9.00am Mass - Ash Wednesday, 2nd March 2022

good morning and welcome as we begin the first day of lent with this eucharist on ash wednesday please check that your mobile phone has been turned off or set to silent all are most welcome we also welcome all of those who have joined us through the live stream i invite you to turn to those around you and greet each other with the spirit of hospitality and welcome bishop michael mccarthy presiding please stand and join in singing praise to you o christ our savior [Music] calling [Music] us to freedom glory to the jesus you are the one who brings us through the desert christ [Music] son of god [Music] who leads us to our future lord jesus [Music] good morning everyone and welcome as we gather to celebrate our ash wednesday together to our diocese and family and our centercare family catholic education tcc and our parishioners and all who are joining us this day in the name of the father and of the son of the holy spirit peace be with you let us pray greater lord that we may begin with holy fasting this campaign of christian service so that as we take up the battle against spiritual evils we may be armed with the weapons of self-des through our lord jesus christ your son who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the holy spirit god forever and ever a reading from the prophet joel now now it is the lord who speaks come back to me with all your hearts fasting weeping mourning let your hearts be broken not your garments torn turn to the lord your god again for he is all tenderness and compassion slow to anger rich in graciousness and ready to relent who knows if he will not turn again will not relent will not leave a blessing as he passes oblation and libation through the lord your god sound the trumpets in zion order of fast proclaim a solemn assembly call the people together summon the community assemble the elders gather the children even the infants at the breast let the bridegroom leave his bedroom and the bride her alcove between vestibule and altar let the priests the ministers of the lord lament let them say spare your people lord do not make your heritage a thing of shame a byword for the nations why should it be said among the nations where is their god then the lord jealous on behalf of his land took pity on his people the word of the lord [Music] [Music] mercy lord for we have seen [Music] oh [Music] please have pity [Music] away my sins [Music] oh [Music] wash me clean from more of my sins make me [Music] me [Music] don't chase me away from you making holy spirit away from me make me [Music] me oh to obey help me to speak and i will praise you lord i will break [Music] we have seen a reading from the second letter of saint paul to the corinthians we are ambassadors for christ it is as though god were appealing through us and the appeal that we make in christ's name is be reconciled to god for our sake god made the sinless one into sin so workers we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of god that that he gave to you on the day of salvation i came to your help well now is a favorable time this is the day of salvation the word of the lord [Music] lord jesus christ [Music] the lord be with you a reading from the holy gospel according to matthew jesus said to his disciples be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice by doing this you lose all reward from your father in heaven so when you give arms do not have it trumpeted before you this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues the streets to win men's admiration i tell you solemnly they have had their reward when you give arms your left hand must not know what your right is doing your arms giving must be in secret and your father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you when you pray do not imitate the hypocrites they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues street corners for people to see them i tell you solemnly they have had their reward when you pray go to your private room and when you have shut your door pray to your father who is in that secret place and your father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you when you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do they'd have to pull long faces and let men know that they are fasting i tell you solemnly they have had their reward when you fast put oil on your head and wash your face so no one will know you are fasting except your father who sees all that is done in secret and your father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you the gospel of the lord normally around ash wednesday there are things happening in our world so the bushfires of south of victoria the floods at the moment seem to be coinciding with ash wednesday the floods that we had in south still having in southeast queensland and certainly northern new south wales the the richmond and the and the lismore area also we have a war going on one country eva invading another country and so this day we stop and pray for peace peace in the ukraine and peace in putin's heart that he may see peace and logic and stop the invasion of ukraine and so we call on all christians this day all people of good will to stop and pray pray for peace and ensure peace across our world the jed through all of this god has something to say as we listen to the first reading god's word is very clear come back to me with all your heart says our god. for our god is full of tenderness and compassion slow to anger rich in graciousness and ready to relent these are the qualities of god that we are invited to imitate and certainly leaders across the world are invited to imitate the exact qualities of our god and so as we listen to this word today it is about peace and is about forgiveness and it is about graciousness graciousness all together and this is what god expects of all of us for the people of ukraine their desire is peace and continue with their newfound freedom after shaking off the shackles of communism in 1991 and so i invite you as a school community as a parish community as a diocesan community to pray for peace but as we begin ash wednesday this day of fasting prayer and good works it's also an exciting time for those coming into the church at easter time and throughout our throughout the churches of our diocese and beyond it is a time where people who who are seeking baptism begin now a very intense time of preparation because our god speaks of joy the joy of becoming one with our god and as we pray today as as we begin the holy fasting of lent armed with self-restraint the church invites us to an inner journey to look at what is beneath and to look at what needs dealing with as we begin this day of having ashes sprinkled upon us an older ritual than marking with ashes a much older older ritual of ashes being sprinkled and put on our bodies it really is a reminder once again where does our life come from it is a gift of god the ashes are prepared from the palms of previous palm sunday and as a sobering reminder that we cannot do this journey alone we have to do this with god as our hearts return once again to god but yet jesus words of today speaking through the gospel of matthew speaks very clearly that the caesar of lent is also a season of joy of joy of fasting prayer and good works but joyfully going about that particular aspect of our lives not sort of putting on gloomy faces or telling everybody what we're doing and how we're doing it just going about our work quietly and ensuring that it is a time of joy and peace and forgiveness so as in paul's talks about we are ambassadors of christ and as we go back now to our various ministries of of center care education parish ministries back to our school ministries back to our diocesan ministries once again it is that commitment to our life focused on christ so as we come forward now and as our three young people come forward to assist me this morning as our three young people come forward to assist me thank you okay it is a time where we all come and receive the ashes the ashes that are sprinkled on us and once again a reminder that this is a great sign that god loves us deeply and invites us through this sign to people who believe and live the gospel message dear brothers and sisters let us humbly ask god our father that god be pleased to bless with the abundance of grace these ashes which we will put on our heads in penance o god who are moved by acts of humility and respond with forgiveness to works of parents lead your merciful ear to our prayers in your kindness pour out the grace of your blessing upon your servants who are marked with ashes that as they follow the latin observance they may be worthy come with minds made pure to celebrate the paschal mystery of your son through christ our lord amen here repent and believe in the gospel repent and believe in the gospel repent and believe in the gospel [Music] i see you mercy on us [Music] mercy on us [Music] mercy open your hearts to the lord [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] [Music] to set us free [Music] [Music] freeze [Music] this is the acceptable time the time of our salvation let us turn to god in prayer and for all our need that all members of the church will turn to god with sincere and contrite hearts in your mercy lord hear our prayer that world leaders will work together to restore peace in ukraine in your mercy lord hear our prayer that god's grace will be enough for those who desire reward and acclaim for their deeds in your mercy lord hear our prayer that in this time of lent our prayer fasting and arms giving through project compassion may help us prepare for easter in your mercy lord hear our prayer that those who have gone died will find peace in your mercy lord hear our prayer god of mercy and compassion you call us back to you in the season of repentance listen to our prayers and put a steadfast spirit within us we ask this through christ our lord amen pray brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to god the almighty father as we solemnly offer the annual sacrifice of the beginning of lent we entreat you o lord that through the works of penance and charity we may turn away from harmful pleasure and cleanse from our sins may become worthy to celebrate worthily the passion of your son who lives and reigns forever and ever the lord to be with you lift up your hearts and let us give thanks to the lord our god through right and just our judge our salvation always everywhere to give you thanks lord holy father almighty and eternal god through christ our lord for by your gracious gift each year your faithful awake the sacred paschal feast with the joy of minds made pure so that more eagerly intent on prayer than the works of charity participating in the mysteries by which they have been reborn they may be led to the fullness of grace that you bestow on your sons and daughters so with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven we sing the hymn of your glory it's without end we acclaim [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] you are indeed holy o lord the fount of all holiness make holy therefore these gifts we pray by sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfall so they may become for us the body and blood of our lord jesus christ at the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion he took bread and giving thanks broke it and gave it to his disciples saying take this all of you and eat of it for this is my body which will be given up for you in a similar way when supper was ended he took the chalice and once more giving thanks he gave it to his disciples saying take this all of you and drink from it for this is the chalice of my blood the blood of the new and eternal covenant which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins do this in memory of me the mystery of faith [Music] therefore to you humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of christ we may be gathered into one by the holy spirit remember lord your church spread throughout the world and bring her to the fullness of charity together with francis our pope me your unworthy servant and all the clergy remember also our brothers and sisters have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and all have died in your mercy welcome into the light of your face have mercy on us all we pray that with the blessed virgin mary mother of god with the blessed apostles saint joseph and all the saints may please you throughout the ages we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life and may praise and glorify you through your son jesus christ through him and with him and in him o god almighty father in the unity of the holy spirit all glory and honor is yours forever and ever [Music] at the savior's command and formed by divine teaching we dare to say our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation deliver us lord we pray from every evil graciously grant peace in our days that by the help of your mercy we may be always free from sin and safe from all the distress as we await the blessed hope and coming of our savior jesus christ lord jesus christ who said to your apostles peace i leave you my peace i give you look not on our sins but on the faith of your church and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will and even reign forever and ever the peace of the lord be with you always right let's now offer one another the sign of peace [Music] oh [Music] mercy on us [Music] on us [Music] behold the lamb of god behold him who takes away the sins of the world and blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb lord i am not worthy that you end up [Music] oh [Music] if is have done with him [Music] everybody if anyone [Music] me [Music] is [Music] my [Music] if [Music] watch us with [Music] let us pray may the sacrament we have received sustain us a lord and that our lead and fast may be pleasing to you for for us it is a healing remedy through christ our lord amen if you'd like to sit for a few moments please and those who are taking ashes to our various places this day so schools and nursing homes so we are going to joseph wandel and peters tcc bethany and on the office okay all right okay the office oh okay okay i thought they're all here today okay so while covert has certainly restricted what we do so as you go back to your back to your various places to distribute the ashes again sprinkling isn't it that whole ancient practice of sprinkling we are very conscious of those in our nursing homes and not able to come to our churches to receive the ashes so robert if you'd like to give a bottle to carolyn thank you i'm not too sure i think so i think any bottle will do oh they are labeled say bethany thank you there should be one the range the range here yeah that's it okay thank you and for our three schools our three colleges please and the office one for the office we remember our students in our catholic schools are not able to gather for our masses and large assemblies today because the queensland government current covet resp requirements so entrust these ashes to you to take to bethany mcauley place linster and to our schools of wandel saint peter's and tcc and the catholic education office please take them with you with prayers and the support of our church amen amen thank you the lord to be with you may almighty god bless you the father the son and the holy spirit go in peace remember today is a day of prayer and fasting the day where we remember the people of ukraine and a change of heart of the leaders of that part of the world so your prayers are very much important today as they are every day as we pray for peace thanks claire for the music and for leading us once again now ministers today and all who have put this liturgy together good morning everyone [Music] we rise again [Music] we rise again [Music] his ashes [Music] we [Music] is [Music] is [Music] is [Music] through [Music] is [Music] you

Channel: St Joseph's Cathedral, Rockhampton

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Length: 56min 47sec (3407 seconds)

Published: Tue Mar 01 2022