Ash Wednesday Mass.

The Gathering

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All                 Amen.

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

All                 and also with you

Introduction

Brothers and sisters in Christ, since early days Christians have observed with great devotion the time of our Lord’s passion and resurrection and prepared for this by a season
of penitence and fasting.

By carefully keeping these days, Christians take to heart the call to repentance and the assurance of forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel, and so grow in faith and in devotion to our Lord.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy word.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.

The Collect

Let us pray for grace to keep Lent faithfully.
Silence is kept.

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have madeand forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may receive from you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

All Amen.

  The Liturgy of the Word
Readings

At the end the reader may say

This is the word of the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

At the end the reader may say

This is the word of the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
The Lord is a great God, O that today you would listen to his voice. Harden not your hearts.

All Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

When the Gospel is announced the reader says

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to N.

All Glory to you, O Lord.

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

All Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

  The Liturgy of Penitence

  Let us now call to mind our sin and the infinite mercy of God.

God the Father,

All have mercy on us.

God the Son,

All have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit,

All have mercy on us.

Trinity of love,

All have mercy on us.

All Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned in thought,
word and deed.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength.  We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.

All                 Lord, have mercy.

We have been deaf to your call to serve,  as Christ served us.
We have not been true to the mind of Christ.
We have grieved your Holy Spirit.

All Lord, have mercy.

We confess to you, Lord …

all our past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy
and impatience of our lives.

All Lord, have mercy.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways,
and our exploitation of other people.

All Lord, have mercy.

Our anger at our own frustration
and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves.

All Lord, have mercy.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts
and our dishonesty in daily life and work.

All  Lord, have mercy.

Our negligence in prayer and worship
and our failure to commend the faith that is in us.

All Lord, have mercy.

Accept our repentance, Lord …

for the wrongs we have done,
for our blindness to human need and suffering,
and our indifference to injustice and cruelty.

All Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgements,
for uncharitable thoughts towards our neighbours
and for our prejudice and contempt towards those
who differ from us.

All Accept our repentance, Lord.

For our waste and pollution of your creation
and our lack of concern for those who come after us.

All Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us.

All Favourably hear us, for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,

All that we may show your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord,

All bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

Silence is kept.

All We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.   Amen.

The Imposition of Ashes

Dear friends in Christ,
I invite you to receive these ashes as a sign of the spirit of penitence with which we shall keep this season of Lent.

God our Father,
you create us from the dust of the earth:
grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our penitence
and a symbol of our mortality;  for it is by your grace alone
that we receive eternal life in Jesus Christ our Saviour.

All Amen.

The president and people receive the imposition of ashes.

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ. 

God our Father,
the strength of all who put their trust in you,
mercifully accept our prayers;

and because, in our weakness, we can do nothing good without you, grant us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you, both in will and deed;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All                   Amen.

The Liturgy of the Sacrament

The Peace

Since we are justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has given us access to his grace.                             

The peace of the Lord be always with you

All and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

All may exchange a sign of peace.

Taking of the Bread and Wine

Merciful Father,
turn us from sin to faithfulness and from disobedience to love,
and prepare us to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ our Saviour who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.

All Amen.

The Eucharistic Prayer

The Lord be with you

All and also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

All We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All It is right to give thanks and praise.

The president praises God for his mighty acts and all respond

All Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
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.

The president recalls the Last Supper, 

Jesus Christ is Lord:

All Lord, by your cross and resurrection you have set us free.
You are the Saviour of the world.

The Prayer continues and leads into the doxology, to which all respond

All Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Lord Jesus, remember us in your kingdom
and teach us to pray.

All 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. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory.
for ever and ever.  Amen.

Breaking of the Bread

Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup,

All we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Giving of Communion

Agnus Dei

All Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,  have mercy on us.

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,  grant us peace..

 Prayer after Communion

All God of our pilgrimage,
you have fed us with the bread of heaven.
Refresh and sustain us as we go forward on our journey,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

This is love, not that we loved God,     
All                but that he loved us and sent his Son.
                    He is the sacrifice for our sins,
All                that we might live through him.
                    If God loves us so much
All                we ought to love one another.
                    If we love one another
All                God lives in us.

The Dismissal Gospel

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

All Glory to you, O Lord.

The Dismissal Gospel

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

All Glory to you, O Lord.

John testified,‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me,“He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’ John 1.32-34

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

All Praise to you, O Christ.

Blessing

May God the Father,  who does not despise the broken spirit, give to you a contrite heart.

All Amen.

May Christ, who bore our sins in his body on the tree,
heal you by his wounds.

All Amen.

May the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth,
speak to you words of pardon and peace.

All Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.

All Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All In the name of Christ. Amen.

Mass during Ordinary Time.
+In the name of the Father,
And of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

WELCOME

Almighty God,
our heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past, and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

Almighty God,
who forgives all who truly repent,
have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Collect or Opening Prayer is said or sung.
Please REMAIN STANDING

Priest Let us pray.

After the prayer, all respond:
Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
One or two passages from the Scripture are read, during which we SIT. At the end, the reader says:

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

We STAND to greet the Holy Gospel, the priest says the acclamation.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to N.
Glory to you, Lord.

At the end of the Gospel:

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

THE CREED
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again 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.

We 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 worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Response
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
At the end of the prayers, this prayer may be said:
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

The priest may pray the Offertory Prayers to which the response is:
Blessed be God for ever.

Pray, my brothers and sisters, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God the almighty Father.
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 Church.

The Lord be with you.
and also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Priest Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.

The priest then sings or says a preface. At the end we sing or say:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
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.

After which we KNEEL
After the Lord’s words are said over the bread and the cup we respond:
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen,
Christ will come again.

The Priest continues to praise God, Eucharistic Prayer ends:
… for ever and ever.
Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Let us pray with confidence
as our Saviour taught us;
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.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. For ever and ever. Amen.

BREAKING OF THE BREAD
We break this bread
To share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body, Because we all share in one bread.

AGNUS DEI

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace.

Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Blessed are those who are called to his supper.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and I shall be healed.

POST COMMUNION PRAYER

The priest says the post-communion prayer

Almighty God,
we thank you for feeding us with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

THE BLESSING AND DISMISSAL

The Lord be with you.
and also with you.

The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God.
And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.

The Lord be with you
And also with you.
May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.
And rise in Glory.
The Mass is ended, go in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.