Welcome: Ash Wednesday 2-14-24

Ash Wednesday

2-14-24

Entrance Antiphon

Greeting

Penitential Act: Confiteor

I confess to almighty God and to you,

my brothers and sisters,

that I have greatly sinned

in my thoughts and in my words,

in what I have done

and in what I have failed to do,

through my fault, through my fault,

through my most grievous fault;

Therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,

all the Angels and Saints;

and you, my brothers and sisters,

to pray for me to the Lord our God.

-AND/OR-

Lord have Mercy,

Christ have Mercy,

Lord have Mercy

Liturgy of the Word

1st Reading Jl 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.

The Word of the Lord,

~Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17

R. (see 3a) 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.

Distribution of Ashes

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.

The Word of the Lord,

~Thanks be to God

Verse before the Gospel

If today you hear his voice,

harden not your hearts.

Gospel Mt 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."

The Gospel of the Lord,

~ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Homily

Profession of Faith:

I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the Only Begotten Son of God,

born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten,

not made, consubstantial with the Father; through Him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven,

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,

and became man.

For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, He suffered death and was buried,

and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead

and His kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins

and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Universal Prayer: Prayers of Petition

~ Risen Lord, hear our prayer

Offertory Song:

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Eucharistic Acclamations:

R: Blessed be God forever

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

R: May the Lord accept the sacrifice

at your hands for the

praise and glory of his name,

for our good

and the good of all His holy Church

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

R: And with your spirit

R: We lift them up to the Lord

R: It is right and just.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full,

full of your glory.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes

in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your

Resurrection, until you come again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, Who art in heaven,

Hallowed be Thy Name.

Thy Kingdom come.

Thy 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. Amen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

For the kingdom,

the power and glory are yours

now and forever. ~Amen

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sign of Peace

R: And with your Spirit

(to one another) : ~ Peace be with you! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

R: Lord I am not worthy that should

enter under my roof,

but only say the word

and my soul shall be healed.

Communion Song:

Spiritual Communion:

My Jesus, I believe that you are present

in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things,

and I desire to receive you into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace You as if You were already there

And unite myself wholly to You.

Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Concluding Rite

Ash Wednesday 2-14-24

harden not your hearts.

Sign of Peace

Closing Song