ASH WEDNESDAY
INTRODUCTION
Brothers and sisters, today is Ash Wednesday, the first day
of the Lenten Season, which is a fitting time to climb the holy
mountain of Easter. It is God’s invitation to us through the
Church, in the fellowship of this body of Christ, to know the
peace of God.
Our presider in this mass is _______________.
FIRST READING
The prophet Joel summons the whole people of God to
gather in the liturgical assembly to pray and to fast, warning
them that the public character of their gathering must not detract
from the intimately personal nature of true contrition. Let us
listen to the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Joel,
chapter 2, verses 12 to 18.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
SECOND READING
Paul implores the people to return and be reconciled to
God. Let us listen to the Second Reading from the second Letter
of Paul to the Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 20 to chapter 6, verse
2.
GOSPEL
Let us all rise and listen to the Holy Gospel according to
Matthew, chapter 6, verses 1 to 6 and 16 to 18.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
Ash Wednesday
PRESIDER: At the start of our preparation for the
great feast of Christ’s Resurrection,
let us pray that we be delivered from
all evil, faithfully keep watch with
Christ and pray to the Father who is
faithful to his promises. We pray:
LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
1. That the Pope, Bishops, Priests and Deacons strive harder
to serve as the way for the return of those who have
strayed and those who are lukewarm in worship. We pray.
2. That government leaders be united in helping the poor
without vested interests and selfish motives and make the
common good always be their highest goal. We pray.
3. That the hungry, the homeless, the sick and the aged
experience the bounty of the father in heaven through the
goodness of their families and neighbors. We pray.
4. That those who seek public office be true to the call of
Christ and respect human dignity at all times. We pray.
5. That all the faithful departed now find everlasting
happiness and peace in God’s heavenly kingdom. We
pray.
PRESIDER: Loving Father, you did not abandon us in
our sins but offered Your Son for our
salvation. Listen to the prayers of your
people whom you summoned from the
depths of the darkness of sin towards the
light of life through Jesus Christ, our
Lord.
AMEN.
FIRST READING (Jl 2: 12-18)
A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Joel
“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.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
1. 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.
2. For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always;
“Against you only I have sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
3. 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.
4. 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.
SECOND READING (2 Cor 5:20 - 6:2)
A Reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the
Corinthians
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.
GOSPEL (Mt 6: 1-6, 16-18)
+A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to
Matthew
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be on guard against
performing religious acts for people to see. Otherwise
expect no recompense from your heavenly Father. When
you give alms, for example, do not blow a horn before
you in synagogues and streets like hypocrites looking for
applause. You can be sure of this much, they are already
repaid. In giving alms, you are not to let your left hand
know what your right hand is doing. Keep your deeds of
mercy secret, and your Father who sees in secret will
repay you.
“When you fast, you are not to look glum as the
hypocrites do. They change the appearance of their faces
so that others may see they are fasting. I assure you, they
are already repaid. When you fast, see to it that you
groom your hair and wash your face. In that way no one
can see you are fasting but your Father who is hidden;
and your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD.
