen, amen!
Our Father
All: Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed by your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass
against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Priest: ... and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Sign of Peace
Priest The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your spirit.
To each other: Peace be with you.
(all may exchange a sign of peace)
Lamb of God (sung)
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Invitation to Communion
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
(While Holy Communion is reserved for Catholics, persons of all faiths wishing to receive a blessing may participate in the
communion procession. Place your arms across your chest to indicate you would like to receive this blessing.)
Communion 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.
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.