ASH WEDNESDAY—March 2, 2022

A Liturgy For Worship IN PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP Holy God, your prophets speak of the day of your coming as a day of darkness and gloom, the great day of judgment; and you desire a people set apart from the corrupt and oppressive ways of the world. Thus, we gather to express our sorrow, to observe a somber season for rending our hearts, and to return to you wholeheartedly, knowing that you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. As your prophets have summoned us, so we pray, “Spare your people, O God, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the nations, ‘Where is their God?’” CALL TO WORSHIP "Seek me while I can be found," says the Holy One, the God of Hosts," Call upon me when I am near. Let the corrupt abandon their ways, the evil their thoughts. Let them return to me, and I will have mercy on them; return to me, for I will freely pardon." "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways, my ways,” says God. "As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts." As far as the East is from the West, so far will I remove your iniquity from you." OPENING PRAYER Almighty and everlasting God, out of love you created us, in your love you redeem us, by your love you are making us perfectly human: Thus,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. Blessed are You, and blessed is your Kin-Dom, now and forevermore. O Holy and Eternal Trinity. Amen. PSALM 51. 1-17 O God, have mercy on me! Because of your love and your great compassion, wipe away my faults; wash me clean of my guilt; purify me of my sin. For I am aware of my faults, and have my sin constantly in mind. I sinned against you alone, and did what is evil in your sight. You are just when you pass sentence on me, blameless when you give judgment. I was born in sin, conceived in sin— yet you want truth to live in my innermost being. Teach me your wisdom! Purify me with hyssop until I am clean; wash me until I am purer than new-fallen snow. Instill some joy and gladness into me; let the bones you have crushed rejoice again. Turn your face from my sins, and wipe out all my guilt. O God, create a clean heart in me, put into me a new and steadfast spirit; do not banish me from your presence, do not deprive me of your Holy Spirit! Be my savior again, renew my joy, keep my spirit steady and willing; and I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Save me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation— and my tongue will acclaim your justice. Open my lips, O God, and my mouth will declare your praise. Sacrifice gives you no pleasure; were I to present a burnt offering, you would not have it. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; you will not scorn this crushed and broken heart. and young bulls to be offered on your altar. —Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. PRAYER OF BROKENNESS FOR HEALING Righteous God, in humility and repentance we bring our failures in caring, helping, and loving, we bring the pain we have caused other, we bring the injustice in society of which we are a part, to the transforming power of your grace. Grant us the courage to accept the healing you offer and to turn again toward the sunrise of your reign, that we may walk with you in the promise of peace you have willed for all the children of the earth, and have made known to us in Christ Jesus. Amen. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:20b-6:10 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! MATTHEW 6:1-6, 16-21 "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your God 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 God 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 God who is in secret; and your God 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 God who is in secret; and your God 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. PRAYER OF DEDICATION O God, you delight not in pomp and show, but in a humble and contrite heart. Overturn our love of worldly possessions and fix our hearts more firmly on you, that, having nothing, we may yet possess everything, a treasure stored up for us in heaven. Amen. WORDS OF HUMANKIND'S MORTALITY You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” —Genesis 3.19 GOD KNOWS US INSIDE AND OUT For God knows how we were made; God remembers that we are dust. As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of God is from everlasting to everlasting on those who reverence God, and God's righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep God's covenant and remember to do God's commandments. —Psalm 103. 14-18 CLOSING PRAYER Hear, O God, and be gracious to me! O God, be my helper!” You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O God my God, I will give thanks to you forever. —Psalm 30:10-12