Prayers for March 1, 2017—Ash Wednesday

Introduction

Penitence is at the heart of the Gospel. It’s a profound idea that can seem overwhelming. During this holy season, we are offered some simple suggestions as Christians: praying, fasting and almsgiving. These come with the more difficult caveat of acting with humility. Maybe the hardest part for us as busy people living in a world of distraction is engaging in any penitential acts. Now, says Paul, “is the acceptable time.” If not now, when?

Penitential Act

Lord Jesus, you call us to pray, fast and give alms: Lord, have mercy.

Christ Jesus, you call us to do this secretly and with humility: Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you call us to be reconciled to God and to one another: Lord, have mercy.

Scripture Readings

Jl 2:12-18 Rend your hearts, not your garments

Ps 51 Be merciful, O Lord, for I have sinned

2 Cor 5:20-6:2 Be reconciled to God

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 Pray, fast, and give alms with humility

Prayer of the Faithful

Presider Brothers and sisters, we enter this penitential season with prayer for ourselves and for one another.

Minister For the church: that we may be faithful to our calling as a reconciling community…as a penitent people, we pray,

  • For reconciliation throughout the world...as a penitent people, we pray,
  • For reconciliation within families… as a penitent people, we pray,
  • For those reluctant or unwilling to reconcile with others… as a penitent people, we pray,
  • For those who have never felt forgiven… as a penitent people, we pray,
  • For those too busy to undertake prayer, fasting or almsgiving… as a penitent people, we pray,
  • For those too poor, too sick, too weary or too discouraged to pray, fast or give alms… as a penitent people, we pray,
  • For all those with whom we need to be reconciled…as a penitent people, we pray,

Presider God of forgiveness, we enter this holy season of penitence asking for your help. May we use this sacred time to reconcile with you and with all our brothers and sisters. Keep us faithful to our commitment to pray, fast and give to those in need. We humbly ask this in the name of your beloved Son, Jesus. Amen.

ASH WEDNESDAY

March 1, 2017

J. Michael McMahon

Psalm of the Day: Ps 51

Be Merciful, O Lord (Angrisano) JS3 50/MI-BB 766

Be Merciful, O Lord (Bedford) OF 978

Be Merciful, O Lord/Misericordia, Señor (Cortés) OF 252

Be Merciful, O Lord (Craig) W4 1026

Be Merciful, O Lord (Guimont) GC2 928/G3 1194

Be Merciful, O Lord (Haugen) W4 54/GC2 41/G3 51/SS 644

Be Merciful, O Lord (Hunstiger) SS 539

Be Merciful, O Lord (Kreutz/Murray) CBW 44

Be Merciful, O Lord (Louis) LMGM2 815

Be Merciful, O Lord (Manalo) JS3 49

Be Merciful, O Lord (Pishner) GC2 39/G3 52/SS 646

Be Merciful, O Lord (Schiavone) JS2 902

Be Merciful, O Lord (Sullivan) OF 253/WC 439/WS 339

Be Merciful, O Lord (Walker) JS2 46

Be Merciful, O Lord (Ward) OF 255/WC 441/WS 340

Be Merciful, O Lord (Willcock) JS2 46/SS 645

Have Mercy, Lord (Gelineau) W4 55/GC2 40/G3 53/CBW 364

Have Mercy on Us (Murray) CBW 41

Have Mercy on Us (Petty) OF 254/WC 440

Misericordia, Señor/Be Merciful, O Lord (Tate) W4 56/G3 54

Oh Dios, Crea en Mí/Create in Me (Cortés) JS2 48

We Have Sinned, Lord PSL A-30/SS 456

Songs for the Liturgy

Again We Keep This Solemn Fast (1,G) W4 474/GC2 407/G3 487/JS2 394/JS3 353/OF 419/CBW 352/WC 560/WS 448/BB 131/SS 793

Anoint Us (Ps) LMGM2 775

Ashes JS2 374/JS3 339/GC2 852/G3 962/BB 114

Ashes to Ashes BB 116

Attende Domine (1,Ps,Lat-Eng) W4 473/JS2 378/JS3 346/OF 418/WC 557/WS 452/BB 118/SS 788

Broken Cisterns Walled in Stone (1,Ps,G) JS2 385

Change Our Hearts (1,G) GC2 414/G3 493/MI-BB 657

*Deep Within, v 3 (1) GC2 419/G3 486

Dust and Ashes GC2 392/G3 468/SS 787

Eternal Lord of Love (1) JS2 390/CBW 360

Forgive Our Sins (2) W4 967/GC2 848/G3 965/JS2 556/OF 575/CBW 620/WC 711/WS 578/SS 1092

From Ashes to the Living Font OF 420/W4 463/GC2 402/G3 474/WC 558/WS 453/SS 807

From the Depths of Sin and Sadness (Ps) OF 435/CBW 487/WC 568

From the Depths We Cry to Thee (Ps) JS2 386/JS3 357/BB 132

Give Me a Clean Heart (Ps) LMGM2 625

*Give: Your Father Sees (G) PSL A-210/SS 267

Grant to Us, O Lord (1,G) OF 579/W4 957/CBW 621/WC 710/WS 573

*Have Mercy, Lord, on Us (Ps) W4 665/OF 577/CBW 358/WC 706

Have Mercy on Me (E) BFW 48/SS 677

Healing River of the Spirit (2) JS3 545/G3 665/MI-BB 686

Hold Us in Your Mercy (Ps) GC2 398/G3 494/LMGM2 291

Hosea (1) JS2 559/JS3 529/GC2 405/G3 484/OF 581/WC 704/WS 577/MI-BB 664/SS 1093

I Will Be Your God (1) JS2 383

In These Days of Lenten Journey (1) JS2 392/JS3 362/BB 130

Leave the Past in Ashes (1) JS3 342

*Led by the Spirit (1) JS3 351/BB 125

*Let Justice Roll Like a River (1,G) GC2 709/G3 810

Listen, O Lord, to My Prayer (1,Ps) WC 702/WS 537

Litany for the Season of Lent (1,Ps) OF 415

*Lord Jesus Christ – Browning (Ps) GC2 409/G3 477

Merciful God W4 478/G3 489

*Mercy, O God (1,Ps,2) GC2 417/G3 480/SS 792

*Now Is the Acceptable Time (1,2,G) JS3 343/BB 118

O Christ, Bright Sun of Justice (G) JS2 389

*O Give Us, Lord, Your Help (C) BFW 59/SS 679

*O Lord, Your Mercy (E) OF 428/IH 14/WC 556/WS 451

O Merciful Redeemer (1,Ps) CBW 369

*O Sun of Justice (2) W4 471/CBW 371/SS 802

Oh Lord, Have Mercy (1,Ps) LMGM2 531

Once We Sang and Danced with Gladness (1,Ps) W4 477

*Parce Domine (1, Lat-Eng) W4 469/GC2 412/G3 473/JS2 376/JS3 344/OF 422/WC 562/WS 455/BB 123/SS 805

Ps 130: With the Lord (1,Ps,2)

Remember Not the Things of the Past (1,Ps,2) JS3 359

*Remember You Are Dust (1,2) GC2 391/G3 469/LMGM2 287

Remember Your Love – Dameans (1,Ps) GC2 851/G3 961/JS2 561/JS3 533/MI-BB 660

Restore in Us, O God (1,Ps) W4 476

Restore Us, O God (1,Ps) W4 460

*Return to God (1,2) W4 475/GC2 410/G3 478/OF 427/WC 564/WS 462/SS 798

Return to the Lord (1) GC2 415/G3 471

Save Your People (1,Ps) BB 129

*Signed by Ashes (Ps) JS2 375/JS3 340/BB 115

Sinner, Please Don’t Let This Harvest Pass (1,Ps) LMGM2 774

Somebody's Knocking at Your Door (1) W4 462/GC2 394/G3 470/LMGM2 283/JS2 388/JS3 354/OF 638/WC 753/WS 459/BB 135

The Cross of Jesus (Ps,2) W4 465/GC2 396/G3 482/SS 797

*This Is Our Accepted Time (2) OF 425/WC 565

*This Is the Time (2) W4 472/SS 655

This Season Calls Us (1,2) JS2 382/JS3 348

Though the Mountains May Fall (1,2) JS2 715/JS3 682/GC2 595/G3 689/CBW 665/MI-BB 427

Today Is the Accepted Time (2) OF 431/WS 456

Tree of Life – Thompson (1) OF 434/WC 578/WS 469

Turn My Heart, O God (1,Ps) GC2 561/G3 660

*Turn Our Hearts (1,Ps) JS3 355

Turn to Me (1) JS2 377/JS3 345/MI-BB 659

Turn to the Living God (Ps) GC2 408/G3 485

We Are Called (1,G) W4 799/GC2 710/G3 807/WC 817/WS 647/MI-BB 616/SS 948

What Does the Lord Require (G) W4 748

When from Bondage (2) SS 791

With These Ashes JS3 341/BB 113

Without Seeing You (1,G) GC2 842/G3 922

*Yes, I Shall Arise -- Deiss (Ps) OF 584/W4 964/WC 703/WS 579

*You Are Rich in Mercy (E) PSL A-208/SS 481

You Shall Be My People (1,Ps) OF 666/WC 784