Ash Wednesday

Now – oracle of the Lord –
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, weeping, and mourning!
Tear your hearts and not your garments,
and return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and rich in love,
relenting from punishment.
Who knows? He may turn back,
he may renounce the punishment,
and leave behind a blessing:
then you may present offerings and libations
to the Lord your God.
Blow the horn in Zion:
proclaim a sacred fast, call a solemn assembly,
gather the people, hold a holy assembly,
assemble the elders,
gather the children, even nursing babies!
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride leave her chamber!
Between the vestibule and the altar,
the priests, ministers of the Lord,
shall weep and say:
"Spare your people, Lord;
do not expose those who belong to you
to insult and mockery from the nations!
Should it be said:
'Where then is their God?'"

And the Lord was moved for his land,
he had mercy on his people.

– The word of the Lord.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your love;
according to your great mercy, blot out my sin.
Wash me completely from my fault,
purify me from my offense.

Yes, I know my sin,
my fault is always before me.
Against you, you alone have I sinned,
I have done what is evil in your sight.

Create in me a pure heart, O my God,
renew and strengthen within me my spirit. 
Do not reject me from your presence,
do not take from me your holy spirit. 

Give me again the joy of being saved;
let a generous spirit sustain me.
Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Brothers and sisters,
we are ambassadors for Christ,
and through us it is God himself making an appeal:
we beg you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
He who did not know sin,
God made him to be sin for us,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As God's fellow workers,
we urge you again
not to receive his grace in vain.
For he says in Scripture:
At a favorable time I have listened to you,
on the day of salvation I have helped you.
Behold, now is the favorable time,
behold, now is the day of salvation.

– The word of the Lord.

At that time,
Jesus said to his disciples:
"When you do acts of righteousness,
be careful not to perform them before others
to be seen by them.
Otherwise, you will have no reward
from your Father who is in heaven.

So, when you give alms,
do not sound a trumpet before you,
like the hypocrites who make a show of it
in the synagogues and on the streets,
to win the praise of others.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
But you, when you give alms,
let your left hand not know what your right hand is doing,
so that your almsgiving may remain secret;
your Father who sees in secret
will reward you.

And when you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites:
they love to stand
in synagogues and at street corners
to be seen by others
when they pray.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
But you, when you pray,
go into your most private room,
shut the door,
and pray to your Father who is there in secret;
your Father who sees in secret
will reward you.

And when you fast,
do not look gloomy,
like the hypocrites:
they put on a sad face
to show others they are fasting.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
But you, when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that your fasting may not be seen by others,
but only by your Father who is present in the secret place;
your Father who sees in the most hidden place
will reward you."

– Let us acclaim the Word of God.