Liturgical Music

Lectionary: 219

 

1st reading

Joel 2:12-18

 

A reading from the Book of 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 libations
for the LORD, your God.

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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, "Spare, O 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?'"

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Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land
and took pity on his people.

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​The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17

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R. (see 3a)  Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
 

For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
 

A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
 

Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

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2nd reading

2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2

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A reading from the Second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

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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.

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Lenten Gospel Acclamation:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory

 

 

 

Gospel

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

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The Lord be with you. And with your spirit

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

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Glory to you, O Lord.

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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 synagogues 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 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 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, 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 of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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Ashes Distribution: With These Ashes
 

Refrain:
With these ashes, we know your love, O Lord.
With these ashes, we turn our hearts to you.
Daughters and sons, we journey as one.
With these ashes, we know your love, O Lord.

Verse 1:
Joining together on this journey with you,
we walk these forty days and nights.
Called by your grace, we answer in faith;
O Lord, lead us to your light. [Refrain]

Verse 2:
With prayer and service, we will answer your call.
With voices raised, we share your word.
Called by your grace, we answer in faith;
O Lord, let our cry be heard. [Refrain]

Verse 3:
We give of what we have to all those in need.
We give as you would have us do.
Called by your grace, we answer in faith;
O Lord, lead us back to you. [Refrain]

Verse 4:
And for those many times we stumble and fall,
your mercy rains from heav’n above.
Called by your grace, we answer in faith;
O Lord, lead us to your love. [Refrain]

 

 

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Offertory: Create a Clean Heart

Refrain:
Create a clean heart in me, O God; renew in
me a steadfast spirit.

Verse 1:
Have mercy, God, in compassion, and
forget that I have defied you. Wash away all
my sin, and cleanse me from my guilt. Very
well do I know what is evil, and my sins are
always before me. Done to you alone, my
offenses, crimes committed right before
your eyes. [Refrain]

Verse 2:
You are justified giving sentence, and
without reproach when you judge. You see
me just as I am, a sinner before my birth.
Behold, you love truth in the heart; in my
secret heart teach me wisdom. With a sprig
of hyssop and water, wash me; make me
brighter than the snow. [Refrain]

Verse 3:
Make me hear rejoicing and gladness, that
the bones you bruised may revive! Shut

your eyes to my sin; make my guilt
disappear. O Creator, reshape my heart; put
a sturdy spirit within me. Deprive me not of
your spirit; cast me not away from your side.
[Refrain]

Verse 4:
Give me back the joy of salvation, with a
fervent spirit sustain me. I will show to
others your way; those in sin will return to
you. O rescue me, God, be my helper, and
my tongue shall ring out your goodness. O
Lord, open my lips and my mouth will
declare your praise. [Refrain]

Verse 5:
When I sacrifice, you refuse it, and my
holocausts do not please you. My broken
spirit I offer; you will welcome my humble
heart. In you mercy show favor to Sion, and
rebuild the walls of your city. Then our
holocausts will be pleasing sacrifices
offered in your sight. [Refrain]

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