Greeting
The
peace and reconciliation
of the merciful Father
be always with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction
by the Celebrant
In
many regions of the world people celebrate carnival in the days before
Lent with much noise and merrymaking. Often they wear masks for the
occasion. But today Lent begins, the time to put off our masks and
to turn our face and heart to God and to people. In this holy season
we reflect on the true meaning of our lives. Who am I and what am
I living for? Am I living for God and the community? We shall be invited
to receive ashes on our foreheads with the invitation, "Turn
away from sin and be faithful to the gospel." Away, then, with
all masks and return to God, to your true self and to one another
as God's people.
Note.
The penitential rite
is omitted, since the rite of the ashes is a rite of penance and
conversion.
Opening
Prayer
Let
us pray that this Lent
we may become more faithful to the gospel
(Pause)
God of life and Father of mercy,
you want all your sons and daughters to be free
and to live as your holy people.
In this time of Lent we pray you:
set us free from the shackles
of our selfish concerns for honor and power,
possessions and pleasure.
Make
us live the life of your Son
in the service of people.
In honor of you, our living God.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Liturgy
of the Word
First
Reading Introduction: Come Back to
Me With All Your Heart!
True
fasting and penance mean a sincere change of heart: turning away from
evil to turn towards the loving God.
First
Reading: Joel 2:12-18
Yahweh
says, "Yet even now, return to me with your whole heart, with
fasting, weeping and mourning. Rend your heart, not your garment.
Return to Yahweh, your God - gracious and compassionate."
Yahweh
is slow to anger, full of kindness, and he repents of having punished.
Who knows? Probably he will relent once more and spare some part of
the harvest from which we may bring sacred offerings to Yahweh, your
God.
Blow
the trumpet in Zion, proclaim a sacred fast, call a solemn assembly.
Gather
the people, sanctify the community, bring together the elders, even
the children and infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his
bed, and the bride her room.
Between
the vestibule and the altar, let the priests, Yahweh's ministers,
weep and say: Spare your people, Yahweh. Do not humble them or make
them an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among
the peoples: Where is their God?
Yahweh
has become jealous for his land; he has had pity on his people.
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.
Second
Reading Introduction: Now Is the Favorable Time
Jesus
has restored us in the friendship of God. But this demands that we continue
seeking God's reconciliation today. Now is the right time to do this.
Second
Reading: 2 Cor 5:20-6:2
So we present ourselves as ambassadors in the name of Christ, as if
God himself makes an appeal to you through us. Let God reconcile you;
this we ask you in the name of Christ. He had no sin, but God made
him bear our sin, so that in him we might share the holiness of God.
Being
God's helpers we beg you: let it not be in vain that you received
this grace of God. Scripture says: At the favorable time I listened
to you, on the day of salvation I helped you. This is the favorable
time, this is the day of salvation.
Gospel
Introduction: Your Father Will Reward You
Outward
practices of penance have no value unless our interior attitude corresponds
to our outward practice of helping our neighbor, praying and doing penance.
Gospel
Reading: Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples, “Be careful
not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do
so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you
give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as
do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets
in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been
already paid in full.
“If you give something to the poor, do not
let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your
gift remains really secret. Your Father who sees what is kept secret,
will reward you.
“When you pray, do not be like those who
want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or
on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have
already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close
the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your
Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you.
“When you fast, do not put on a miserable
face as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so people can
see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full
already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful,
because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for
your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees
what is kept secret will reward you.”
Commentary
THE
clarion
call goes forth: Rend your hearts, not your garments. Fast, return
to God who is gracious, compassionate. Our God relents-it's time
for us to relent from evil, fast from injustice and superficial
religion practiced for show or our own self-aggrandizement and the
good impression of others. And the trumpet sounds the call to the
whole community. We're in this together. There is to be no outward
show of pious behaviors, fasting, long prayers in public, even others
knowing if we give alms. This is about purity of intention and practice-we
fast-the kind God wants of us in sharing our bread and justice with
others, in almsgiving that protects those who receive and in prayer
that rends our hearts before God, breaks our will and ego, bending
us before our gracious Father who wants us to live in the freedom
of the children of God-all of us, helping each other. This is the
time of secrets between our God and us, in love. Father, help us
to make this Lent a secret worth holding true between You who are
Love and we who seek to love you back. Amen.
BLESSING
OF ASHES
Introduction
by the Celebrant
These
palm leaves have turned
from green branches into gray ashes.
This is the way it goes with us.
We
do not remain the same;
we grow older,
we make life gray and dusty
for ourselves and for others.
These
ashes remind us of the brittleness of life,
of our guilt and the penance we need.
We will humbly receive these ashes
as we are marked with the sign of the cross,
for our hearts are willing to follow Jesus
on the way of self-denial and love.
Prayer
of Blessing
Bless
+ these ashes, Lord,
as the sign of conversion and penance,
as the token that we want
to discover your Son today
in the silence of our prayer
and in our neighbors,
whom we encounter in their needs.
Let
the sign of the cross,
given in the name of the Father,
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
encourage and heal us,
so that we may serve you and our neighbor
by the strength of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
The
priest sprinkles the ashes in silence. Then follows the imposition
of ashes:
Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel.
General
Intercessions
At
the beginning of this season of conversion, we look forward to reconciliation
with God and our neighbor. Let us bring before our Father our cares
and the needs of all, and let us
say: R/ Have mercy on your people, Lord.
-
For the Church of Jesus Christ, that it may be freed from human shortcomings
so that it can show to all the light and the power of the gospel,
let us pray: R/ Have mercy on your people, Lord.
-
For people far and near who are stuck in sin and discouragement, that
they may find reconciliation with God, with themselves, and with the
people around them, let us pray: R/ Have mercy on your people,
Lord.
-
For those hardened by riches or power and insensitive to the needs
of others, that in these forty days of penance they may discover ways
of true happiness through generosity to their neighbor, let us pray:
R/ Have mercy on your people, Lord.
-
For all those who bear a heavy load of suffering and cares, that they
may with courage follow the way of the Lord Jesus, let us pray: R/
Have mercy on your people, Lord.
-
For one another, that each of us may be ready to go the way of peace
and reconciliation, of service and commitment, let us pray: R/ Have
mercy on your people, Lord.
Lord
our God, every year you give us special opportunities to grow
in love of you and our neighbor. Give
us the strength to live these forty days
in the spirit of Jesus our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer
over the Gifts
God
our Father,
your Son Jesus gave up everything
to be free for you and for people.
We bring these gifts of bread and wine before you
as signs that we want to be free
to live for you and for those around us.
Accept these offerings, and make them
bread of happiness and wine of joy
for our world today.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. R/ Amen.
Invitation
to the Lord's Prayer
Let
us pray to our merciful Father
that we may forgive others
as he has forgiven our sins through Jesus: R/ Our Father...
Deliver
Us
Deliver
us, Lord, from every evil
and grant us the peace of reconciliation
with you and with people far and near.
Help us to make up for the harm
we have done to others
and to live in hope and joy
for the future you have prepared for us
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation
to Communion
This
is Jesus the Lord,
who showed us the way
of forgiveness and love.
Let us receive him with joy,
for he is our strength. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer
after Communion
Our
merciful God,
we are afraid of facing ourselves
and giving up our attachments
to our selfish ways.
We
have heard Jesus' words
and eaten his body.
May
these help us rise from the ashes of sin
and renew our fervor and love,
that we may follow him
on the narrow road of life
to you and to people.
We
ask this in this season of grace
through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Only
God can make us whole again
from our brokenness.
Only God can give us the insight
to discover how often we are alienated
from him, from people, even from our true selves.
Only God can give us the strength
to change our ways and to become all new.
May the living and loving God bless you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go
in peace
and may Christ be your strength. R/ Thanks be to God.