Ash Wednesday: Lent Daybook 1
And now, take a few deep breaths, settle your body, mind, and heart into a quiet space and let’s begin with prayer.
Opening prayer: Heavenly Father, make me more like Jesus and more like the true self you’ve created as I savor your loving presence today. Please guide my thoughts and impressions by your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Look: A house sits covered by a deep blanket of ash from a volcano erupting on La Palma, in Spain's Canary Islands, on October 30. After 85 days and eight hours of destruction, the Cumbre Vieja volcano in Spain's Canary Islands finally finished erupting on December 13, 2021. The volcanic eruption - sending lava into neighborhoods and raining ash downwind - was the island of La Palma's longest active eruption on record, according to Canary Island government officials. Emilio Morenatti / AP - Source
Listen: From the Dust, Paul Zach - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube
Read: Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 103; 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
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).
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 [written in 2011]
Living and Dying Palm, part 2: the part where I talk about celebrating my 40th birthday on Ash Wednesday [written in 2011]
Sunday Scripture readings are taken from Year C 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 2).