Ash Wednesday: Lent Daybook 1
Look: Relative Mourns Flight ET 302 Crash Victim (March 2019), Mulugeta Ayene, Ethiopia, Associated Press. Nominee, World Press Photo of the Year - Source
Listen*: Our Father, Seraphim Bit-Kharibi - Spotify | YouTube
Read more about Seraphim Bit-Kharibi here and here.
Read**: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 103:8-14; 2 Corinthians 5:20—6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Excerpts:
“‘Yet even now,” declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.’ Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?”
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“For as high as the heavens are 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 does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”
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“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
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“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
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“Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, ‘Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
- Joel 2:12-14 * Psalm 103:11-14 * 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2 * Matthew 6:3-6 * Joel 2:17 (ESV)
Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for Ash Wednesday
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, for ever and ever. Amen.
Do: Attend an Ash Wednesday service
If you live in the Fairfield County area of Connecticut, you are most welcome to join one of our services at Church of the Apostles (click the link for times and COVID-19 protocols). You can also join us for one of our live stream services at 12:30 pm or 7:30 pm.
You can read the scripture and prayers for the Ash Wednesday service in the Book of Common Prayer here.
Is this your first time to practice Lent? Here's a simple introduction.
You might also enjoy:
Ash Wednesday Explained via The Homely Hours
Living and Dying Palm: what my name has to do with Ash Wednesday
Living and Dying Palm, part 2: the part where I talk about celebrating my 40th birthday on Ash Wednesday
* Today’s song came from my Lent Instrumental & Choral Classics Song Archive on Spotify. You can also listen to my playlist for 2021: Oh to be Loved: Lent 2021 Worship & Prayer. Add it to your account by clicking ‘Save to my library'.
** Sunday Scripture readings are taken from Year B of the Book of Common Prayer 2019 (Anglican Church of North America). Daily Scripture readings are taken from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and include both Morning and Evening Psalms (Year 1).