Liturgy for Holy Eucharist

Participation in the presence of Christ

March 5, 2025

Ash Wednesday

Welcome & Breath Prayer

Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful, were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. In this manner, the whole Congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our savior, and of the need that all Christians continually have to renew our repentance and faith.

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 alms-giving; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.

And to make a right beginning, let us now pray for grace, that we may faithfully keep this Lent.

[silent prayer]

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made, and you forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

The Lessons

First Reading

A reading from Isaiah 58:1–12:

Shout out; do not hold back!
    Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
Announce to my people their rebellion,
    to the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet day after day they seek me
    and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness
    and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments;
    they want God on their side.
“Why do we fast, but you do not see?
    Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?”
Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day
    and oppress all your workers.
You fast only to quarrel and to fight
    and to strike with a wicked fist.
Such fasting as you do today
    will not make your voice heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose,
    a day to humble oneself?
Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush
    and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?

Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of injustice,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them
    and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you;
    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
    you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.”

If you remove the yoke from among you,
    the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
if you offer your food to the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
    and your gloom be like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually
    and satisfy your needs in parched places
    and make your bones strong,
and you shall be like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water
    whose waters never fail.
Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
    you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
    the restorer of streets to live in.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

We will read Psalm 103:8–14 responsively. I will read the first line up to the break. Together we will read the second line to the end of the verse.

The Lord is merciful and gracious, //
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always accuse, //
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins //
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, //
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west, //
    so far he removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children, //
    so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
For he knows how we were made; //
    he remembers that we are dust.

Second Reading

A reading from 2 Corinthians 5:20–6:10:

So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the one who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with him, we entreat you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,

“At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
    and on a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: in great endurance, afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; in purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors and yet are true, as unknown and yet are well known, as dying and look—we are alive, as punished and yet not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing everything.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Reflection on God’s Word

Penitential Psalm and Imposition of Ashes

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

Almighty God, you have created us from the dust of the earth: Grant that these ashes may be for us a symbol of our mortality and a sign of our penitence, that we may remember that it is by your grace alone that we receive the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ our Savior.

Create In Me (Psalm 51)

Create in me

A clean heart oh Lord

Create in me

A clean heart oh Lord

Against you only I have sinned

Done evil in your sight

But you have shown me what I’ve done

With mercy in your eyes

Then wash my shame and guilt away

My weary soul renew

From all my sin you turn your face

Let me return to you

Create in me

A clean heart, oh Lord

Create in me

A clean heart, oh Lord

So I will give you what you ask

A humble broken heart

A spirit burning down to ash

Within your flame, oh God

And this will be your mercy, Lord

Transforming all of me

Till in every act and every word

Your loving glory speaks

Create in me

A clean heart, oh Lord

Create in me

A clean heart ,oh Lord

Have mercy on me

According to your endless love

Have mercy on me

According to your endless love

Confession and Litany of Penitence

Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God.

[silence]

Most holy and merciful Father,

We confess to you, and to one another,

And to the whole communion of saints

In heaven and on earth,

That we have sinned, through our own fault

In thought, word, and deed;

By what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength.

We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.

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.

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For all our unfaithfulness and disobedience;

For the pride, vanity, and hypocrisy of our lives;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For our self-pity and impatience, and our envy of those

We think more fortunate than ourselves;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For our unrighteous anger, bitterness, and resentment;

For all lies, gossip, and slander against our neighbors;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For our sexual impurity, our exploitation of other people,

And our failure to give of ourselves in love;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For our self-indulgent appetites and ways,

And our intemperate pursuit of worldly goods and comforts;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For our dishonesty in daily life and work,

Our ingratitude for your gifts, and our failure to heed your call.

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For our blindness to human need and suffering,

And our indifference to injustice and cruelty;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For our wastefulness and misuse of your creation,

And our lack of concern for those who come after us;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For all false judgments, for prejudice and contempt of others,

And for all uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For our negligence in prayer and worship;

For our presumption and abuse of your means of grace;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For seeking the praise of others rather than the approval of God;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

For our failure to commend the faith that is in us;

Lord, have mercy upon us:

For we have sinned against you.

Show favor to your people, O Lord, who turn to you in weeping, fasting, and prayer. For you are a merciful God, full of compassion, long-suffering, and abounding in steadfast love. You spare when we deserve punishment, and in your wrath you remember mercy. Spare your people, good Lord, spare us; in the multitude of your mercies, look upon us and forgive us; through the merits and mediation of your blessed Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Absolution

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, desires not the death of sinners, but that they may turn from their wickedness and live. He has empowered and commended his ministers to pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins. He pardons and absolves all who truly repent and genuinely believe his holy Gospel. For this reason, we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that our present deeds may please him, the rest of our lives may be pure and holy, and that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Hear the Word of God to all who truly turn to him:

Come to me, all you who are tired and are carrying heavy loads. I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Here is a saying that you can trust. It should be accepted completely. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15)

Suppose someone does sin. Then we have a friend who speaks to the Father for us. He is Jesus Christ, the Blameless One. He gave his life to pay for our sins. But he not only paid for our sins. He also paid for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1–2)

Passing the Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And with your spirit.

The Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise Him, all creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly host

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen

The Sursum Corda

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is right, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts, and prepare with joy for the Paschal feast; that, fervent in prayer and in works of mercy, and renewed by your Word and Sacraments, they may come to the fullness of grace which you have prepared for those who love you.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to procalim the glory of your Name:

The Sanctus

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 Prayer of Consecration

Holy and gracious Father:

In your infinite love you made us for yourself;

and when we had sinned against you

and become subject to evil and death,

you, in your mercy, sent your only Son Jesus Christ

into the world for our salvation.

By the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

he became flesh and dwelt among us.

In obedience to your will,

he stretched out his arms upon the Cross

and offered himself once for all,

that by his suffering and death, we might be saved.

By his resurrection, he broke the bonds of death,

trampling Hell and Satan under his feet.

As our great high priest,

he ascended to your right hand in glory,

that we might come with confidence

before the throne of grace.

On the night that he was betrayed,

our Lord Jesus Christ took bread;

and when he had given thanks, he broke it,

and gave it to his disciples, saying,

“Take, eat; this is my Body, which is given for you:

Do this in remembrance of me.”

Likewise, after supper, Jesus took the cup,

and when he had given thanks,

he gave it to them, saying,

“Drink this, all of you;

for this is my Blood of the New Covenant,

which is shed for you, and for many,

for the forgiveness of sins:

Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.”

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Word and the Holy Spirit

to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ.

Sanctify us also,

that we may worthily receive this holy Sacrament,

and be made one body with him,

that he may dwell in us and we in him.

In the fullness of time,

put all things in subjection under your Christ,

and bring us with all your saints

into the joy of your heavenly kingdom,

where we shall see our Lord face to face.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ:

By him, and with him, and in him,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all honor and glory is yours,

Almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your Name,

your Kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and forever. Amen.

The Fraction

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

Therefore let us keep the feast.

The Prayer of Humble Access

We do not presume to come to this your table, O merciful Lord,

trusting in our own righteousness,

but in your abundant and great mercies.

We are not worthy so much as to gather up

the crumbs under your table;

but you are the same Lord

whose character is always to have mercy.

Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord,

so to eat the flesh of your dear Son Jesus Christ,

and to drink his blood,

that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body,

and our souls washed through his most precious blood,

and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

The 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 your peace.

The Ministration of Communion

Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.

Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The Post Communion Prayer

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father,

We thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food

of the most precious Body and Blood

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;

and for assuring us in these holy mysteries

that we are living members of the body of your Son,

and heirs of your eternal Kingdom.

And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do,

to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.

To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,

be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Song // Ash Wednesday’s Early Morn

It is Ash Wednesday’s early morn.
The old, the young, the newly born
Await the mark of Adam’s dust
To seal their wills in Jesus’ trust.

Prepared to walk this Lenten trail
They face death’s dark and shadowed vale.
Rememb'ring Christ who led the way
They bravely march beneath his sway.

You came from dust and dust would be
Without the Great Son’s victory.
The gift is free yet must be claimed
By goodness lived and evil tamed.

It is Ash Wednesday’s early morn.
The old, the young, the newly born
Await the mark of Adam’s dust
To seal their wills in Jesus’ trust.

The Blessing and Dismissal

We were born from the dust

And we will return to the dust

We were born from Adam

Yet reborn in Christ

Our sin is always before us

But your spirit is always within us

Create in us a clean heart, O God

And restore to us the joy of your salvation

As we go to fast and pray and meditate on these things

Let us repent

Let us turn from the darkness of sin

And run to the light of resurrection

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.