Ash Wednesday

The Church of the Epiphany Episcopal Church
ASH WEDNESDAY: 26 February 2020
11:30 AM and 5 PM

Silent Procession
 
​Page 264 – Book of Common Prayer (BCP) Opening Prayers

#S-98 Hymnal (Kyrie) Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

The Collect (Read together): Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and 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.

Old Testament:  Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
In our Hebrew reading, the prophet pictures the day of the Lord as time of judgment and darkness, but the prophet holds out the hope of mercy if the people will repent.  A trumpet calls us to a solemn fast, and turning to God.            
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near-- a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come. Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. 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? Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep. Let them say, "Spare your people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, `Where is their God?'"
Hear what God’s Spirit is saying to God’s people.         Congregation keeps silence.

Response: Psalm 103: 8-14. Prayed together.  
8 The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, * slow to anger and of great kindness.
9 He will not always accuse us, * nor will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, * nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, * so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, * so far has he removed our sins from us.
13 As a father cares for his children, * so does the LORD care for those who fear him.
14 For he himself knows whereof we are made; * he remembers that we are but dust.

The Epistle:  2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 
In this lesson, Paul urges the new disciples to be reconciled to God in this time of deliverance, and he reminds them of all the hardships he has patiently endured for their sake and for the gospel.
We entreat 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. As we work together with him, we urge 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." See, now is the acceptable time; see, 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: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by 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 see-- 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.
Hear what God’s Spirit is saying to God’s people.        Congregation keeps silence.

#411 Hymnal (Gospel) Oh Bless the Lord, My Soul!     

The Gospel:  Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21                              Response: Glory to you, Lord Christ    
Jesus said, "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever 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. "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."        Response: Praise to you, Lord Christ
Sermon        

Invitation to Holy Lent        

Imposition of Ashes

Page 266 BCP – Psalm 51        

Page 267 BCP – The Litany of Penitence      

 The Peace 

#575 Hymnal (Offertory) Before Thy Throne, O God, We Kneel

Page 333 BCP – Great Thanksgiving    

#S-156 Hymnal Christ Our Passover    
#S-161 Hymnal Lamb of God

#143 Hymnal (Communion) The Glory of These Forty Days       

Page 339 BCP – Prayer after Communion    

#610 Hymnal (Recessional) Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service  

Images in the readings:  
   Ashes are the primary image of this day.  Since the 11th century, ashes, made by burning last year’s palms, bring us from the triumphant celebration of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the humiliation of sinners covering their heads with the burnt greens.  The day we are honest about sin and death.  The ash cross marks one’s forehead as if it is the brand of one’s owner.  Ash Wednesday invites us to reflect on our humanity, and turn off distractions, such as electronics, to turn to God.

   The Gospel reading is the source for three disciplines of Lent that are useful:  increase giving to the poor, intensify rituals of prayer, and decrease focus on oneself.
  
   Try to collect a quarter a day in Lent and donate it to a fund at church for the poor. Pray as you put that quarter (or dollar) away that it will help you be less attached to money.  Think of places around the globe that need prayer; include the children taken from their parents.