Ash Wednesday 9:00 am Mass - March 2, 2022

[Music] [Music] [Music] good morning welcome to saint rayfield the archangel parish saint simon and jude church [Music] how can we keep this solemn fast a gift of faith from ages past these forty days that year by year bid contrite hearts to christ this lent foretold which christ all ages lord and god in these last days has sanctified more sparing therefore let us make the words we speak the food we [Music] let us avoid each harmful way [Music] we pray oh blessed three in one our god while endless he just run that this our land of forty days and give you praise in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit the lord be with you let us pray grant o lord that we may begin with holy fasting this campaign of christian service so that as we take up battle against spiritual evils we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint 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 even now says the lord return to me with your whole heart with fasting and weeping and mourning rend your hearts not your garments and return to the lord your god for gracious and merciful is he slow to anger rich in kindness and relenting in punishment perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing offerings and libation for the lord your god blow the trumpet in zion proclaim a fast call an assembly gather the people notify the congregation assemble the elders gather the children and the infants at the breast let the bridegroom quit his room and the bride her chamber between the porch and the altar let the priests the ministers of the lord weep and say sparrow lord your people and make not your heritage a reproach with the nations ruling over them why should they say among the peoples where is their god then the lord was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people the word of the lord thanks be to god [Music] be merciful o lord for we have sinned be merciful o lord for we have sinned be merciful o lord for we have sinned be merciful o lord for we have sinned have mercy on me god in your kindness in your compassion put out my offense wash me more and more from my guilt and my sorrow and cleanse me from all of my sins we have sinned be merciful o lord for we have sinned my offenses truly i know them and my sins are always before me against you alone have i sinned oh lord what is evil in your sight i have done be merciful o lord for we have sinned be merciful o lord for we have sinned create and be a clean heart o god put your steadfast spirit in my soul cast me not away from your presence oh lord and take not your spirit from me be merciful o lord for we have sinned be merciful o lord for we have sinned give back to me the joy of your salvation let your willing spirit bear me up and i shall teach your way to the ones who have wondered and bring them all home to your side be merciful o lord for we have sinned be merciful o lord for we have seen a reading from the second letter of saint paul to the corinthians brothers and sisters we are ambassadors for christ as if god were appealing through us we implore you on behalf of christ be reconciled to god for our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin so that we might become the righteousness of god in him working together then we appeal to you not to receive the grace of god in vain for he says in an acceptable time i heard you and on the day of salvation i helped you behold now is a very acceptable time behold now is the day of salvation the word of the lord thanks be to god [Music] glory to you word of god lord jesus christ glory to you word of god lord jesus christ glory to you word of god lord jesus christ glory to you word of god lord jesus christ if today you hear his voice glory to you word of god lord jesus christ glory to you word of god lord jesus christ [Music] the lord be with you and with your spirit a reading from the holy gospel according to matthew glory to you o lord jesus said to his disciples take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them otherwise you will have no recompense from your heavenly father when you give alms do not blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogue and in the streets to win the praise of others amen i say to 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 almsgiving may be secret and your father who sees in secret will repay you when you pray do not be like the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that others may see them amen i say to you they have received their reward but when you pray go to your inner room close the door and pray to your father in secret and your father who sees in secret will repay you when you fast do not look gloomy like the hypocrites they neglect their appearance so that they may appear to others to be fasting amen that i say to you they have received their reward but when you fast anoint your head and wash your face so that you may not appear to be fasting except to your father who is hidden and your father who sees what is hidden will repay you the gospel the lord praise to you lord jesus christ the opening prayer for a mass on this ash wednesday i think is one of the all-time greats it's a very ancient prayer that expresses the essence of what these days of lent are all about we prayed if you don't remember grant o lord that we may begin with holy fasting this campaign of christian service so that as we take up battle against spiritual evils we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint this way of thinking about lent actually about thinking about the whole christian life goes right back to saint paul in his first letter to the corinthians he compared the christian life to an athlete preparing for a contest he wrote athletes deny themselves all kinds of things they do this to win a crown of leaves that withers but we a crown that is imperishable when we learn to restrain our desires and discipline ourselves it helps us to acquire the mental physical and spiritual tools we need to live good and holy lives even so holiness is not ultimately about achieving certain goals or working hard to become a certain kind of person of course it does take work but the work is about letting ourselves go and instead clinging to god this is maybe a great a great secret of the spiritual life but it's at the very heart of lent lent is of course a season where we take on certain penances we give up certain things today we fast we abstain from meat we do that on all the fridays of lent but it's not a season of self-improvement it's not like a 40-day new year's resolution lent is not about challenging yourself to a test of endurance and winning at all costs no it's about deepening our love for god and for our neighbor for example if you give up coffee or chocolates or some other little pleasure of life this lent and doing that makes you irritable and less charitable to others then what's the point you're in a worse spiritual place than when you started we make these sacrifices in lent and we focus on works of mercy and of service because lent is an invitation to grow in empathy for each other and in love for god that's why pope francis has asked people around the world christians and non-christians alike to dedicate this ash wednesday as a day of fasting and prayer for peace in ukraine you might wonder how choosing to skip a meal or making a prayer could possibly help the situation in a country under invasion 5 000 miles from here christians in fact are often mocked for this the empty promise of thoughts and prayers and nothing more well let me be clear we do believe that prayer has power we believe that the grace of god can work on human hearts in a direct way we believe in miracles but the normal purpose of prayer is not to change god's mind it's certainly not a way to absolve ourselves of the responsibility to act the purpose of prayer is to open ourselves to the will of god in our own hearts and in our own souls the prayer that jesus himself taught us says thy kingdom come thy will be done the primary effect of prayer is to transform us to become instruments of god's love and justice in the world if we pray for peace that prayer is meaningless unless we ourselves are dedicated to becoming people of peace saint james put it this way that faith without works is dead the same goes for our lenten penances if during these 40 days we give up something that costs us money the excess should go directly to the poor what's the point of saving five bucks on coffee every morning if you spend the 200 bucks you accumulated during lent on yourself we take these penances to learn compassion and empathy we willingly put ourselves in the shoes of those who go without the basic needs of life so that we can learn to love them just as we love ourselves so i urge you to respond to the pope's invitation you'll receive your ashes today even more importantly you'll receive the body and blood of jesus christ these are not just symbols they are real and living realities put aside the normal patterns and pleasures of life this lent do it to remind yourself that peace and justice and charity can only come from within us when we reform our lives and draw close to god the only mind and the only heart that you can change in this world is your own if we all understood that then there would be peace my dear brothers and sisters let us humbly ask god our father that he be pleased to bless with the abundance of his grace these ashes which we will put on our heads in penitence let us pray o god who desire not the death of sinners but their conversion mercifully hear our prayers and in your kindness be pleased to bless these ashes which we intend to receive upon our heads that we who acknowledge we are but ashes and shall return to dust may through a steadfast observance of lent gain pardon for sins and newness of life after the likeness of your risen son who lives and reigns forever and ever repent and believe in the gospel repent and believe in the gospel [Music] repent and believe in the gospel repent and believe in the gospel and believe in the gospel sign us with ashes merciful god children of justice to dust we return sign us with ashes merciful god mark us and make us your own [Music] [Music] [Music] surely you alone can save us you pay your price with precious blood reaching through your great compassion [Music] [Laughter] children of dust as to dust we returned us with ashes merciful god mark us and make us [Music] you give us strength for all our needs shielding with our father's favor you bless us with pardon and peace [Music] [Music] us with ashes merciful god mark us and because you're wrong surely you alone can heal us yours is the will to make us whole soothing with a mother's kindness the contrite of heart you console [Music] us with ashes [Music] you break the bonds of guilt and sin bracing till we walk up rightly you bolster our hope once [Music] children of dust as to dust we returned [Music] us you give us grace for lives made new forging through your fire and radiance a sacrifice worthy for you sign your swing ashes merciful god children of dust as to dust [Music] surely you alone redeem us you fill our dust with holy breath bursting from the grave in glory you rise from the ashes of death [Music] and make us your own surely you alone can save us you pay our price with precious blood reaching through your great compassion you'd lift up your people with love [Music] us and make us [Music] you give us strength for all our needs shielding with our father's favor you bless us with pardon and peace [Music] and make us your own surely you alone can heal us yours is the will to make us whole soothing with a [Music] the contrite of heart you console sign us with ashes for god children [Music] my [Music] okay um uh hey please rise brothers and sisters as we present our prayers and intercessions to god our heavenly father our response is lord hear our prayer for the church may the lord strengthen and sustain her in her ministry of healing and the world let us pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for the ukraine people in this time of conflict may god's grace sustain and strengthen them and keep them from harm let us pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for those who feel estranged from god may our merciful lord embrace them and give them comfort and hope in his promises let us pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for this faith community may the holy spirit help us follow the way of christ's mercy and love let us pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for our beloved dead and all those who have died may they know the forgiveness of god and come to share in the fullness of christ's glory let us pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for the intention of this mass amy fallart let us pray to the lord lord hear our prayer lord in your mercy hear these prayers and grant these things according to your will through christ our lord amen today's collection will be a collection to help the eastern churches help the people of ukraine so we thank you for your generosity [Music] lord who throughout these forty days for us to fast and pray teach us to overcome our sins and close by you to stay as you with satan did content and did the victory win o give us strength in you to fight in you to conquer sin as you did hunger and dithers so teach us gracious lord to [Music] [Applause] abide with us that when this life of suffering is past an easter egg ending joy we be attained at last [Music] pray brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to god the almighty father accept this sacrifice at your hands the praise and glory of his name for our good and the good of all his holy church as we solemnly offer the annual sacrifice for the beginning of lent we entreat you o lord that through works of penance and charity we may turn away from harmful pleasures and cleansed from our sins may become worthy to celebrate devoutly the passion of your son who lives and reigns forever and ever the lord be with you and with your spirit lift up your hearts let us give thanks to the lord our god it is truly right and just our duty and our salvation always and everywhere to give you thanks lord holy father almighty and eternal god for you will that our self-denial should give you thanks humble our sinful pride contribute to the feeding of the poor and so help us imitate you in your kindness and so we glorify you with countless angels as with one voice of praise we acclaim holy holy lord holy lord god of hosts heaven and earth are full of your glory o sauna hosanna ozone in the highest the blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord [Music] in the heart [Music] you are indeed holy oh lord the fount of all holiness make holy therefore these gifts we pray by sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfall so that 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 i'm in history of faith [Music] when we eat this and drink this cup we proclaim your death o lord until you come again until you come again therefore as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection we offer you lord the bread of life and the chalice of salvation giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister 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 and david our bishop and all the clergy remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and all who have died in your mercy welcome them into the light of your face have mercy on us all we pray that with the blessed virgin mary mother of god with blessed joseph her spouse with the blessed apostles and all the saints who have pleased 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 oh god almighty father in the unity of the holy spirit all glory and honor is yours forever and ever amen 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 but deliver us from evil 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 distress as we await the blessed hope and the 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 who live and reign for ever and ever amen the peace of the lord be with you always let us offer each other the sign of peace [Music] [Music] is is [Music] behold the lamb of god behold him who takes away the sins of the world blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb lord i am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed so [Music] healer of our every [Music] [Laughter] give us peace beyond our fear and hope beyond our sorrow healer of our everyday [Music] beyond our sorrows who know our fears and sadness grace us with your peace and gladness spirit of all comfort fill our hearts [Music] healer of our [Music] give us peace beyond our fear and help beyond our [Music] and sorrows beholding how your grace is still unfolding give us all your vision god of love [Music] [Music] give us please give each us every sister every brother spirit of all kindness be our god [Music] give us peace beyond our [Music] you who know each thought and feeling teach us all your way of healing spirit of compassion fill each healer of our evil [Music] you who know your fears and sadness grace us with your peace and gladness spirit of all comfort feel [Music] [Music] give us peace beyond our fears [Music] oh your grace is still unfolding give us all your vision god of love [Music] is [Music] every sister every brother spirit of all kindness [Music] [Music] you who know each thought and feeling teach us all your way of healing spirit of compassion fill each other [Music] give us oh hmm [Music] um [Music] now [Music] um let us pray may the sacrament we have received sustain us o lord that our lenten fast may be pleasing to you and be for us a healing remedy through christ our lord amen the lord be with you and with your spirit bow down for the blessing pour out a spirit of compunction o god on those who bow before your majesty and by your mercy may they merit the rewards you promised to those who do penance through christ our lord amen and may almighty god bless you the father and the son and the holy spirit amen go in peace glorifying the lord through your lives thanks be to god [Music] the glory of these forty days we celebrate with songs of praise for christ by whom all things were made himself has fasted and has prayed on loan and fasting moses saw the loving god who gave the law [Music] we like them be true consumed in fast and prayer with you our spirit is strengthened with your grace and give us joy to see your faith [Music] you

Channel: The Parish of St. Raphael the Archangel

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Id: J7Ge6MS-5hM

Length: 52min 15sec (3135 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 02 2022