Tuesday, March 4, 2014

5 March 2014 - ASH WEDNESDAY (Start of Lent)

Blessing of the Ashes

Antiphon: Hear us, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind: look upon us, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. Ps. 68.2. Save me, O God: for the waters are come in even unto my soul. V. Glory be.

¶ Then the priest, standing at the Epistle corner, without turning towards the people, says:

V. Dominus vobiscum.
(The Lord be with you.)

R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
(And with thy spirit.)

Oremus.
(Let us pray.)

O almighty and everlasting God, spare those who are penitent, be merciful to those who implore thee; and vouchsafe to send thy holy Angel from heaven, to bless + and hal+low these ashes, that they may be a wholesome remedy to all who humbly implore thy holy Name, and who accuse them-selves, conscious of their sins, deploring their crimes before thy divine mercy, or humbly and earnestly beseeching thy sovereign goodness: and grant through the invocation of thy most holy Name that whosoever shall be sprinkled with them for the remission of their sins may receive both health of body and safety of soul. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

Oremus.
(Let us pray.)

O God, who desirest not the death, but the repentance of sinners, look down most graciously upon the frailty of human nature; and in thy goodness vouchsafe to bless + these ashes which we purpose to put opon our heads in token of our lowliness and to obtain forgiveness: so that we who know that we are but ashes, and for the demerits of our wickedness are to return to dust, may deserve to obtain of thy mercy, the pardon of all our sins, and the rewards promised to the penitent. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

Oremus.
(Let us pray.)

O God, who art moved by humiliation, and appeased by satisfaction: incline the ear of thy goodness to our prayers and mercifully pour forth upon the heads of thy servants sprinkled with these ashes the grace of thy blessing: that thou mayest both fill them with the spirit of compunction, and effectually grant what they have justly prayed for: and ordain that what thou hast granted may be permanently established and remain unchanged. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

Oremus.
(Let us pray.)

O almighty and everlasting God, who didst vouchsafe thy healing pardon to the Ninivites doing penance in sackcloth and ashes, mercifully grant that we may so imitate them in our outward attitude as to follow them in obtaining forgiveness. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

¶ The Celebrant then sprinkles the ashes thrice with holy water, saying the antiphon Asperges me, and then censes them thrice, having first blessed the incense in the usual manner.

The Distribution
of the Ashes

¶ The Celebrant stands and receives ashes on his head; he then distributes them to the clergy and the congregation, who kneel before him. He admonishes each one as he places ashes on his head:

Remember, O man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return.

¶ Meanwhile, the choir sings the following Antiphons and Responses:

Antiphon Joel 2.13 Let us change our garments for ashes and sackcloth: let us fast and lament before the Lord: for plenteous in mercy is our God to forgive our sins.

Antihphon Joel 2.17 Between the porch and the altar, the priests, the Lord's ministers, shall weep and shall say: Spare, O Lord, spare thy People: and close not the mouths of them that sing to thee, O Lord.

Response Esther 13; Joel 2. Let us amend for the better in those things in which we have sinned through ignorance; lest suddenly overtaken by the day of death, we seek space for repentance and are not able to find it. Attend, O Lord, and have mercy: for we have sinned against thee.

V. Ps. 78.9 Help us, O God, our savior: and for the glory of thy Name, O Lord, deliver us.

¶ When all have received the ashes, the Celebrant continues:

V. Dominus vobiscum.
(The Lord be with you.)

R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
(And with thy spirit.)

Oremus.
(Let us pray.)

Grant us, O Lord, to begin with holy fasts the campaign of our Christian warfare: that, as we do battle with the spirits of evil, we may be protected by the help of self-denial. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

The Mass 

INTROIT Sap. 11.24, 25, 27

Thou art merciful to all, O Lord, and hate none of the things that thou hast made. When men repent, thou overlookest their sins and pardon them; for thou art the Lord our God. Ps. 56.2. Have pity on me, O God, have pity on me, for my soul trusteth in thee.
V. Glory be.

COLLECT

O Lord, may the faithful begin the solemn season of fast with fitting piety, and may they continue through to its end with unwavering devotion. Through.

LESSON Joel 2.12-19

Now, therefore, saith the Lord. Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and mourning. And rend your hearts, and not your garments and turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil. Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive, and leave a blessing behind him, sacrifice and libation to the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Sion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, Gather together the people, sanctify the church, assemble the ancients, gather together the little ones, and them that suck at the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth from his bed, and the bride out of her bridal chamber. Between the porch and the altar the priests, the Lord's ministers, shall weep, and shall say: Spare, O Lord, spare thy people: and give not thy inheritance to reproach, that the heathens should rule over them. Why should they say among the nations: Where is their God? The Lord hath been zealous for his land, and hath spared his people. And the Lord answered, and said to his people: Behold I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and you shall be filled with them: and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.

GRADUAL Ps. 56.2, 4

Have pity on me, O God, have pity on me, for my soul trusteth in thee. V. He has sent from heaven, and saved me; He hath made them a reproach who trample upon me.

TRACT Ps. 102.10; 78.8-9

O Lord, repay us not according to the sins we have committed, nor according to our iniquities. V. O Lord, remember not our iniquities of the past; let thy mercy come quickly to us, for we are being brought very low. (All Kneel.)
V. Help us, O God our Savior, and for the glory of thy Name, O Lord, deliver us; and pardon us our sins for thy Name's sake.

+ The Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 6.16-21

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples, And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee. Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through, and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.

OFFERTORY Ps. 29.2-3

I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me, and hast not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord, I cried out unto thee and thou hast healed me.

SECRET

O Lord, make us truly fit to offer these gifts with which we commemorate the institution of this blessed Sacrament. Through.

COMMUNION Ps. 1.2-3

He who meditateth on the law of the Lord day and night shall bring forth his fruit in due season.

POSTCOMMUNION

O Lord, may this Sacrament which we have received make our fasting an acceptable offering unto thee and a healthful remedy to our souls. Through.

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE

¶ At the end of ferial masses in Lent, after all other Postcommunion prayers have been said, the celebrant says or sings:

Oremus. (Let us pray.)

¶ And then the celebrant, or the Deacon, if there is one, turns to face the people and says, with hands joined.

Humilitate capita vestra Deo.
(Bow your heads before the Lord.)

¶ This is then followed by the Prayer over the People, said in the same position as for the postcommunion, not facing the people.

O Lord, look with mercy upon those who worship before thy majesty. May thy heavenly aid always strengthen those who have feasted upon thy divine Sacrament. Through.

¶ The dismissal Benedicamus Domino (Let us bless the Lord) is said at all masses, including feasts, during Lent.

¶ And note that at masses of the season during Lent, the Gloria in excelsis is not said except at masses of feasts.

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